Quick and Easy Black and Redcurrant Cordial

This year we've rented an allotment and it's been a brilliant way of making us actually grow and nurture  plants. For the past few years we've attempted the whole kitchen garden 'thing' in our own garden but there's something a lot more sociable and enjoyable about gardening with your community. It's really encouraging to see our neighboring plots flourish too and after all that planting and weeding it's finally time for us to start harvesting more than just radishes and salad leaves! We've had the freshest new potatoes and a brilliant selection of herbs that aren't available in shops like Apple and Ginger Mint. For me it's a total joy to be able to stop off on my way home and pick a bunch of dill or fennel to have with our dinner. This week I picked lots of currants. I was totally unsure of what to do with the red currants though, such pretty glistening red berries but are they used for anything useful apart from decoration? A quick online search revealed that red currant jelly was my best bet but it's not something I often use. So I simply added the berries to the cordial I was making. And.. it's addictive! I used a mixture of 1/3 blackcurrants to 2/3 red and it's a rich plummy colour with a fruity fresh taste bursting with vitamins. 

Pop Up Supper at The Science Gallery

Last April I curated a pop up supper in Dublin's fantastic Science Gallery. It's a brilliant resource to have in our capital and I definitely recommend visiting the gallery, such an inspiring space and all the staff are so enthusiastic and friendly. I chose Superfoods as my theme for the pop up and there were salads scattered with ruby red pomegranate seeds and sprouted seeds things as far as the eye could see. And of course antioxidant rich chocolate cake for dessert! Thanks to the lovely Shaun O'Boyle for being a brilliant host and giving me these great photos! Hack the city is the current exhibition at the Science Gallery and it sounds amazing, read all about it here. 

Chia Seed Protein bombs

My sister Raedi is a personal trainer and founder of Run Like a Girl where she teaches girls how to go from walking to running in no time. She leads groups of happy women running around Phoenix Park and is a picture of health and vitality. So naturally I want whatever she's got. Shiny hair and lots of energy? Yup. That sounds good to me. But seeing as I live in Cork and she's based in Dublin I have to do it through distance learning and her first brilliant tip was to make these Protein Bombs from Susan Jane Murray's blog. I didn't have all of the ingredients listed so changed around a few and the results are so delicious! I don't know how these can be good for you but Susan Jane assures us they are. I used Irish company Chia Bia's ground chia and cranberry mix. They have a blueberry one too and it's equally tasty and full of chia goodness.I got organic whey protein in my local Health shop. I'll definitely make these again! 

Lilly x

The best chocolate muffin recipe ever!

Have you ever felt like you've been searching for something all your life and then suddenly BOOM! Well get ready because here's that chocolate muffin recipe you need. I'm not a major fan of chocolate but my goodness these muffins... They are unreal. They are the perfect combination of bitter cocoa, rich chocolate, buttery richness yet feather light thanks to the cornflour. It's Dan Lepard's recipe for Chocolate Custard Muffins and it does have a long list of ingredients and a rather unusual method but the results are well worth it. First you make a custard with the cocoa and cornflour then you beat in the chocolate and butter. I really wasn't convinced that it would work but I trust his recipes and twenty five minutes in the oven later and I'm in love. Best Chocolate Muffin recipe ever.

Dan Lepard's recipe for Chocolate Custard Muffins can be found here on the Guardian website. It's also in his book, Short & Sweet, which has just won the Andre Simon Award for food book of the year.
These are the ultimate muffin to have with a glass of cold milk!

Lilly x

Happy Belated New Year! Two days after my last blog post our gorgeous baby boy Liam came into the world! I was planning on making a gingerbread house but never got around to it as he decided to arrive early. My festive baking plans were sabotaged! Liam is doing really well now and we're almost in some sort of routine. I feel like I've known him forever and he sleeps most peacfully in the kitchen with the oven humming and the mixer whirring!

I've been up and down to Dublin doing a series of Baking demos on RTE's Fourlive programme for the past few weeks. We did four in total: Breads, Scones, Sponge cakes and pastries. They're all on RTE player now. I also did one just before Christmas on the Peanut Butter Cookies. One of my absolute favourites from Make Bake Love.

I've been doing lots of writing including a once a week piece for The Sunday Business Post's Agenda magazine. I really love that as it involves making a great family meal each week.Next Sunday's will be a gorgeous roast vegetable and goats cheese tart. It's great because I spend the week cooking and experimenting with different flavours. It really has become my dream job!  

So if you've only just come across my blog as a result of Make Bake Love or if you're a regular around here: Happy New Year and let's make 2012 an absolutely great year full of gorgeous food!

Lilly x

Chocolate Tiffin Christmas Puddings: Easy Edible Christmas Gifts

 I remember when I was a child seeing the incredible Christmas cakes that my mother would make taking centre stage on the Christmas Table. When the time came to remove the ribbon, little glittery trees and Santa figurines we would all be so excited with the thought of what lay beneath the thick white icing. The disappointing reality was that under that icing was a thick layer of homemade marzipan and a fruit cake soaked in brandy and full of plump sultanas and nuts. Of course nowadays I realise that those cakes were works of art, a labour of love that my mother had spent hours preparing and mixing. As children we just presumed that these incredible cakes would be made from chocolate; but sadly no. The same went for Christmas Puddings, I so wished they were made from solid chocolate. A few days ago I got that sinking feeling when I saw a TV advert for Christmas Pudding and I realised that now that I am a grown up I can make chocolate puddings if I want, Yessssssss. And thats how these gorgeous tiffin christmas puddings came to be made. The perfect little present for the chocolate lover in your life!

Mini Panettone : Easy Edible Christmas Gifts

Above: Macadamia, White Chocolate and Cranberry Panettone & Mini Chocolate & Almond



Lately I've become addicted to baking Panettone. Baking them and eating them that is. They have to be one of the most comforting of Christmas recipes. The warm yeast rising and the mixture of spices fills the house with the nicest of smells. No candle could compete with the toasted Macadamia, White chocolate and Cranberry beauty that I made recently. Mixed Spice and Raisin, dark Chocolate and Orange. The different flavour combinations are endless. I decided to make some small ones to give as part of  some Christmas hampers. One of these with a little jar of flavoured butter (cointreau, rum or brandy) makes a gorgeous gift and if not eaten straight away they can be toasted for breakfast or transformed into a luxurious bread & butter pudding!