Irish Foodies April 2011 Cookalong: Chocolate - Chocolate Bruno

If you are a regular reader you will know by now that the Irish Food Bloggers (and anyone else who fancies joining in) hold a monthly cookalong on the first Friday of every month.  We all cook a dish in our respective kitchens within a set theme and then post pictures and blog posts to Twitter and Facebook.  The evening is generally taken up with oooh's and aaaaah's and plenty of drooling as picture pop up and we admire each others efforts.  The theme for this months cookalong just had to be chocolate as Easter will fall later in the month. 

I had quite a few ideas in mind, what with me being a bit of a chocolate demon.  I wanted to bake a really yummy cake that my dad used to bake for special occasions.  He had pulled the recipe from a news paper but has lost it recently and so I had to go back to the drawing board.  On our recent trip to New York (more to come on this) Mr. Boo and I shared a dessert in the Blue Ribbon Bakery.  I remembered having had a decadent chocolate dessert there on a previous visit but couldn't quite remember what it was.  While perusing the menu the Chocolate Bruno caught my attention, there was no description to explain what it was so I enquired when our waiter returned to the table.  He explained that it "was a kind of flourless chocolate cake/mousse...."  He went on with his explanation but I don't remember anything after that.  Decision made. 

It was heavenly.  One of the best chocolate desserts I have tasted.  Ever.  As I have said on many occasions, I am a chocolate lover, Mr Boo not so much but he even managed a few spoon fulls.  A silky smooth, dense, almost buttery chocolate mousse set atop a white chocolate base with chunks of cookie.  We couldn't finish it, not even between the pair of us, as it was a very generous portion and I may have shed a tear as the leftovers were cleared from the table.  As I set my brain to thinking about a suitable offering for the chocolate cookalong on our return I decided I would try to recreate a version of the Chocolate Bruno to enjoy at home.

As I didn't have a recipe I had to go at it a little blind and hope for the best.  I was very pleased with my version and almost fell over when Mr. Boo volunteered the information that my base was nicer than the Blue Ribbon Bakery version.  He doesn't offer praise willy nilly where my baking is concerned, especially when it involves chocolate.  I was in Marks and Spencer the day before the cookalong and picked up one of their white chocolate Mountain Bars, white chocolate containing nuts and nougat (basically their version of a white Toblerone), thinking that would make a nice substitute for the white chocolate and cookie base.  These are really easy to make, they are basically a ganache with some egg & butter added for richness, but look really impressive and will certainly feature on dinner party menus in this house.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Bruno (my take on a Blue Ribbon Bakery dessert)
makes 6

100g White Chocolate Nougat Bar
285ml Double Cream
200g Plain Chocolate
2 Egg Yolks
20g Unsalted Butter

1.  Place a silicone muffin tray onto a flat baking tray (this makes it easier to transfer it to the fridge), or line 6 ramekins with clingfilm.
2.  Break up the white chocolate and place it in a heat proof bowl.  Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water to melt.

3.  Spoon the white chocolate into the bottom of the muffin tray/ramekins.  You just want a thin layer, approximately 3-5mm deep.

4.  Place the muffin tray/ramekins into the fridge and allow the chocolate to set.

5.  Place the cream into a heavy based saucepan and heat.  Remove from the heat just before it boils.
6.  Break up the plain chocolate and add to the cream.  Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.

7.  Add the egg yolks and whisk in.  Allow to cool slightly.

8.  Add in the butter and stir until it has melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy.

9.  Remove the muffin tray/ramekins from the fridge and pour the chocolate mixture over the white chocolate layer.  Return to the fridge and allow to set for at least 2 hours.

10.If you have used a silicone muffin tray you might find the plain chocolate mixture smears as you turn the Bruno's out to serve.  A little trick that I tried with great success was to pop the tray into the freezer for half an hour to make the 'mousse' nice and firm (cover the top with clingfilm or foil to avoid shards of ice falling onto the mousse), turn them out of the silicone tray and place on a flat tray and return to the fridge until you are ready to serve.  If you use ramekins lined with clingfilm simply lift the Bruno out using the clingfilm and peel the clingfilm away before serving. 

