Cakes – Hey Pesto!

Baking, Cakes, Cookbooks, Cookery Classes, Uncategorized

Farewell to Summer

September 5, 2018September 5, 2018 heypesto

What an amazing summer we’ve had – who knew outdoor living in Ireland could be so much fun! My barbeque was in constant use and I finally got to use all my garden furniture.

One of the bonuses of the sunshine is that my apple tree is laden down with fruit. Last time the harvest was this bountiful the Chief Taster and I carefully picked the fruit, wrapped them individually in paper and stored them in crates. This project did not have a successful outcome….. So I’m looking for ideas to use them up before the birds eat them. All suggestions welcome.

One thing I’m going to do is stew and freeze a batch of them so I can make one of my favourite cakes over the coming months. It’s a Sophie Grigson recipe that can be adapted for almost all fruit and it’s so simple you have to try it .
Continue reading “Farewell to Summer” →

Baking, Cakes, Cookery Classes, Cooking, Easter, Food, Recipes

Easter Chicks Chocolate Cake

March 24, 2016September 5, 2018 heypesto

bunnies and chocolate

Mention Easter and what comes to mind? Chocolate of course – in all shapes and forms – the more the better !

chicks on eggs

We have a traditional Easter Egg hunt here on Easter Sunday with competition to see who can find, and in some cases, eat the most eggs !

Thankfully the last few years have been dry so the Easter Bunny had plenty of choice when it came to hiding places in the garden.

Easter Egg Hunt Collage I even found a few ‘escapees’ a few days after !

After the hunt is over there there has to be coffee and cake – to help the adults recover. And what else could it be except chocolate cake?
Continue reading “Easter Chicks Chocolate Cake” →

Baking, Cakes, Cookery Classes, desserts, Recipes

Happily Ever After Tart

February 8, 2015February 8, 2015 heypesto

Now that January is over and we’ve all been good and stuck to our resolutions to eat healthier (what do you mean you haven’t??) it’s time to start thinking about treats for Valentine’s Day.
And speaking of resolutions it’s high time I stuck to mine and updated my blog.

I’ve been doing some research on aphrodisiacs in advance of my Valentine’s cooking and I’m now a font of trivia!

Did you know that basil was used for seduction by women in Moldova? Or that Catholic priests in Spain banned avocados because they found them obscenely sexual? Continue reading “Happily Ever After Tart” →

Baking, Cakes, Cookery Classes, desserts, family meals, Food, Healthy Eating, Recipes

Junior Cooks & Soda Bread

August 28, 2014September 4, 2014 heypesto

My nieces, nephews and friends’ children seem to love cooking here and I enjoy working with them and encouraging them to try different things. Though I suspect the freedom to make a mess could be one of the main attractions ………

I’ve been asked more than once if I would do cookery classes for children so with two of my nieces visiting and my friend Kay about to head back to Brunei with her two children, I decided it was time to experiment.

We started with traditional Soda bread ….Thanks to Isabella and Savannah for setting up the table

The table didn’t stay clean for long once the mixing started. I think there was a competition to see who could shake out the most flour and some of the mixes were a bit wet! They loved the stories about the cross in the cake to to represent the four provinces and there were lots of holes made to let the fairies escape.

Continue reading “Junior Cooks & Soda Bread” →

Baking, Cakes, Cookery Classes, Cooking, Food, Recipes

Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

April 2, 2014March 29, 2018 heypesto

When we were children everywhere was closed on Good Friday, the Fast day was adhered to and you weren’t even supposed to speak between 12 and 3pm. There wasn’t anything to watch on TV except the Long Good Friday. The only good thing was the bag of hot cross buns that my Mum used to buy from McGinn’s bakery. These sticky buns were delicious with lashings of butter – we protested that they counted as a collation and so formed part of the Fast Day diet.

Good Friday is now almost like any other day except for Hot Cross Buns that is. McGinn’s no longer exists – it’s now the CopperPot Still Pub. I’m not even sure how many people observe the Fast Day anymore.

In the last few years I have started making my own hot cross buns to see if I can recreate that childhood taste. I’ve had various degrees of success but I never seem to remember to write down how I made them or which recipe I followed.

This year I am going with a twist as I want to include Hot Cross Buns in my Easter Chocolate Class in Butlers Chocolates. And because people like to know how to reproduce what I demonstrate I’ve even remembered to write down how I made them 🙂

I took my inspiration from a number of recipes but I’ve broken a few rules by adding everything in together. I came across the idea of using the muffin trays on the Taste Australia website and it’s such a good idea I can’t believe I hadn’t come across it before.

