Irish Tea Cakes

♣ Irish ♣ Tea Cakes
Ingredients:
3 eggs, separated and at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup sifted cake flour
a pinch or 1/8 tsp. cream of tarter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 tablespoons melted butter, cooled
Method:
Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour 12 muffin cups.
Beat egg yolks for 1 minute.
Gradually add sugar and continue beating for 4 minutes.
Beat egg whites until foamy.
Add a pinch of cream of tartar.
Beat until stiff peaks form.
Lightly fold 1/3 of whites into the yolk mixture. Then fold in flour and egg whites by thirds.
Add butter, mixing gently until blended thoroughly.
Spoon into prepared muffin cups, filling half full.
Bake for 15 minutes in a pre-heated 350° F oven.
Cool in pan for 10 minutes then turn out onto a rack.
Filling:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered/confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup orange marmalade
Method:
Whip cream and sugar until stiff. Add vanilla and marmalade. Use a whisk to blend.
To assemble the tea cakes, cut a small circle about an inch deep into the top of each cake. Fill hole with 1 tablespoon of whipped cream mixture. Cut top in half and place each side, centers touching, onto the top covering the cream. Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with a green cherry.

Potato n' Apple Cakes

Fried Potato Cakes

Potato cakes are a great side dish for many meals. The following recipe was adapted by a Chef at Blue Haven restaurant in Kinsale, County Cork.
Ingredients:
1 lb. baking potatoes peeled and quartered
2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons unsalted Kerry gold Irish butter
Note: Any good quality butter will do.
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
Method:
Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 12 to 15 minutes or until tender.
Drain and mash.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the apples and water.
Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the apples begin to break up and are pulpy.
Drain the apples and stir into the potatoes.
Add 2 tablespoons of the butter, the parsley, flour, salt and pepper to taste.
Mix well.
With floured hands form the mixture into 8 flat cakes.
Refrigerate for 15 minutes
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the canola oil.
Fry the potato cakes for 2 - 3 minutes each side or until lightly browned and crisp.
Makes 8 cakes

The Best Irish Apple Cake

The Best Irish Apple Cake

Ingredients:
For Pastry:
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
8 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/2 to 2/3 cup milk
For Filling:
2 apples, Granny Smith or Cortland work well in this recipe
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
For Glaze:
1 egg, beaten
Method:
Preheat oven to 350° F
Mix the flour and baking powder in a bowl. With a pastry cutter or your fingers blend in the butter with the flour until it gets to the consistency of breadcrumbs.
Add 1/2 cup of granulated sugar.
Mix in egg and about a 1/2 cup of milk to form a soft dough.
Use more milk if necessary. Divide in two.
Spread half the dough onto a greased 9" round ovenproof plate.
Work it with your fingers to cover the plate.
Peel, core and chop/slice the apples.
Place them on the dough covered plate.
Mix cinnamon with 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar and sprinkle over the apples.
Roll out the other half of the dough. Use it to cover the apples pressing down on the edges to seal.
Cut a slit in the top crust. Brush the top with the beaten egg wash.
Bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until cooked through.
Serve warm.
Sprinkle a little confectioners' sugar on top and a goodly dab of whipped cream.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Corned Beef & Cabbage

Count on one pound of corned beef (there's a shrinkage problem
to take into account), 1-1/2 potatoes and 1/4 head of cabbage
per person.

4-5 lbs. corned beef brisket(medium or thin cut)
1 head of cabbage, cored and quartered
6-8 medium red potatoes, scrubbed and halved or russet potatoes will do
3 onions, quartered
2-4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
6 carrots, peeled, chopped and cooked separately
1 bay leaf
4-6 whole peppercorns
1 can/bottle beer (any kind except dark)


Cut open the package of corned beef and reserve the contents inside.
Soak the beef for about 2 hours in cold water to remove some of the sodium.
Fill a very large pot with hot water, leaving a few inches at the top.
Add remaining ingredients except cabbage and potatoes.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer partially covered one hour.
After one hour, skim all foam from top of pot and discard.
Add cabbage, partially cover pot and cook another hour.
At this point, check cabbage for doneness by piercing with the tip of a sharp knife.
If it is very tender, remove and set aside.
Cover and keep warm.
Depending on the size cabbage you use, it may require additional cooking.
If so, add potatoes to pot with corned beef and cabbage, recover (partially)
and continue cooking for one more hour.
Use your judgement as to whether or not you need to remove the cabbage at
any point during this last hour.
After the meat has cooked for at least three hours, check potatoes
for doneness.
Remove to a bowl.
Place cabbage in another bowl.
Remove meat from cooking liquid and let stand five minutes.
Slice meat on an angle (as thick or thin as you like) starting at one corner.
Serve with potatoes, cabbage, mustard and of course Irish Soda Bread!

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