TRIED-AND-TESTED RECIPES FROM IRELAND'S #1 FOOD MAGAZINE
easyFood	• FRESH WAYS WITH TURKEY AND HAM • EDIBLE GIFTS • WARMING WINTER DINNERS • SHARING BOARDS • NEW AND IMPROVED TRIFLES • ALTERNATIVE PUDDINGS • SHOWSTOPPING CAKES • LOVELY LEFTOVERS •	CHRISTMAS 2023
easyFood is now part ol
the easy family of brands
leftovers
^o/e celebration
• •
restive
ideas
from our
test kitche
Magical I
Mams
Hosting
made cas
with sharing
boards & more!
Baileys
tiramisu,
Bi scoff and
gingerbread
I rifles that
aren't to be
missed!


easyGroup
easyWay®
easy Hemp™
easyGo
easyTech®
easy Dorm®
easyCleaning™
easyMoney®
easyVan®
easySky™
easy Flights®
easyFood®
easy Property®
easyCashback™
easyTr a velseat”
easy Land®
easyCinema®
easyNetworks
easyExtras®
explore the
easy®
family of brands
Est. 1994 by STELIOS®
----- www.easy.com---
find the full easy family of brands photo album at
www.easyHistory.info
easyStudies
easy Pizza®
easyCoffee
easyPower™
easy Accessibility™
easyKiosk®
easyMobile
easyMusic®
easy Rider™
easy Art™
easyFoodstore®
easyHire
easy Dogwalker
easyGuide
easyTelecom
easyFerry™
easyCome®
easyUpdate™
easy Everything®
easyRoommate™
easyOffice
easyRentacar™
easyVoyage™
easy Fly®
easy4men®
easyCruise
easyEventhire™
easyParking
easyEnergy®
easyFood team
EDITOR & HEAD OF FOOD
Paula Murphy
editor@zahramediagroup.com
EDITORIAL
Alison Egan, Elsje DuToit.
DESIGN
Adrienne Fanning
RECIPE DEVELOPMENT
Naomi Dooge, Safiq Murray.
PHOTOGRAPHY & FOOD STYLING
Sophie Barr, Naomi Dooge, Safiq Murray.
Some images from Shutterstock.com
ADVERTISING & PARTNERSHIPS
Paula Murphy
paula@zahramediagroup.com
DIGITAL
Hannah Jenkins
ADMINISTRATION
Production Consultant
Vai Citron valeriecitron@gmail.com
Circulation Manager
John Dempsey jdempsey@zahramediagroup.com
Accounts
accounts@zahramediagroup.com
Syndication Enquiries
syndication@zahramediagroup.com
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Managing Director
Gina Miltiadcu gmiltiadou@zahramediagroup.com
Chief Executive
John Mullins jmullins@zahramediagroup.com
All nc^ts, including moral rights, reserved No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means,
without the prior permission in writing from the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated
in any form of binding or corer other than that in which it is published. Wbile our
recpes hare been tested by experts, sometimes recpes don't wok properly due
to mismeasuring and different cooker performance. We advise readers to measure
ingredients carefully and time their own bakes The views expressed n this magazine
are not those of the pubfisher. It is recommended that you consult your GP before
folowing any knd of weight reduction, health or exercise programme. Artides and
advertisements are for information only. They are not intended to replace medical care.
Special thanks to all our guardian angels
easyFood is published by
Zahra Publishing Ltd
ISSN 1649-4253
content that connects
Magazines Ireland Publisher of the\fear 2018/2015/2012
Magazines Ireland Annual of the Year 2013
JAMs Best Foodie Read 2013
Printed in the UK
If you're anything like us, you're beyond excited to head into this cosy and
comforting time of year. With every season, our eating habits change. We also
know that Christmas is so much more than one day. It's the build-up and the
time spent relaxing with loved ones after the big day that matter most. That's
why we've carefully crafted each and every recipe in this issue with you in mind.
Long-time readers will know that we're all about eating seasonally - ultimately
enjoying produce at its best and supporting local as much as possible. Head
to p.1O3 for winter warmers that make use of the delicious veggies that are in
abundance right now. Our amazing Naomi has developed these recipes to keep
you and your tastebuds satisfied all season long.
When it comes to Christmas, we've got you covered. Why not kick things off
with a little early baking prep? Find our trusty tried-and-tested traditional bakes
on p.35. Then on to inspiration for the main event in our section that's dedicated
to the almighty Christmas dinner (p.9). We're most excited to share our recipes
for alternative mains (p.2O) - we've something to cater to you, no matter what
you're into.
It wouldn't be an issue of easyFood without an abundance of super-special
sweet treats. In addition to the spectacular profiterole cake (p.46) that
graces the cover, our extraordinary Pastry Queen Safiq has developed a
series of sensational cakes, so you've plenty of choice when it comes to
your showstopper. She's provided expert guidance and tips to ensure you're
equipped with everything you need to pull out all the stops.
If you're entertaining, you're spoiled for choice with warming winter drinks
(p.88), sharing boards (p.81), and delicious brunch recipes that are well worth a
try. Naomi's easy cruffins with lemon curd (p.8O) are an absolute must!
As always, our superstar Alison has helped fill this issue with interviews with the
brilliant foodies paving the way in Ireland right now. Head to p.73 to hear from
Grainne Mullins, the mastermind behind Gra Chocolates - she even shares a
special recipe for a homemade Irish cream liqueur! Flick to p.75 to read all about
the brilliant Eoin Cluskey of Bread41 and the incredible things he's doing right
now. Plus, we've got an exclusive recipe from the latest instalment in the brilliant
Blasta Books series: MASARAP (p.128). We also must give a shout-out to this
issue's extraordinary home cook hero, Neasa Egan. Her interview which proudly
sits on p.132 is not to be missed.