There’s a bit of time involved in making these but trust me they’re worth it 🙂

Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

Makes 12

What you need:

450g strong flour
50g caster sugar
25g cocoa
1 tsp mixed spice
2 *7g sachet dried yeast
150ml milk, made up to 200ml with warm water
50g butter, melted
1 egg
75g mixed peel
75g Butlers milk chocolate, chopped
Zest & Juice of 1 orange
To decorate:
- 4tbsp plain flour
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- Water

What you do:

Make your dough by mixing together the flour, sugar, cocoa, mixed spice and yeast in bowl of your Kenwood.
In a jug mix the warm milk mix, melted butter and beaten egg. You want this mix to be lukewarm so it will activate the yeast.
Pour this mix into the dry ingredients and knead using the dough hook ( or you could do by hand if you’re feeling energetic!)
Once the mix comes together add in the mixed peel, chocolate, orange zest and juice and continue to knead for another 5 mins.
When the dough mix is smooth and springy transfer it to an oiled bowl. Cover lightly with clingfilm and leave to rise in a warm place for an hour.
Once the dough has doubled in size, knock it back and knead for a minute or two (by hand this time!)
Line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper liners. I knew I’d eventually find a use for the lovely ones that have been languishing in my baking cases box for the last two years.
Divide the mix into 12 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball and place one in each hole of the muffin tray.
Cut a cross in the top of each bun using a scissors . Cover the tray and leave to rise for another 20 mins.
Heat your oven to 200C/180Fan/Gas6
To top the buns mix the 4 tbsp. of flour with enough water to form a paste. Put the paste into a plastic bag, snip of the corner of the bag and pipe into the cross on each bun.
Bake in a hot oven for 12-15 minutes. To check they’re cooked tap one of the buns on the bottom and you should hear a hollow sound
To get that lovely sticky glaze on top melt the 2 tbsp. sugar with a tablespoon of water and then brush over the top of each bun.

These hot cross buns are best enjoyed warm with lots of butter. The Chief Taster is in the UK on business so I’ll have to make another batch when he gets back to see what he thinks of the chocolate twist. Any excuse I know….

Happy Cooking !

Baking, Cakes, desserts, Food, Recipes

Love is in the Air

February 3, 2013February 10, 2013 heypesto

My poor blog has been very neglected of late so it’s time to pay it some attention and share a recipe for Valentine’s Day.

In preparation for my ‘Cupid’s Cookery‘ class last week I did a little research on aphrodisiacs and found lots of trivia. Did you know that basil was used for seduction by women in Moldova? Or that Catholic priests in Spain banned avocados because they found them obscenely sexual?

Other reputed aphrodisiacs are honey, almonds and chocolate – so what better way to celebrate St Valentine’s Day than to present the object of your affections with a combination of all three?

This recipe is based on one I found in the course of my research….I’ve made a few alterations and I hope you like it……

What you need:

Heart Shaped loose bottomed tin
180g dark chocolate digestives
60g butter
2 tbsp. flaked almonds
200ml Avonmore Fresh Cream
3 tbsp. Limefield Honey
300g dark chocolate (70% cocoa), in pieces
Generous splash of Cointreau!

What you do:

Crush the biscuits finely and add in the melted butter. Then press into the bottom of heart shaped tin.
Toast the almonds in a dry pan.
Whisk the cream and honey together in a small saucepan over a low heat and then slowly bring the mix to just below the boil.
Pour the mix over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate melts.
Stir in the toasted almonds and the Cointreau.
Pour the mix into the lined tin and leave to chill for a few hours until set (overnight is best)
Decorate to your heart’s content with almonds, hearts and sparkles!
Serve with lots of extra Avonmore Fresh Dessert Cream

I also made individual ones for last week’s date night – one with added sea salt which I preferred but The Chief Taster preferred the Cointreau version!

Did it live up to expectations? Well, let’s just say there were no complaints ……

Happy Cooking!

Baking, Cakes, Christmas, Cooking, desserts, Food

Extremely Chocolatey Christmas Wreath

December 9, 2012December 9, 2012 heypesto

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas around here – the tree is up, the lights are on and I’m doing up my Christmas menus which will include this Christmas Wreath Cake as an alternative to the traditional fruit cake

I may have mentioned that I’m not really a dessert person – give me savoury any day – but I love making desserts and watching others enjoy them! I came across this wreath cake a few years ago – in a copy of Good Housekeeping I think – and have been using it every Christmas since.

I should warn you that this is a cake for serious chocoholics and not for the fainthearted, but it makes a great centrepiece on Christmas Day!

It’s an easy cake to make and it freezes well (un-iced ) so you can make it in advance and take it out to decorate on Christmas Eve.

The only special piece of equipment you will need is a ‘wreath’ tin i.e. a 23cm spring form cake tin with a but missing in the middle! I use one I bought in Ikea but I know my local shop ‘Kit Your Kitchen‘ now stock similar .

Turn your oven to 180 C or Gas 4 before you start and grease your tin with butter.