Pancakes

Pancake with Nutella, topped with chopped nuts

& toasted mini marshmallows

I know, I know, I'm a day early for Shrove Tuesday but I thought you might like to plan ahead for tomorrows flipping feast.  Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.  Lent, is traditionally a period of sacrifice in the forty days leading up to Easter Sunday.  Prior to this period of sacrifice a feast of pancakes would be consumed on Shrove Tuesday to enjoy foods such as sugar, eggs and butter which would be restricted during the Lenten season.  While the tradition of sacrifice during Lent is not as prevalent today, Shrove or Pancake Tuesday as it is more commonly known now has not waned in it's popularity. 

Pancake with peanut butter, topped with banana

& a drizzle of honey

When I was younger my mam would make the customary pancakes on Shrove Tuesday.  I don't remember ever having them at any other time throughout the year.  She made the traditional Irish style pancakes, thin and crepe like.  Despite my propensity to consume vast quantities of chocolate and rich desserts in a single sitting these pancakes always lay a little heavy on my tummy and I stopped eating them quite young.  My mam would still make them for herself and my sisters though (my dad doesn't like them either).  She would flip them expertly and when they were ready she would smear them with butter, sprinkle with sugar and roll them up before slicing. 

Pancake with salted caramel sauce,

topped with sliced apple

The next day we would go to church to have our foreheads marked with black ash and start into the annual period of sacrifice.  Every year it was the same for me, chocolate and sweets.  We received a special dispensation every Sunday and of course on St. Patrick's Day, you know the unwritten rule about being allowed to break your fast on a holy day.  It's been a while now since I have given anything up for Lent, I think it is the same for a lot of people.  I don't really see how depriving myself of chocolate, that I will naturally eat on the sly when there is no one around to see me, will make a big difference to the world at large.  Instead I try to make a bigger effort to be a slightly better person, grumble less, lift my head to say hello how are you to that neighbour that I really don't like, help someone out.  This year will be the same, I'm not sure it makes a huge difference to the world at large either but it's got to be better than a grumpy chocolate deprived me, right?

As I have said, I'm not a fan of crepe style pancakes, preferring thicker and fluffier American style ones.  I have tried a few recipes over the years, some I didn't like, some that just didn't work and through trial and error have created the recipe that works best for my tastes.  It produces thick, fluffy panckes that provide the ideal base for any number of delicious toppings.  Enjoy!

Pancakes
(makes 8+ depending on how many tablespoons of batter you use for each pancake)

150g/5.5oz Self Raising Flour
3tbsp Caster Sugar
Pinch of Salt
1 Large Egg
150ml Buttermilk
2tbsp Vanilla Extract

1.  Place the flour, sugar and salt into a bowl and mix to combine.
2.  Place the egg, milk and vanilla extract into a separate bowl and whisk lightly.
3.  Make a well in the centre of the dry mix and pour in the wet ingredients.  Whisk just until all of the ingredients are combined.  Do not overmix as your pancakes will be tough instead of light and fluffy.

4.  Place the mixture into the fridge to rest for half an hour.
5.  Set a pan over a medium heat and allow to heat for 4-5 minutes.  Add in 2tsp of oil and allow the oil to heat.
6.  Drop 2tbsp of the pancake batter into the pan and cook until bubbles appear around the edge.  Flip the pancake and cook on the other side until golden brown on both sides and the centre feels firm.  Repeat with the remaining batter.  (If you are making these for children you could drop 1tbsp of the batter onto the pan instead to give smaller pancakes.)

7.  Dress the pancakes with toppings of your choice, traditional ones are butter and sugar or lemon juice.  I topped mine with nutella, mini marshmallows and chopped nuts.  I popped them under the grill until the marshmallows were golden brown and toasted.  I topped others with peanut butter, chopped banana and honey; or salted caramel sauce and sliced apple for my husband. 

Irish Foodies March 2011 Cookalong: Traditional Irish, Potato Scones

Yesterday saw yet another Irish Foodies cookalong roll around.  As we are into March now the obvious theme choice was Traditional Irish to mark St. Patrick's Day which falls on the 17th of this month.  I actually found it quite difficult to settle on a recipe for the night.  I pondered and pondered and had a flick through some of my cookbooks but nothing jumped out at me.  Yesterday morning as I flicked through The Irish Farmers' Market book I spotted a recipe for some potato scones and thought they would be rather delicious with some smoked salmon.  I was right.  I enjoyed the nicest lunch I have had in ages and the colour of the smoked salmon was perfect for the Irish theme.  A very happy result. 