We had so much fun filling these pages with exciting new recipes, ideas
and stories, and we hope you have as much fun making, eating and sharing
everything that's inside.
HOWTO CONTACT US
General enquiries:
Email us at editor@easyfood.ie or write to easyFood, Zahra Media Group, 12 Prince
of Wales Terrace, Quinsborough Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow.
Join us on social @easyfoodmag ^)O®O
easyFood 3

contents
Regulars
TEAM TALK
Get to know the team
behind the mag
COMPETITIONS
Lots of chances to win big this
festive season
What’s for
Christmas dinner?
A FLYING START
Kick things off with a host of
delectable dishes that everyone
will love
FRESH TAKES ON TURKEY
AND HAM
Delicious new ways to enjoy this
Christmas staple
THE MAIN EVENT
Alternative mains if you're after
something new this year
ONTHEGOODSIDEI
Round off your Christmas feast
with these super sides
Sweet treats
KEEPING IT TRADITIONAL
These tried-and-tested recipes are
our go-to each year, so you are
guaranteed success
ALL ABOUT THAT CAKE
Aim to impress with
these stunning festive cakes
ALL GOOD IN THE PUD
Christmas pudding doesn't have
to be traditional - especially with
these new flavour combos
CREAM OF THE CROP
Bring your Christmas desserts to
life with these mouthwatering
side-serve recipes
Food culture
EAT IRELAND
Alison interviews Grainne Mullins,
of Gr3 Chocolates
IN THE KITCHEN WITH
Top tips from the mastermind
behind Bread 41 baker, Eoin Cluskey.
Festive entertaining
FESTIVE BRUNCH
Adding seasonal flavours to your
favourite brunch recipes
COSY UP WITH TOASTY
TIPPLESI
These wonderful winter warmers
are exactly what you need
Kids’ Kitchen
INFORATREATI
Keep the kids busy with these fun,
festive bakes.
What’s for dinner?
LEFTOVER MAGIC
Move over Christmas dinner, it's the
leftovers' time to shine!
WINTER WARMERS
Hearty, veggie-loaded dinners for
the season that's in it.
Team favourites
111	ALL WE WANT FOR
CHRISTMAS
A round-up of our all-time favourite
Christmas recipes from the
easyFood recipe vault!
The gift guide
HANDMADE WITH LOVE
Super simple edible gifts to treat
those you love this Christmas
THE EASYFOOD GIFT GUIDE
A foodie gift guide for every
budget, curated by the
easyFood team.
GIVE THE GIFT OF COOKBOOKS
Gift ideas for the budding bibliophile
CELEBRATING IRISH VOICES
Take a sneak peek into the next
instalment in the Blasta Books series
Easy foodies
HOME-COOK HERO
Meet Neasa Egan, a talented
home-ec teacher, blogger and
cookbook author.
WHAT YOU'VE BEEN COOKING
The easyFood community shows
off their home-cooked delights
From the cover
COOK THE COVER
Combining two of our all-time
faves: profiteroles and cake!
NEW AND IMPROVED TRIFLES
Give traditional sherry trifle a
break this year, and give these
creative recipes a whirl!
PERFECT PLATTERS
Shareable dishes with a little
something extra - perfect for
entertaining this silly season.
Per serving xxxkcals, xxxg fat (xxxg saturated), xxxg carbs
(xxxg sugars), xxxg protein, xxxg fibre, xxxxg sodium
@@®ОФ©
Readers!
Please take note that the nutritional information that
appears underneath each recipe is only for one serving.
The key for the buttons is in our recipe index on page 10.
All Еиго/GBP prices are converted at the time of
going to print. Prices may vary.
easyfood.ie
easyFood 5
beam balk
HERE’S A
TASTE OF
WHAT OUR
FOOD-LOVING
TEAM HAS
BEEN EATING,
WATCHING
DOING AND
OBSESSING
OVER THESE
PAST FEW
WEEKS...
Ultimate Ham and Turkey
leftover bake p. 100
A sure hit with Adrienne
who usually enjoys St.
Stephen's Day brunch more
than Christmas dinner!
Jacob's Kimberley
gingerbread trifle p. 64
Our ginger-fiend Paula
loved this as it's super
impressive, seriously
delicious and so easy
to make!
eciafef
^a, ecf/f
At easyFood HQ,
we ALWAYS talk
about food. Whether
it's the latest eats
we've had out - either
here or abroad; what
we've been cooking;
memories and stories;
or our fave new
cookbooks, podcasts
and shows, it always
comes back to food,
glorious food. ♦
Profiterole showstopper
cake p. 46
Naomi considers herself
lucky to have been in the
Test Kitchen to sample
Safiq's stunning creation!
чх.
о
OUR FAVE
RECIPES
^ogra/O^ FROM THIS VERY ISSUE
Gifting pickles p. 119
Sophie adored these - not
only as a great gift idea but
for munching on too!
>cCe. des/g^
Cranberry and Brie filo
parcels p.12
Alison is obsessed with
this flavour combination,
especially around
Christmas time!
Easy brunch cruffins p. 80
Naomi never fails to
surprise Safiq with her
genius ideas and this
one worked SO well!
GET TO
KNOW...
EASYFOOD
STAFF
WRITER,
ALISON.
