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WELL, THE WEATHER is always changeable at this time of the year, that is certain, but what’s lovely to see is that it’s getting brighter, and at least we can all enjoy the ‘grand stretch’.
This St Patrick’s weekend offers us all a chance to catch up with loved ones, serve nice dishes and enjoy some well-earned downtime. You can’t fill the table with just savoury dishes, though, meals on a bank holiday weekend also need to feature some sweet treats. And this is where we come in today.
Jonny Murphy, aka The Hungry Hooker, has given us some fantastic recipes from his brand new book ‘Bakes and Wee Treats’.
Jonny used to be a professional rugby player, but after an injury led to his retirement, he jumped straight into his other passion, baking, moving back home to his native Co Down. His Nanny Mamie taught him about baking as a boy, and they picked up where they left off, with his grandad as Chief Taste Tester.
Because of their influence, the recipes in the new book are decidedly traditional and easy to make, including the classic Potato Farls below. They’re a reflection of the old favourites Jonny had as a kid. He is thrilled to share these recipes with you today so that you can make them too and serve them to your own loved ones…
Ingredients
450g leftover cooked mashed potatoes (still warm, if possible)
60g butter
1 tsp salt
120g self-raising flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting
Method
Place the leftover mashed potato in a bowl. Ideally, you want the mash to be slightly warm, so the butter combines well.
Add the butter and salt, then give this a good mash until it’s fully combined and smooth.
Gradually add the flour to the mash, mixing well between each addition until it is all combined.
Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and gently bring it together into a ball.
Pat it down into a flat circle, about 1cm thick.
Lightly dust the top with flour, then cut it into quarters.
Heat a griddle or dry frying pan over a medium heat, then get your farls onto the pan, floured sides down. Dust the tops with a bit more flour, then cook for about 5–6 minutes on each side until they form a nice crust.
Remove from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack. These are very soft and delicate when fresh, so you can allow them to firm up a little.
You can have these immediately with some butter plastered over them, but be prepared for it to run down your chin. You can also toast them later.
The best way to serve them is fried in the pan along with a big fry-up. The only question is, which sauce: red or brown?
Or, if we’re getting really fancy, what about some of that Ballymaloe Relish?
This will always be a classic in our house. When I was younger, I convinced myself these were only for ‘big people’, but oh boy was I wrong. That unmistakable flavour of almonds is such a great accompaniment to a cuppa – and we all love a cuppa.
SERVES 8
Ingredients
For the shortcrust pastry
225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
150g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
25g icing sugar
1 large egg, beaten
For the filling
85g unsalted butter, softened
85g caster sugar
½ tsp almond essence
3 eggs, beaten
55g ground almonds
55g self-raising flour
3–4 tbsp Raspberry Jam
For the topping
300g icing sugar
½ tsp almond essence
small amount of cold water, as needed
pink food colouring
Method
Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/180°C/gas 4.
Make the shortcrust pastry by adding the flour and butter to a food processor. Blitz until they resemble breadcrumbs. You can also do this in a bowl and use your fingertips to work the butter into the flour.
Add the icing sugar and blitz, then gradually add the beaten egg while blitzing. It will come together and form a nice dough.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly to bring it together into a ball.
Roll it out into a circle about 5mm thick and pop it into a 23cm (9in) fluted tart tin. Use a little bit of the excess pastry to push the pastry into the edges of your tin (this will help you avoid ripping the main pastry shell).
Cover with some greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans.
Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the paper and baking beans. Trim any excess pastry and bake for another 10 minutes before removing and allowing to cool fully.
For the filling, beat the butter in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Add the caster sugar and beat until it’s fully combined. Add the almond essence along with the eggs and beat to combine.
Finally, add the ground almonds and self-raising flour, and combine well.
Spread a layer of raspberry jam on top of the cooled pastry shell and gently spoon the filling mixture on top of this.
Carefully smooth it out and pop it into the oven at 160 °C fan/180 °C/gas 4 for about 35–40 minutes, or until the frangipane filling is firm and golden. Allow to cool fully before removing from the tin.
For the topping, mix the icing sugar and almond essence with a small amount of water until you get the desired spreadable consistency. Spread enough over the tart to cover, but hold a little back.
Mix this with a few drops of pink food colouring until you get your desired colour. Pop the pink icing into a piping bag and drizzle lines across the top of the tart.
Drag a cocktail stick or skewer across the pink stripes to create a feathered effect. Allow the icing to firm up slightly before slicing.
Ingredients
30 digestive biscuits
30 marshmallows, chopped 30 glacé cherries or 150–200g milk chocolate (or half milk and half white chocolate)
1 x 397g tin of condensed milk about 100g desiccated coconut, for sprinkling
Method
Blitz the digestives in a food processor until finely ground, or you can go old school and use a rolling pin and a ziplock bag. Place in a large bowl.
Boil the kettle and pour out a mug of hot water. Dip a pair of scissors or a knife into the hot water and use to chop the marshmallows in half. The hot water stops everything getting sticky.
Add to the bowl along with the digestive crumbs and mix well.
Do the same with the glacé cherries, if using.
Alternatively, chop up the chocolate and throw it in.
Pour in the tin of condensed milk and mix with a wooden spoon until well combined and there are no dry bits left.
Cut a large sheet of kitchen foil and lay it on your work surface.
Sprinkle half of the desiccated coconut over the foil.
Take half of the mixture and drop it into the desiccated coconut, then roll it into a thick sausage shape. I’ll always say the thicker, the better, but it’s all down to preference. Once it’s nicely rolled and completely covered in desiccated coconut, wrap it up tightly in the kitchen foil.
Repeat with the other half of the mixture and desiccated coconut.
Leave to set for about 30 minutes. You can pop them into the fridge, but I much prefer them moist and squidgy.
Unwrap and chop each log into about 15 thick slices, then try what is one of the greatest gifts Northern Ireland has given to the world – more iconic and better than Georgie Best, Alex Higgins and Rory McIlroy combined!
They’ll keep for up to 4–5 days in a sealed container.
Jonny Murphy, aka The Hungry Hooker’s new book, Bakes and wee treats is out now, published by Penguin. For more, see The Hungry Hooker on Instagram.
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They should simply cancel all traffic offences where no injury occurred and all TV licence charges.
That would reduce some of the load.
@brendan fitzsimons: Hey Bren, one might think that you have a few penalty points on the way, or the lad with the TV license check, is hanging around your area! Wink,wink,
Public has to have acess to the hearings.
Justice must be done but must be seen to be done.
Can’t have public justice done in private for obvious reasons.
I’m sure this will fail in an accused states it’s obvious flaws.
At moment done with accused consent
Stephen, you might want to change the F for C?
have your say