Potato Scones
( The original recipe states that it yields 4 scones but I rolled the dough thinner to make 7 scones)

3 Med-Lge Potatoes, peeled and cut in 3
40g/1.25oz Unsalted Butter
Salt & freshly ground Black Pepper
60g/2oz Plain Flour
1tbsp Oil

1.  Place the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil.  Reduce the heat to simmer for 10-15 minutes until cooked.
2.  Strain the water and mash the potatoes with the butter.  Allow to cool slightly.
3.  Season with salt and pepper and fold in the flour to form a dough.

4.  Transfer the dough onto a floured work surface and knead lightly.  Roll out the dough, about 3cm thick.
5.  Cut into circles using a floured pastry cutter.

6.  Place 1tbsp of oil into a pan and set over a medium heat.  Add the potato scones and cook until golden brown on each side.

7.  Serve while still hot.

I served my potato scones topped with smoked salmon, creme fraiche, some basil and a little squeeze of lemon.  Enjoy!

Italian Lemon Trifle

So it has been FREEZING here in Dublin since time began.  Well maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but it feels like that at this stage following the freezing temperatures of winter that seem to be dragging on into spring.  Over the last week, while the temperatures have remained more than chilly, the sky has turned the most beautiful shade of blue and a strange light has flooded the earth.  That light my dear friends is the sun.  I know, I had almost forgotten what it looked like too.  But it's back, and it is more than welcome.  I hope it is settling in for a bright and warm year ahead and doesn't plan on hiding behind the clouds too much. 

With sunny skies warming my skin I had a longing for some fresh tastes.  The cold and grey winter days called for heavy, warming, comforting foods but this change in the weather has brought a longing for lighter flavours to refresh both palate and mind.  Mr. Boo and myself had some guests for dinner on Saturday night and so I decided it was the perfect opportunity to test out a recipe idea I had thought of last year.  It was very well received around the table so I think it will be a regular fixture for summer desserts in this house.

The recipe is a mixture of a couple I have already posted on the blog here with some additions and tweaks.  I decided to use Lemon Drizzle Cake as a base for an alternative trifle.  I doused it with Limoncello, then layered this with mascarpone mixed with some icing sugar to sweeten it a little and some tangy Lemon Posset.  I'm not sure the Italians eat trifle or have a fondness for a lemon one but I decided the use of Limoncello and mascarpone warranted the Italian description in the title.  Enjoy!

Italian Lemon Trifle

1 x 1lb loaf of Lemon Drizzle Cake
6floz Limoncello
500g Mascarpone
75g Icing Sugar
1 quantity of Lemon Posset

I made the lemon drizzle cake in a 1lb loaf tin so that it could easily be cut into even slices for layering.  Alternatively you could use a shop bought Madeira cake.  I made 6 individual trifles in tumbler glasses but you could make it in one large bowl if you prefer.

1,  Make the lemon drizzle cake and lemon posset as per the instructions here.
2.  Slice the lemon drizzle cake into 1cm slices.  Lay in one layer on a plate or baking sheet and pour over the Limoncello.  Leave for a few minutes to allow to soak in.
3.  Place the mascarpone in a bowl and add in the icing sugar.  Stir through until incorporated and the mixture is smooth.

4.  Place a layer of cake in the bottom of the bowl/glass.  Top with a layer of the mascarpone mixture and then a layer of lemon posset.  Continue to layer until you have used all of the ingredients.  (If you are using individual glasses you might have to break the cake slices to make them fit.  This is fine, just press them down into an even layer.)

Cinnamon Bread

A few weeks ago Donal Skehan posted a picture of some scrummy looking baked eggs on twitter.  I'm not a big egg fan and only eat them scrambled but knew my husband would like them.  I resolved to make him a special breakfast of them the following Sunday.  It didn't happen that weekend, or the one after that or the one after that.  I finally got round to making them for him this weekend.  We've had a pretty hectic few weeks so I decided on a lazy weekend with lots of time to bake and cook and eat. 

On Saturday I came over all domestic goddess and after scrubbing the house donned my apron.  I started the process for a sourdough bread starter (more to follow on this).  I then toddled off with my pretty floral shopping bag and filled it with all manner of yumminess so that I could cook a special dinner followed by a delicious breakfast the next morning.  Another recipe I had been meaning to make for Mr. Boo is The Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Bread.  He is a fan of all things cinnamon and he enjoyed a similar bread in Ruby's Diner in Huntington Beach, L.A., so much that he hasn't stopped talking about it since.  He had that bread six years ago!