What's your desert island dish,
something you could eat over
and over and never get sick of?
"Something I genuinely eat all
the time and never get sick of
is lasagne - it's without a doubt
my favourite meal if I'm going for
comfort over indulgence. I throw
in plenty of garlic and fresh basil
for extra flavour and serve it with
garlic bread and a light, leafy
salad. It's also freezer-friendly and
ideal for batch cooking, making
it super convenient during the
midweek rush, when you're
craving something hearty
and homemade."
Something you've never eaten
that you’d love to try?
"I've been dying to try a pizza
from Dough Bros in Galway for
YEARS! I visited the city back in
2021, but they were sadly closed
at the time. Voted No. 1 Pizzeria
in Ireland last year, this place is at
the top of my list next time I'm in
Galway City!"
Your favourite thing to
cook/bake?
"My favourite thing to bake
would have to be cinnamon rolls.
A dish of classic cinnamon rolls
graced the cover of easyFood
back in October 2019, when I
was an intern here. I decided
to give this moreish, warming
recipe a whirl and haven't looked
back since! The combination
between those warm winter
spices and that sweet, tangy
cream cheese icing is simply
sensational. This recipe is super-
easy to follow and goes down an
absolute treat every single time
- especially when served fresh
out of the oven! It's the perfect
coffee morning pastry or brunch
table centrepiece to share
with friends."
6 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
иие’ое
loi/ing..
WEST OF DINGLE
SEA SALT
Crafted on the Dingle Peninsula, this range truly is a taste of the
Atlantic Ocean - with an incredible host of flavours like black garlic,
lemon and rosemary added too! We're crazy for these salty jars right
now - using them on everything from poached eggs to hummus.
westofdingle.ie
THE DISARONO FIZZ
This clever new cocktail launched during the
summer, but we're still sipping non-stop now
during the colder months. It's refreshing, low
in alcohol and flavoured with that delicious
Disarono taste. Give it a try by combining
45ml of Disaronno, 150ml of soda water, and
a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. You won't
regret it! disaronno.com
HOW BLAS NA HEIREANN CHAMPIONS IRISH FOOD
KAYLA'S KITCHEN
We're huge supporters of everything
Blas na hEireann is doing for Irish
food. Not only do they champion the
excellent producers who call Ireland
home, but they've also built a network
and community that will ultimately bring
us the next level of fantastic things to
eat. Make sure to watch out for winning
products in shops - you'll be able to
identify them by spotting the award
badges, irishfoodawards.com
We love this brand, its ethos and
the nutritious and delicious food
its delivering to homes around
the country. This family-run, Irish
company hand-make its meals from
scratch using the best locally-sourced
ingredients. They're then frozen
to lock in all the goodness and are
delivered directly to you so all you
have to do is reheat and eat. Gift
vouchers are also available, so if you
know someone like a new or older
parent who could benefit from this
service, you can gift it to them too -
which we love! kaylaskitchen.ie
NOBO NUT BUTTERS
We've loved N6b6 since they
first launched - and its new
range of nut butters lived up
to our highest expectations.
We sampled the new range on
sourdough toast topped with
strawberries in the office a
few weeks back and we're all
hooked, nobo.ie
OUR ALL-NEW HOME-COOKING 101 COURSE
"4 SCOOP MAGAZINE
We absolutely adore this bold and
brilliant collectable bi-annual. Both
issues to date have burst with pride
and love for Irish food. The carefully
curated collections have explored
all aspects of Irish food and drink,
providing an inclusive snapshot of
Irish food that reflects on the past,
celebrates our deliciously diverse
present, and looks forward to the
future. We can't wait for issue three.
Our course has been carefully designed
for beginners who are hoping to learn
how to cook tasty and healthy
meals from scratch. Learn the f
fundamentals of cooking and	/
build your recipe repertoire with	I
our wonderful lead chef, Naomi \
as she guides you to cooking bliss!
Find out more on p. 27 easyfood.ie/
a rticles/cooking-101-course
о
о
scoopfoodmag.com
70Л
We love to chat, so feel free to get in touch with us.
Whether you want to share a cooking tip, a new
product that has changed the way you cook, a funny
kitchen story, your new favourite restaurant, the food
trend you can't stand, or even theTV programme you
are absolutely loving right now, we're here for it!
Reach out to us on social ©easyfoodmag
or email editor©easyfood.ie
easyfood.ie
easyFood 7
recipe index
This is your foolproof guide to nutritional information and dietary attributes.
Here, we’ve listed every recipe featured in this issue of easyFood, with colour-coded
buttons correlating to various dietary requirements. Check out the legend below to
see what each button means.
