Category: Bake

Irish food: pikelets with raspberry jam 8

Sunday morning pikelets

A lazy Sunday morning. Outside our new draft-proof windows it’s solidly pouring rain but indoors at the cottage, the fire already lit, we’re all warm and still sleepy. The Husband’s parents have spent the...

2

The last bake: Chocolate Sheet Cake

The last bit of baking in the old cottage kitchen before the big move? This regular favourite Chocolate Sheet Cake.

15

Your daily bread: Sourdough from starter

sourdough loaves

After our Doodle Bread adventures last weekend, I went on a bit of a bread making buzz. Normally we make our bread in the machine – it’s quick, efficient, makes great bread and, secondhand, it only cost me €10 – but I had forgotten how much I enjoyed the kneading side of things so it was time to dig out my Ballymaloe sourdough starter.

10

Your daily (Doodle) bread

 Little Missy with her Doodle Bread

This baking event was a long time in the planning. Little Missy and I had been sent a Doodle Bread kit to try out before Christmas and, after watching the super-speedy how to video online, we were dying to try it out. The cold weather, however, combined with a non-centrally heated cottage meant ridiculously slow bread rising times. This is why we normally use the bread machine. But, with the recent arrival of warmer days, we decided to get stuck in.

4

Christmas baking: Mincemeat and Polenta Shortbread

Christmas Mince and Polenta Shortbread

Although I made mince pies for the Christmas Cookalong, that was the night I realised why I don’t normally make them. As I fiddled with the pastry and Little Missy stuck her hands, once again, under my rolling pin – difficult to avoid when she’s standing on her wee stool directly in front of me so she can “help” with the stars – I kept thinking that there have to be easier ways to make things with Christmas mincemeat.