The following morning my sister text to say she had some cakes from Roly's Bistro for me so I told her to join us for our late breakfast.  Donal's eggs went down very well with all at the table and his Spanish potato and chorizo hash (without the fried eggs) that I made to accompany them was positively hoovered up by my sister and the recipe requested.  After breakfast we managed to squeeze in some cinnamon bread and even a little cake or two.  A perfect Sunday morning.

These are the Roly's cakes that we didn't quite manage to finish off

for breakfast so Mr. Boo & I had a nice dessert.

While the end result for this bread was totally scrummy toasted and smothered in butter I did find it required a bit of effort to make.  The dough requires mixing with a dough hook for 10-15 minutes, not an issue if you have a freestanding electric mixer, but I was using a hand held so it took a little arm power.  I also felt that the dough was very moist and sticky, so much so that it was impossible to handle without it sticking to hands and generally making life very messy.  There is a note on the original recipe to add 30g of extra flour if this is the case.  I had to do that 3 times to get it to a manageable consistency.  It was most definitely worth it though and I think next time I make it I will have a better understanding so can add extra flour as I am kneading with the dough hooks to avoid extra kneading time afterwards.   Don't be put off by this though, it is a delicious bread, almost cake like, so definitely worth it for a weekend breakfast treat.  I found it similar to a brioche with a delicious swirl of moist, sweet cinnamon running through it.  Enjoy!

I have linked to the original recipe above but have converted it to g/oz measurements below. 

The Pioneer Woman Cinnamon Bread
(makes 1 x 1lb loaf)

240ml Milk
90g/3oz Unsalted Butter, plus extra for greasing
7g Sachet Yeast
2 Large Eggs
75g/2.65oz Caster Sugar
420g/14.82oz Plain Flour
1tsp Salt
1 Egg and some milk to glaze

For the filling
2tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted
75g/2.65oz Sugar
2tbsp Cinnamon

1.  Melt the butter and milk until very warm but do not allow them to boil.  Allow them to cool until still warm to the touch, but not too hot.  Sprinkle the yeast over the top, stir gently, and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
2.  Mix the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a free standing electric mixer until combined.  Add the milk mixture and mix until combined.  Sieve in half of the flour and salt and mix until combined, repeat with the remaining flour.  Alternatively you can do this in a large bowl using a hand held electric mixer.

3.  Switch to dough hook attachments and knead on a medium speed for 10 minutes.  If the dough is overly sticky at the end of this time add an additional 30g(a little over an oz) of flour and knead for a further 5 minutes.  Repeat this if necessary until you have a consistency that you can work with (I had to add 90g of additional flour in 3 stages as I found the dough very wet).
4.  Spray a bowl with a little oil.  Transfer the dough to the bowl and toss in the oil.  Cover the bowl with clingfilm and place in a warm, draught free place( I use my hot press) for 2 hours.

5.  Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.  Melt 2tbsp of butter.  Grease a 1lb loaf tin.
6.  Generously flour your work surface and turn the dough out onto it.  Flour your hands generously, then flatten with your hands and shape into a rectangle.  Measure the width against your loaf tin to ensure it will fit in.  When you are happy with the shape smear with the melted butter and sprinkle the sugar on top in an even layer.

7.  Roll from one end of the dough to the other keeping it as tight as possible.,, pinch the seam to seal.  Place into the prepared loaf tin, seam side down,  and flatten slightly to fill any gaps.  Cover with clingfilm and return to a warm, draught free place to rise again.

8.  Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.  Mix 1 egg with a little milk in a small bowl.  Glaze the top of the loaf with the egg/milk mix and place into the preheated oven, below the centre, for 40 minutes.  Remove for the oven and allow to cool in the tin for a few minutes before turning out and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Scones

In my mam's last few weeks of feeling well she became rather fond of high tea in the Westbury Hotel.  I'm not sure how we ended up there the first time but she liked it enough that we found ourselves back there every Friday morning.  I was lucky in that I was in college at the time and would return home an hour after leaving the house to say that my classes had been cancelled or that the pipes had frozen or that a dog had eaten the college and I had been sent home for the day.  I'm sure she knew that no such thing had happened but she would happily declare that sure wasn't it great that I could come for tea and scones with her. 