									
MEAT									
Asparagus, prosciutto, melon and pistachio salad	14	•					•	•	
Caribbean glazed ham	17	•	•	•				•	
Spicy pizza dip board	87	•		•					
Ultimate leftover bake	100	•	•	•			•		
Ham, mozzarella & pesto panini	102	•		•		•			
Celeriac & parsnip soup with crispy pancetta	104	•	•	•		•	•	•	
POULTRY									
Chicken liver pStd with Cumberland sauce	11	•	•	•			•		
Cranberry and maple-glazed turkey	19	•	•	•				•	
Honey, winter-spice glazed roast goose	22	•	•	•		•		•	
Roast duck with cranberry & plum sauce	24	•	•	•		•		•	
One-pan garlic chicken with tomato and kale	109	•	•	•		•	•		
FISH & SEAFOOD									
Smoked salmon bites	13	•				•	•		
Creamy fish pie with root veg topping	107	•	•	•			•		
MEAT-FREE									
Cranberry & Brie parcels, feta & honey parcels	12	•	•	•	•		•	•	
Festive feta, butternut squash & pecan tart	26	•	•	•	•				
Festive Turkish eggs	79	•			•	•		•	
Baked feta in filo with sesame seeds and honey	83	•			•				
Leftover red cabbage salad with orange, hazelnuts.	101								
pomegranates									
Warm air fryer-roasted root veg salad	106	•		•	•			•	
SWEETS & BAKES									
Traditional Christmas pudding	35		•		•				
Christmas cake	36		•		•				
Meringue-topped mince pies	38	•	•		•	•			
Vegan chocolate truffle cake	45	•	•	•	•				
Profiterole cake	46	•	•	•	•				
Black forest naked cake	49	•	•	•	•				
Gingerbread cake	50	•	•	•	•				
White chocolate & ginger crunch pudding	53	•	•	•	•				

Chocolate orange pudding	55								
Gooey mini toffee puddings	56	•	•	•	•				
Carrot cake trifle	63	•		•	•				
Gingerbread trifle	64	•		•	•				
Biscoff banana trifles	66	•		•	•				
Baileys tiramisu trifle with caramel	67	•			•				
Gingerbread sandwich cookies	69	•	•	•	•				
Croquembouche tower with berries	70	•	•	•	•				
Easy Christmas spiced cruffins	80	•	•	•	•				
Breakfast scone board	84	•	•	•					
Christmas chocolate bark	94	•	•	•	•				
Christmas tree cupcakes	95	•	•	•	•				
Christmas sugar cookies	97	•	•	•	• •				
After Eight cake	112		•	•	•				
Tea cake' cake	113	•		•	•				
Cranberry & walnut sourdough	114								
Snowy coconut cake	115		•	•	•				
Cranberry & orange mini Bundts	116	•	•	•	•				
Candied chocolate-dipped oranges	120	•		•	• •			•	
Rum & pistachio chocolate fudge	122	•	•		•			•	
Lemon amaretti cookies	123	•	•	•	• •			•	•
SIDES, SNACKS & SAUCES									
Epic garlic & herb roasties	29	•	•	•		•	•	•	
Red cabbage with cranberries & almonds	30							•	
Honey & chilli roasted carrots & parsnips	31	•	•		•	•		•	
Brussel sprouts with pancetta & Parmesan	32	•	•	•		•	•	•	
Cranberry & walnut stuffing	33								
Park & sage stuffing	33	•	•			•	•		
Shallot & pancetta stuffing	33	•	•	•		•	•		
Baileys cream	58		•		•	•	•	•	
Vanilla custard	59	•	•	•	•			•	
Salted caramel	60	•	•	•	•			*>	
0 Id-fashioned Tia Maria butter	61		•		•			•	
Easy sprout & potato gratin	108	•	•	•	•				
Pickled cucumbers	119	•							•
DRINKS
Winter sangria with berries
Irish coffee with salted caramel drizzle
Glogg
*
Vegetarian
Freezable
© Kid-friendly
© Low saturated fat Diabetes-friendly
8 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
ж
what’s for Christmas dinner?
THE FESTIVE FEAST
easyfood.ie
easyFood 9
10 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
Serves 4-6
arters
Chicken In er pate »uh
Cumberland sauce
For the pate
225g chicken livers, trimmed
1 shallot or small onion, chopped
1	garlic clove, finely chopped
2	sprigs of fresh thyme, picked
and chopped
1/z tsp salt
150g butter, room temperature
1 tbsp madeira, cognac or whiskey
Уд tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the Cumberland sauce
1 orange, zested and juiced
1 lemon, zested and juiced
30ml port
75ml red wine
100g cranberry sauce
1	tbsp sugar
% tsp ground ginger
2	tbsp redcurrant jelly
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1	For the pate, add the chicken livers, onion, garlic,
thyme, salt and 120ml water to a medium pan.
Bring to a simmer, stir to combine, then lower the
heat, cover the pan and simmer for 3-4 minutes
until the livers are pink inside. Set aside for five
minutes, keeping it covered.
2	While the livers are cooling, start the sauce. Add
all the sauce ingredients to a medium pan over
medium heat, simmer for 5-10 minutes, remove
from the heat and cool fully before serving.
3	Add the livers, onion and garlic to a food processor
and blend until just coarsely blended. Then, with
the food processor running, add the butter a few
tablespoons at a time, until combined and smooth.
Add the alcohol of choice, salt and pepper and blend
again until smooth.
4Transfer the pate to a serving dish or ramekins,
smooth the top of the pate and cover with cling
film, touching the top to stop a skin from forming.
Pop in the fridge to set.
5	Serve with toasts and the Cumberland sauce on
the side.
To serve
Toasts
Per serving 416kcals, 27.4g fat (16.4g
saturated), 25.2g carbs (7g sugars), 12g
protein, 2g fibre, 0.453g sodium

easyfood.ie
Cranberry & Brie, and
feta & honey parcels
Makes 14 parcels
1 x 270g pack of filo pastry (7 sheets)
200g Brie
1 x 200g block of feta
100ml olive oil
4 tbsp cranberry sauce
1	tbsp sesame seeds
2	tbsp honey
Per serving 425kcals, 278g fat (10.3g saturated),
32.2g carbs (7g sugars), 12.7g protein, 1.4g fibre,
0.419g sodium
О © ©
1	Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/
gas mark 6.