What you need:

1 * 400g tin of pears (in natural juice)
50 ml milk
1 tbsp. espresso coffee
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
175g cocoa (I use Green & Black ‘s)
125g plain flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
340g caster sugar
6 egg whites
250g crème fraîche
175g dark chocolate (I use 70% )
Christmas decorations

What you do:

Drain the tin of pears and whizz in food processor to a purée.
Mix the pear purée with the milk, espresso granules, oil and vanilla extract.
In another bowl mix together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Whisk the egg whites and the sugar together at high speed until stiff and glossy
Add in the pear purée mix to the eggs and whisk slowly to blend
Finally fold the flour mix into egg and pear mix.
Spoon the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake in your preheated oven for 30 mins or until firm to touch
Allow cake to cool slightly in tin before turning out onto rack.

As I said, if you’re making this ahead of time , you can freeze it at this point. Just make sure you wrap it carefully!

The icing is very simple : heat the crème fraîche in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.
Then remove from heat and add in chocolate. Allow to melt and then mix in until smooth.
Place pieces of parchment paper under the cake to protect your cakeboard/plate. Then using a palette knife spread icing over the cake . Remember you want it to look like a wreath so it doesn’t have to be smooth

Then it’s time for your (or your children’s ) imagination to take over…..

You can make chocolate leaves …..

…. use sprinkles ….Santas…..Robins….Snowmen……..

……whatever you like!

But whatever you decide please be warned that this cake is INCREDIBLY rich and a little goes a long way!

Happy Cooking!

PS I have been known to make this into an Easter Cake by covering it with flowers and mini eggs – you see a cake’s not just for Christmas!

Baking, Cakes, Catering, Christmas, Cooking, Food, Recipes

When is a recipe a family recipe?

November 11, 2012December 21, 2020 heypesto

When is a recipe a family recipe? Does someone in your family have to develop the recipe from scratch or can it be a recipe that is used a few times and then becomes a family favourite?

I’ve been involved in several conversations on this topic and my maths brain tells me that there has to be a finite (albeit large) number of recipe combinations so there are bound to be duplicates making it harder to credit the original originator of a recipe!

I believe that recipes evolve through sharing and experimentation. I have scraps of paper from family and friends glued into my recipe notebook including a very precious one dictated by my late Grandmother for her famous brown bread – once I figure out how much is in a ‘handful’ I’m sure it will work…..

I have a ‘to try’ box filled with recipes cut from magazines and papers that I want to try …..someday

I have a vast collection of cookbooks that I love to cook from – but more often than not I’ll change something as I’m going along.

Don’t you hate it if you ask somebody for a recipe and they refuse to share it as it’s a ‘family secret’?

I make a lot of Chocolate Roulades – in fact it’s one of my main desserts. I love making a mini version to go on a mixed dessert plate. I was given the recipe by the lady who owned the catering company I used to work for. I changed the quantities slightly to make it work in a bigger tin., and added the brandy! Years later I came across practically the same recipe in one of the Avoca books – so does the recipe belong to the person who first gave me the recipe, to the author or to me ???

I hate to think of myself as possessive so I’m more than willing to share this wonderful recipe, whoever it actually ‘owns’ it. I hope you like it.

What you need:

6 large eggs, separated
6 oz/175g dark chocolate
6 oz/175g caster sugar
3 fl oz/ 75 ml brandy
½ pt /300ml cream, whipped

What you do:

Melt the chocolate with the brandy, either slowly in the microwave or in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until you get to the ‘ribbon stage’ – you really need an electric whisk for this unless you have really strong arms!
Fold in the melted chocolate into the egg mix. Then in a clean bowl whisk the egg whites until stiff (the egg whites not your arms!)
Using a metal spoon fold the egg white in stages into the chocolate mix. Then pour into a lined large Swiss roll tin
Bake at 180 C/Gas 4 for 12-15 minutes, until firm to touch.

This is the important bit – cover with a damp towel and leave to cool completely
Dust the top of roulade with icing sugar and invert onto parchment paper.

Spread the cream evenly over the surface (feel free to add fresh berries as well)

Using the parchment paper to help roll it up like a Swiss roll

Decorate the roulade with icing sugar and strawberries or grated chocolate

Serve and watch it disappear!

PS This works really well as a Christmas Log – decorate it with chocolate leaves and a robin – or lots of chocolate bark and sprinkles!

Anybody else got a favourite recipe they’d like to share ?

Happy Cooking !

Baking, Cakes, Catering, Cooking, Food, Recipes

Chocolatey Caramelly Cheesecake

August 16, 2012March 7, 2014 heypesto

Did I mention I’m not a dessert person? I know this may place me in a minority but in my defence I do enjoying making them for others. And sometimes I even find a recipe that tempts me to have a sliver……

I knew once I saw the Peanut Caramel Cheesecake in Good Housekeeping’s ‘Chocolate Collection’ that it was going to be one of those recipes destined to become a firm favourite. I tried it out for a family occasion but never got to taste as much as a crumb – which is always a good sign. Then I did it for as part of dessert buffet and had several requests for the recipe.