Friday had always been her morning to meet her sisters in town anyway so they would meet us too and more often than not a couple of friends and my sisters, if they could wangle some time off work.  We sat in the same place each week, at the window overlooking Harry St., and my mam would make herself comfortable in a big armchair.  The small table would heave with plates of scones, clotted cream, jam, pots of tea and a pot of hot chocolate just for me.  We were never in a rush; sitting, chatting, laughing and of course eating.  Sometimes we sat so long we had to order another round of scones or sandwiches before we had the energy to leave. 

They were wonderful mornings, all the girls together doing what girls do best, gossiping and laughing.  One of my favourite treats now is to indulge in afternoon tea in the Westbury (or anywhere for that matter).  If that same table is free I will sit there and savour the atmosphere, and the sweet treats, luxuriating in the decadence of those couple of hours.  While I don't treat myself to that often, I can treat myself to those lovely scones in the comfort of my own home.  I hope that you enjoy them as much as I do.  Sit down in your most comfortable chair, fill a mug with steaming tea and dollop on some extra cream.  Why?  Well, why not?

Scones

(makes 12+)

450g/1lb Self Raising Flour, plus extra for dusting
1/4tsp Salt
100g/4oz Cold Unsalted Butter, diced
85g/3oz Caster Sugar, plus extra for dusting
280ml Buttermilk
2tsp Vanilla Extract
30ml Milk

1.  Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas Mark 7.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and dust lightly with flour.
2.  Pulse the flour, salt, butter and sugar in a food processor until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.  Alternatively grate the butter into the dry ingredients and cut in with a knife until there are no lumps of butter left.

Apologies for the poor picture quality but I don't have natural light in this part of my kitchen.

3.  Place the buttermilk and vanilla into a small saucepan and warm gently.  (Be careful no to heat the milk too much as it will separate)
4.  Place a third of the flour mix into a large bowl with a third of the buttermilk.  Mix with a knife and repeat in two more stages, but be careful not to over mix. 
5.  Dust a work surface with flour and turn the mixture out onto it.  Lightly flour your hands and gently bring the mixture together to form a dough.  (If you find the mixture is very wet at this stage gradually add a little flour at a time until the consistency becomes manageable)

6.  Wrap the dough in some clingfilm and refrigerate for 15 minutes - half an hour.  Place back onto a lightly floured work surface and flatten with your hands to a depth of approx 4cm.
7.  Using a floured scone cutter stamp out rounds and place on the prepared baking sheets.

  Brush with milk and dust with some caster sugar.

8.  Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes until golden and risen.
9.  Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Granola

Last week Yvonne from Hey Pesto tweeted that she was making up a hamper and wanted to include some healthy options.  In the end she opted for some yummy jars of homemade granola.  I love granola but don't often buy it as I have never found a shop bought version that I really like, so I decided to make some myself.  I am still firmly in the battle to eat healthy foods following the stodge and comfort food of December.  The weather is not helping as it regularly hovers near 0 or in the minuses at the moment.  While all of my meals are prepared from scratch using fresh vegetables I am still being drawn towards carb laden mash potato and similar for dinner so I feel that breakfast and lunch need to take on a lighter twist.  Granola with natural yogurt for me is not only a healthy way to start the day but also a really tasty way too.  I'm not a big fan of porridge so this is an ideal way for me to get some porridge oats into my morning routine.

The following is my recipe but do feel free to add some dried fruit once the granola has cooled and also use nuts of your choice. 

Granola
(makes enough to fill a 1ltr Kilner Jar)

240g/3cups Porridge Oats
100g/1cup Almond Flakes
100g/1cup Blanched Almonds, roughly chopped
100g/1cup Walnuts, roughly chopped
2tbsp Sunflower Oil
10tbsp Honey

1.  Preheat the oven to 165C/329F/Gas Mark 3.  Line a baking sheet with grease proof paper.
2.  Place all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix well to ensure the honey and oil are evenly distributed throughout.

3.  Pour out onto the prepared baking sheet and spread out evenly.
4.  Place into the preheated oven for 45 minutes.  Remove from the oven at regular intervals and stir to ensure that the mixture browns evenly and to avoid large clumps forming.

5.  When golden brown all over remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack. (The mixture may still seem a little soft or damp when removed from the oven but it will crisp up as it cools.)

6.  Transfer to an airtight container and store for up to one month.  (If you wish to add dried fruit do so at this stage.)