2	Unroll the filo pastry and cut it into
quarters, and cover with a damp, clean
tea towel to stop the pastry from
drying out.
3Cut the Brie into seven roughly
even-sized pieces, and do the same
with the block of feta.
4 Line two large baking trays with
baking parchment.
5To assemble the Brie and cranberry
parcels, brush one piece of filo with
oil using a pastry brush, top with a
second piece of pastry and brush all
over with oil again. Place a piece of
Brie in the center of the filo and top
with a teaspoon of cranberry sauce to
seal. Gather the corners of the pastry
together and twist gently at the centre
to create a parcel, transfer to the lined
tray and repeat to make six
more parcels.
6 To assemble the feta parcels, repeat
the step above, using a piece of feta
instead in each parcel. Sprinkle each
sealed parcel with sesame seeds and
transfer to the second lined baking tray.
7 Bake for 20 minutes until golden
brown. Serve immediately with some
cranberry sauce and a drizzle of honey
on the feta sesame parcels.
12 easyFood
CHRISTMAS
Christmas dinner starters
easyfood.ie
easyFood 13
ОФ
Per serving 425kcals, 27.8g fat (10.3g saturated),
32.2g carbs (7g sugars), 12.7g protein, 1.4g fibre,
0.419g sodium
1 Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/
gas mark 7.
2 Add the asparagus to a roasting tray and
toss in the olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast
for eight minutes, tossing once during the
cooking time. Remove and set aside.
3Cut the melon in half, remove the seeds
and pulp, cut it into quarters, remove the
skin and cut each quarter in half again so
you are left with eight pieces.
4To assemble and serve, add some mixed
leaves to a starter or large side plate, top
with a few slices of melon, a few slices of
prosciutto, three pieces of asparagus and
garnish with the chopped pistachio and a
squeeze of lemon juice.
225g asparagus, stalks removed
1/z tbsp olive oil
V4 tsp salt
1A tsp ground black pepper
1 ripe melon
100g mixed leaves
100g prosciutto
20g pistachios, shelled,
toasted and chopped
1 lemon
\spai*a^us, prosciutto,
melon ami pistachio salad
Serves 4-6
14 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
CHRISTMAS
FOOD
ORDER
See online at Marksandspencer.ie/Christmasfood for details.
ORDER ONLINE NOW
Order before 7 November and get a
VOUCHER
when you spend €50 or more
on Christmas Food to Order
WITH SPARKS
n turkey
ll €1ITI WHY N0T GIVE SOMETHING
ЖЖЖЖЖЖЖ NEWAWHIRL THIS YEAR?
Christmas dinner turkey and ham
Caribbean-glazed liam
Serves 6
2kg ham fillet
10-12 whole cloves
For the glaze
40g soft brown sugar
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
60g marmalade
50ml dark rum
1 tbsp jerk spice
1 tsp ground clove
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1	Put the ham in a large pot or stock pot, cover
with cold water and bring to a boil then reduce
to a simmer for one hour and 40 minutes.
The rule of thumb is to simmer the ham for
25 minutes per 500g. When cooked, remove
from the heat, and allow the ham to cool in
the liquid for a further hour.
2	Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/
gas mark 3.
3	Remove the ham from the pot and remove
the skin, leaving an even layer of fat on the
ham, score the fat with a sharp knife making
a criss-cross, diamond pattern. Add cloves
into approximately 12 of the diamond shapes,
pressing them into the fat. Transfer the ham to
a roasting tray.
4	Using a fork, whisk the glaze ingredients
together to combine. With a large spoon,
spread half the glaze over the ham.
5	Cover the ham loosely with a large sheet
of tinfoil. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove the
foil and increase the oven temperature to
180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4. Brush the ham
all over with the remaining glaze and cook
for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and
rest the ham, covered for 30 minutes before
serving. Slice and serve with your favourites
Christmas sides.
Per serving 644kcals, 30.8g fat (11.8g saturated), 16.8g carbs
(13.6g sugars), 65.8g protein, 1.3g fibre, 0.336g sodium
© © ©

Cranberry and maple glazed turkey
Christmas dinner turkey and ham
Serves 8
1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas mark 5.
turkey and baste the skin in the cooking juices.
5 kg turkey, giblets removed
V2 tsp salt
1/г tsp ground black pepper
1 small orange
80g butter, room temperature
For the glaze
6 tbsp maple syrup
1 orange, zested and juiced
250ml red wine
У2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 tbsp cranberry sauce
2	Dry the skin of the turkey with kitchen paper.
Season the cavity and the skin of the turkey
generously with salt and pepper. Place the
orange in the cavity between the turkey legs. If
using stuffing, add it to the neck, and push into
the turkey, hold the neck in place with a wooden
skewer, and tie the legs together over the breast
with kitchen twine.
3	Add two large sheets of tinfoil, overlapping in
different directions to a roasting tray. Transfer the
turkey to the lined tray, smear it all over with the
butter and season again with salt and pepper.
Loosely bring the foil together to seal the turkey in
a parcel for cooking.
4	Cook the turkey for one hour and 40 minutes
(20 minutes per kg) plus 90 minutes - so, a total
cooking time of three hours and 10 minutes for the
5kg turkey in this recipe.
5	Roast for approximately two hours in the foil,
then remove the foil from around the top of the
Roast for a further 40 minutes, basting twice
during the cooking time. If the breast browns too
quickly at this stage, cover the breast with a
little tinfoil.
6To make the glaze, add all the ingredients, except
the cranberry sauce, to a pot over medium heat.