So when some of my college friends came for a barbeque last weekend (and yes we did get to eat outdoors – without fleeces and raingear!) there was no question about what I was doing for dessert! And it was a HIT!

I have made one or two changes to the original recipe including leaving out the peanuts in my last version cos I’m always worried in case someone has a peanut allergy. I hope you like it…..

What you need:

150g dark chocolate digestives
50g butter, melted
500g Philadelphia ( the full fat version please)
1 tsp vanilla extract (vanilla paste would be even better ..)
3 egg whites
175g caster sugar
50g dark chocolate ( I use 70% ) , chopped
60g dried pineapple pieces *
2-3 tbsp of Ballyshiel dulce de leche

* in the original recipe this is 75g salted peanuts

What you do:

Line a 22cm springform tin with butter and baking parchment.
Crush the biscuits in a plastic bag using a rolling pin. Mix the crushed biscuits and melted butter together and press into the base of the tin.
Whisk the cream cheese with the vanilla until smooth and creamy.
Then (in a spotlessly clean bowl) whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Gradually add in the sugar to form a glossy meringue like mixture.
Carefully fold the meringue mix into the cream cheese using a metal spoon.
Then fold in the chocolate and pineapple into the mix.
Finally swirl in the dulce de luche and pour the mix onto the biscuit base.
Leave cheesecake to set in fridge overnight – or if you’re in a hurry pop it into the freezer for a few hours.
Remove the cheesecake from the tin and topwith more dulce de leche and grated chocolate…….
Serve and watch it disappear!

I dare you not to come back for a second slice!

Happy Cooking !

Baking, Cakes, Catering, Cookery Classes, Cooking, Food, Recipes

There’s no chocolate in it honestly!

July 10, 2012July 10, 2012 heypesto

As you may have noticed I have a ‘slight’ addiction to cookbooks. I also have a tendency to collect recipes from magazines, newspapers etc – I have a box of pages and clippings from various publications that I have garnered from numerous sources ………..

Some look tantalising when I’m in the hairdressers or in a waiting room but once assigned to the ‘box’ they never leave, others make it straight to the kitchen for testing and some even go on to become firm favourites.

One such find was a recipe for an Espresso Tart – I think it came from a Food & Travel magazine and my apologies for not acknowleding the original owner of this recipe but your details aren’t on my valued clipping.

I’m not really a dessert person but I do like this (must be the caffeine). Almost everyone who tastes it is convinced there’s chocolate in it but as you’ll see there’s none.

This tart is divine on it’s own but can be raised to another level if you serve it with a mascarpone sorbet. I often make it into individual tartlets to serve at dinner parties and it’s always well received

I brought one of these tarts to Inishfood in May and I’ve been asked to share the recipe – so this is especially for Donal, Imen and Bríd.

Espresso Tart

Oven Setting: 180ºC/ Gas 4

What you need:

Sweet Shortcrust Pastry *
125g butter
250g muscavado sugar
2 tsp espresso coffee (finely ground – I use Illy)
6 tbsp Kahlua or Tia Maria
2 eggs, lightly beaten
50g self raising flour, sieved

What you do:

Line a 24cm loose bottomed tin with your pastry and leave to chill
For the filling, heat butter and sugar until sugar dissolves, then ad the coffee, liqueur and eggs.
Gently fold in the sieved flour and pour the mixture into the pastry case.
Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 mins – you want a ‘squidgy, fudgy’ texture- be careful not to overcook!
Leave to cool before serving.

* I use 1lb flour, 8oz butter, 1-2 egg yolks, 1 tbsp caster sugar and a little water to make my pastry – this should give you enough for 2 tarts. You don’t need to blind bake the pastry for this recipe.

As I said this tart can be served as an excellent dinner party dessert with ice cream or créme fraiche but best of all with mascarpone sorbet which is not as complicated as it sounds – please try it as the taste combination is divine!

Mascarpone Sorbet

What you need:

250g tub mascarpone
250ml milk (the proper full fat type please!)
150g caster sugar

What you do:

Whisk the mascarpone with the milk until thick, smooth and lumpfree. Then stir in the sugar.
If you have an ice cream maker, pour in mix and leave to stir until thick and creamy, then freeze until needed.
If you don’t have an ice cream maker then pour mix into tupperware box and freeze for an hour. Then whisk in frozen edges back into centre of mix to break up any ice crystals. Freeze for another hour then beat again. Repeat until sorbet is thick, creamy and frozen.

Now all you have to do is sit back and enjoy – and now you know there’s no chocolate in it, honestly!