New Beginnings

This blog is about to step up a notch. After five short years of teaching Home Economics in Dublin I have decided to venture down another road. Some may say a road less travelled. I’ve swapped my secure comfortable teaching job in Dublin to pursue something I can longer ignore. 

This September I am headed to Ballymaloe Cookery School and to say I’m excited is an understatement. I'm sharing this news as I hope that now it will allow me to spend more time doing and throwing myself into what it is I love. More time for blogging about food, preparing and cooking food, learning about food and immersing myself completely in the world of food, aka Ballymaloe Cookery School. 

Looking forward to sharing some of the journey! 

Wish me luck!

Caramel Squares

So perhaps you have some left over chocolate from all those Easter Eggs you got? No....?
I didn't think so. Nor do I. These are not for using up leftovers. These are just a little bit special.
I also call them the holy grail of my baking stash!
They take a little time, a little love and a little bit of waiting around but boy are they worth it in every aspect. I forgot how good a decent and fulfilling a caramel square can really be.
The chewy caramel, buttery shortbread and generous thick cold chocolate topping.

Complete Bliss.


Ingredients:
Shortbread Base:

• 225g plain flour 
• 2 teaspoons of cornflour 
• 80g fine caster sugar 
• 175g butter 
• pinch of salt 

Caramel Layer

• 1 tin of condensed milk 
• 100g caster sugar 
• 200g butter 
• pinch of salt 

Chocolate topping

• 400g good quality chocolate 

Method:
Begin my preheating the oven to 180℃.
Mix together the sugar, flour, cornflour and rub in the soft butter with your hands until it forms a soft crumbly dough.
Line a medium sized baking tray with non-stick greaseproof paper and press the biscuit base with your fingers into the tin. Bake in the hot oven for 20-25minutes until lightly golden.

For the caramel, place the butter, condensed milk, caster sugar and punch of salt into a good heavy based saucepan. Allow the sugar to dissolve gently. Boil the mixture for a good 5-10minutes until it changes to a thick luscious smooth caramel.
Once the biscuit layer is cooled pour over the caramel and smooth off with a spatula. Allow to set for 15minutes in the fridge.

Finally gently melt the chocolate in a bowl over barely simmering water. Do not let steam get into the chocolate as it will split.
Pour the smooth chocolate over the caramel layer and leave to set in the fridge ideally over night.

Chop up the next morning in even sized chunks and enjoy with a big mug of tea.
Bliss!

Chunky Chocolate Banana Muffins

Do you ever just have one of those days when you need a chocolate hit?
Today was one of those....
Baking is one of the most therapeutic activities for me. It calms me down and reminds me exactly what it is I love doing.
These muffins are so moist and delicate and I absolutely loaded them with chocolate chips and even cut up chunks of extra chocolate for an added extra hit!!

So simple and delicious!

My advice is to enjoy them warm straight out of the oven with the chocolate melting and oozing...  

Ingredients:

90ml milk 

2 eggs 

150g butter (melted)

225g plain flour 

1 teaspoon of baking powder 

150g golden caster sugar 

150g plain chocolate chunks 

2 small bananas (mashed up)

Preheat the oven to 180℃ and arrange 12 paper cases into a muffin tin. 

In a small bowl, whisk the milk, eggs and melted butter together until combined. 

Sieve together the flour and baking powder into a separate bowl. Add the sugar and chocolate chips. 

Stir gently to combine gradually adding in the egg mixture but do not beat. Add the mashed bananas. 

Spoon into the paper cases and bake for 20minutes.  

Allow to stand for 5 minutes on a wire tray. 

Sticky Ginger Cake with Lemon Drizzle

January is a long month. 

People are trying to be good, make up for all the boldness and extravagance of the previous weeks. The whole sugar-free great intentions tend to go a little over my head. 

For now I’ve adapted ever so slightly a recipe I watched being made on the ‘Afternoon Show’ on rte one. I’ve added in some chopped hazelnuts and almonds to give it some extra texture, bite and nutritional value.   

I must admit I was a little sceptical at first with this cake but boy was I pleasantly surprised at its mouthwatering taste, smooth nutty texture and warm comforting aroma. It is a rich dark coloured cake full of warming spices and packed full of healing ginger to give the immune system a good old boost this January. 

Sticky Ginger Cake with Lemon Drizzle 

Ingredients: 

225g self-raising flour 

1 tablespoon of ground ginger 

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

1 teaspoon of mixed spice 

115g butter 

115g dark muscovado sugar

115g treacle 

115g golden syrup 

250ml full fat milk 

85g grated fresh ginger 

1 egg 

75g chopped hazelnuts & almonds 

For the Drizzle 

50g icing sugar 

Zest of 1 lemon 

Juice of 1 lemon 

Method: 

Preheat the oven to 160℃. Grease or line a standard size loaf tin with butter. 

Gently melt the butter, brown sugar, treacle, golden syrup and milk in a heavy based saucepan until all the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is a nice smooth liquid.

Sieve the flour and spices into a mixing bowl and stir in the chopped nuts. Roughly grate the fresh ginger and add in along with the flour mixture. 

Pour the treacle mixture on top of the flour and stir using a wooden spoon. Add in the egg and continue to mix until evenly distributed.  

Pour the mixture into the greased tin and bake for up to 40minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. 

To make the drizzle sieve the icing sugar into a bowl and grate in the zest of one lemon. Add the lemon juice and stir to make a thick smooth white drizzle. 

Once the cake is well cooled pour the drizzle over the top to create a zigzag design. 

This cake keeps for up to 4days due to the spices. 

It is the perfect little pick me up this January! 

Hope you enjoy!