Bring to a simmer or a low-boil for eight minutes,
so the liquid reduces by half. Stir in the cranberry
sauce and remove from the heat.
7	Add the glaze to the turkey, pouring half over
the skin and brushing the remaining glaze all
over, using a pastry brush. Roast for a further 30
minutes. When cooked, insert a skewer or a sharp
knife into the thickest part of the joint, the juices
should run clear and not pink.
8	Transfer the cooked turkey to a board or serving
platter and rest covered for 30 minutes before
carving so all the juices remain in the meat. Serve
with your favourite Christmas sides.
Per serving 644kcals, 30.8g fat (11.8g saturated), 16.8g carbs
(13.6g sugars), 65.8g protein, 1.3g fibre, 0.336g sodium
O' ®
easyFood 19
20 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
CHRISTMAS WITH AN IMPRESSIVE
CENTRE-PLATE ALTERNATIVE
easyfood.ie
easy Food 21
Попел, ллinter spiee
glazed roast goose
Serves 4-6
4.5-5kg whole goose, giblets and
wishbone removed
1 large onion, halved
1 orange, halved
1 tbsp olive oil
1/z tsp sea salt
For the glaze
3 tbsp runny honey
У» tsp ground cinnamon
Уд tsp ground nutmeg
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6.
2 Remove all the fat from the inside of the goose,
then using the tip of a sharp small knife or skewer,
pierce the skin of the goose all over, not forgetting
the wings and leg areas.
3	Place the goose in an empty sink and pour two
boiled kettles of water over the skin so it becomes
shiny - this will help to give the goose a crispy skin
when cooked. Set aside to cool.
4To make the glaze, mix all the ingredients
together in a small bowl and set aside.
5	Stuff the goose with the onion and orange,
loosely tie the legs together using twine. Rub
the goose all over with the olive oil and season
with salt. Add a rack to a large deep roasting dish,
transfer the goose to the rack and cover
with tinfoil.
6	Roast for 90 mimutes. Remove from the oven
and carefully drain the fat from the roasting tray
into a heatproof bowl or jug (the fat can be strained
when cooled and used for cooking). Return the
goose to the oven still covered with the foil and
roast for another hour. Remove the foil and brush
the honey and spice glaze all over the goose using
a pastry brush, basting it with the glaze. Roast for
another 20 minutes until the skin is golden brown.
Remove from the oven and allow it to rest covered
with foil for 30 minutes.
7	Serve with your favourite Christmas side dishes.
Turn to p.28 for recipe inspiration!
Per serving 282kcals, 11.5g fat (3.9g saturated), 14.7g carbs
(12.6g sugars), 29.6g protein, 1.4g fibre, 0.269g sodium
@@®d>
22 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
Christmas dinner alternative mains
easyfood.ie
easyFood 23
lesihe feta, huKernul
squash & pecan tart
Serves 4-6
Butter, room temperature,
for greasing
2 x 320g sheets of shortcrust
pastry, defrosted
1 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, sliced into half moons
1/4 tsp salt
600g butternut squash, cut into bite-
sized chunks
2 sprigs of fresh thyme, picked
and chopped
14 tsp ground black pepper
1 x 200g block of feta
25g pecans, roughly chopped
150g Boursin soft cheese or
cream cheese
4 tbsp red pesto
1 egg, beaten
Splash of milk
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/
gas mark 6.
2 Grease a 22cm fluted tart tin (with a
removable base) with butter, making sure
to spread the butter into all the corners
and sides, so the pastry does not stick.
Roll out a sheet of pastry on a lightly
floured surface using a rolling pin, to
increase its size. Carefully transfer the
pastry to the tin and press the pastry
gently into the corners using your fingers.
Trim any excess pastry around the edge
using a sharp knife, cutting it flush to the
edge of the tin (keep any excess pastry to
decorate the tart later). Using the tip of a
sharp knife or fork, prick the base of the
pastry. Add a sheet of parchment paper
to cover the pastry, fill with baking beans,
and bake for 15 minutes. Carefully remove
the baking beans and parchment paper
and bake for a further 10 minutes. Remove
4 Add the Boursin cheese and pesto to a
medium mixing bowl and mix with a fork
until combined. Spread over the base of
the tart shell in an even layer. Top with the
butternut squash filling and spread
out evenly.
5 Cut the second sheet of pastry into 2cm
width strips (approximately 16 strips). To
create a lattice or criss-cross pattern on
the tart, add eight strips vertically to cover
the tart, leaving a small gap between
each one. Gently peel every second strip
away from you, then add a strip of pastry
horizontally and overlap it with the strips
that had been peeled back. Repeat this
process, peeling the alternating strips of
vertical pastry away from you and adding
another strip of pastry horizontally, until
the tart is covered in a lattice. Trim any of
the excess pastry around the edge of
the tin.
from the oven and set aside to cool.
3 While the tart shell is baking, make the
filling. Heat half a tablespoon of oil in a
large pan over a medium heat. Add the
onion and a pinch of salt and cook for five
minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the
butternut squash, thyme and a pinch of
salt and pepper and cook for another eight
6 Roll the remaining pastry and cut out
leaf or snowflake designs. Mix the egg
and milk to make an egg wash. Wash the
pastry with the egg wash using a pastry
brush. Add the pastry cut outs to the top
and brush with egg wash.
7 Bake for 30 minutes or until the pastry is
golden brown. Remove from the oven and
minutes. Remove from the heat and mix
allow to cool slightly before removing from
24 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
Christmas dinner alternative mains
easyfood.ie
easyFood 25
Roast duck Midi
cranberiM & plum sauce
Serves 4
2kg whole duck, giblets removed
14 tsp salt
Уд tsp pepper
1	orange, skin pierced, cut in half
2	shallots
For the cranberry plum sauce
Уг tbsp olive oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped
200g red plums, stone removed
and chopped
25g brown sugar
350ml chicken, beef or
1	Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/
gas mark 6.
2	Remove all the fat from the inside of the
duck, then using the tip of a sharp small
knife or skewer, pierce the skin of the
duck all over, not forgetting the wings and
leg areas.
3	Season the cavity and duck skin
generously all over with the salt and
pepper. Stuff the cavity with the orange
and shallots. Add a rack to a deep roasting
tray, transfer the duck to the rack and
roast for one hour and 40 minutes.
Halfway during the cooking time (around
50 minutes in), pierce the skin of the duck
again to allow the fat to render out and
vegetable stock
100g cranberry sauce
rotate the tray in the oven so the skin
evenly browns. Remove from the oven
and allow to rest covered with tinfoil for
20 minutes.
4While the duck is roasting, make the
cranberry and plum sauce. Heat the oil in
a medium-sized pot over medium heat,
add the onions with a pinch of salt and
cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally
so they don't colour. Add the plums and
sugar and cook for 2-3 minutes, add the
remaing sauce ingredients and bring to
a simmer for 20 minutes until the plums
break down. Taste and season with salt
and pepper if needed.
5 Serve the roast duck with the plum
and cranberry sauce and your favourite
Christmas side dishes.
Per serving 284kcals, 10.3 fat (3.5g saturated), 20.6g
carbs (15.8g sugars), 26.3g protein, 2.9g fibre, 0.534g
sodium
@©@©
26 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
easyFood
Introducing our all-new
HOME-COOKINC 101
-----------course
We’ve carefully crafted this course with beginner cooks in
mind - whether you’re just starting your cooking journey,
5
6
or are looking to build on some of the skills you already
have, this course is for you.
THE COURSE IS BROKEN INTO SIX SHORT,
INFORMATIVE SEGMENTS THAT WILL TEACH YOU
THE FUNDAMENTALS OF HOME COOKING...
THE EQUIPMENT AND STORE-CUPBOARD
INGREDIENTS YOU NEED
KNIFE SKILLS AND VEGETABLE PREP
EASY AND ESSENTIAL PROTEIN COOKING
WITH CHICKEN, STEAK AND SALMON.
HOW TO COOK QUICK AND NUTRITIOUS
10-MINUTE MEALS
A GUIDE TO SOUPS AND STEWS
BUILDING FLAVOUR WITH CURRIES; AND
PRO TIPS FOR COOKING RICE PERFECTLY
EVERYTIME.
You will get access to this six-part course which
includes a bank of 11 tried-and-tested
recipes, but you will also receive
printable support material
with notes, tips and recipes
that you can refer back
to - as well as 8 extra
bonus recipes
that will put your
newfound skills
to work.
With our launch offer, get all this for
a limited time only for just €36.90!
Full price = €55
Buy now and let
our lead Test
Kitchen chef,
Naomi Dooge
guide you to
cooking bliss!
easyfood-learning-hub.teachable.
com/p/easyfood-home-cooking-1011

fyiAMjrfiO
Serves 4-6 side portions
3 tsp garlic powder
3 tsp mixed dried herbs
Уд tsp sea salt, plus extra to serve
1kg maris piper potatoes, or
similar fluffy variety, parboiled
80g duck fat
1 Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C
fan/gas mark 7
2 Mix the garlic powder, mixed herbs
and salt together until combined.
3 Gently coat the parboiled potatoes
in half of the garlic-herb mixture until
well coated.
4 Add the duck fat to a large, heavy
roasting tray and heat in the oven for
five minutes until the fat is melted
and hot. Carefully add the potatoes to
the tray and toss to coat each potato
in the hot oil. Roast for 40 minutes,
turning the potatoes 3-4 times during
the cooking time so they brown
evenly and are crisp all over.
5 Halfway through the cooking time,
sprinkle the remaining garlic-herb
mixture over the potatoes.
6 Serve immediately with a sprinkle of
sea salt.
Per serving 260kcals, 16.5g fat (2.4g saturated),
27.2g carbs (2.3g sugars), 3g protein, 4.1g fibre,
0.088g sodium
€ ф © IF OF ••
Serves 4-6
CHRISTMAS 21
30 easyFood
1 red cabbage, core removed and
finely shredded
1 tsp ground cinnamon
250ml vegetable stock
60g brown sugar
50ml apple cider vinegar
50g dried cranberries
To garnish
2 tbsp flaked almonds, toasted
Per serving 193kcals, 8.9g fat (0.7g saturated), 23.2g
carbs (16.5g sugars), 5.7g protein, 5.4g fibre, 0.058g
sodium
1 Add all the ingredients, except the
flaked almonds, to a large pan and bring
to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
2 Cook for 30-35 minutes until the
cabbage is cooked through but still has
a little bite.
3 Transfer to a serving dish and garnish
with the toasted almonds.

Mti/
Serves 4-6
40g butter
1	tbsp olive oil
2	tbsp honey
1A tsp salt
Уд tsp chilli flakes
500g carrots, peeled, cut into
batons or wedges
500g parsnips, peeled, cut into
batons or wedges
To garnish
1 sprig of flat leaf parsley, leaves
picked and chopped
1	sprig of fresh thyme, leaves picked
and chopped
1 Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C
fan/gas mark 7.
2	Melt the butter, oil, honey, salt and
chilli flakes in a pan over medium heat.
3	Add the carrots and parsnips to a
large ovenproof dish or large baking
tray. Pour over the butter-honey
4	Roast for 35-40 minutes, until the
veg is roasted and cooked through,
stirring twice during the cooking time.
5	Serve immediately garnished with
the parsley and thyme.
Per serving 186kcals, 8g fat (3.8g saturated),
29g carbs (13.9g sugars), 1.8g protein, 6.2g fibre,
0.201g sodium
€ ФФ LF >
Per serving 201 kcals, 10.9g fat (2.9g
saturated), 17.8g carbs (4.1g sugars), 12.5g
protein, 7.1g fibre, 0.570g sodium

Serves 4-6
750g Brussels sprouts, large
sprouts halved and trimmed
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 shallot, sliced
14 tsp salt
У» tsp ground black pepper
65g diced pancetta
2 tbsp Parmesan

1	Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C
fan/gas mark 7
2	Parboil the sprouts in boiling
salted water for three minutes,
to partially cook them before
roasting. Drain well and leave to
dry in the colander.
3Toss the sprouts with the
remaining ingredients, except the
Parmesan, in a large roasting tray.
4 Roast for 30 minutes, until the
pancetta is crispy, and the sprouts
are cooked through, stirring
halfway through the cooking time.
5 Transfer to a serving dish and
grate fresh Parmesan over the
sprouts and season with freshly
ground black pepper to serve.
© If DT Л

32 easyFood
To jazz up store-bought stuffing, simply choose your recipe below.
Add the ingredients to a 200g pack of store-bought stuffing, then heat
following pack instructions.

2 shallots, chopped
and cooked
65g pancetta, cooked
Per serving 277kcals, 14.3g fat
(3.5g saturated), 26.9g carbs
(2.5g sugars), 9.8g protein, 1.3g
fibre, 0.976g sodium
® ©©

lAJwu't
50g dried cranberries	J
50g walnuts, chopped fl
Per serving 272kcals, 14.9g fat
(1.7g saturated), 28.6g carbs (3.1g
sugars), 6.8g protein, 2.6g fibre,
0.600g sodium
© ©©
Each recipe serves 4
1 x 200g pack of store-bought
stuffing per recipe
150g pork sausage
meat, cooked
2 sprigs of fresh sage,
picked and chopped
Per serving 303kcals, 18g fat
(4.8g saturated), 26.3g carbs
(2.5g sugars), 7.8g protein, 1.3g
fibre, 0.850g sodium
Q ®©©
easyFood 33
sweet treats
WINNING DESSERTS AND WINTER BAKES
KEEPING IT TRADITIONAL, P.35
ALL ABOUT THAT CAKE, P.43
ALL GOOD IN THE PUD, P.52
CREAM OF THE CROP, P.58
NEW AND IMPROVED TRIFLES, P.62
34 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
baking and sweet treats traditional bakes
Keeping it traditional
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a traditional bake - or three!
These tried-and-tested recipes are our go-to each year, so you’re
guaranteed success.
Traditional Christmas pudding
Makes 2 small puddings, or 1 large
You can also boil these
puddings in a slow
cooker set to high for
51/2 hours.
280g soft dark brown sugar
140g breadcrumbs
2 tsp mixed spice
2 tsp cinnamon
1/z tsp nutmeg
150g sultanas
150g raisins
150g currants
125g glace cherries
125g cranberries
125g mixed peel
200g butter, melted
330ml stout
125g plain flour
11n a large mixing bowl, combine the
sugar, breadcrumbs, spices, dried fruits,
melted butter and stout. Allow to soak
overnight or for at least four hours.
2	Prepare each of two 1.2L pudding bowls
(or one 2L pudding bowl) by placing a disc
of non-stick parchment in the base and
buttering the sides.
3	Stir the flour, almonds and eggs into the
fruit mixture and press into the pudding
bowl(s), making sure to avoid air pockets.
4	Make a lid for each pudding bowl using
pleated parchment, then cover with the
plastic pudding bowl lid(s). If you do not
have a lid, top the parchment with tin foil
and tie with a piece of string.
5	Place a trivet or a saucer in the base of
a large saucepan. Add the pudding bowl
on top and pour boiling water around it up
to 5cm of the top of the bowl.
6	Boil for six hours, checking the water
regularly and topping up as required.
Per serving 503kcals, 20.7g fat (9.5g saturated), 72.6g
carbs (39.4g sugars), 7g protein, 4.5g fibre, 0.217g
sodium
••
Christmas
CAKE
Serves 10-12
350g sultanas
100g dried cranberries
100g mixed peel
150g dried apricot
100g cherries, chopped
Zest and juice of 1 orange
200ml whiskey (100ml for the recipe, 100ml
for soaking)
225g plain flour, plus 2 tbsp
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp cinnamon
100g ground almonds
100g whole almonds, chopped
175g butter
225g dark brown sugar
3 eggs, whisked
1	Preheat the oven to 140°C/120°C/gas mark 1.
Line a deep 20cm tin with parchment paper.
2	In a large bowl, combine the dried fruit,
orange juice and zest and 100ml of the
whiskey. Set aside to soak for at least
four hours.
3	Sieve 225g of the flour into a second bowl
and add the mixed spice, cinnamon, ground
almonds and chopped almonds.
4	In a third bowl, cream together the butter
and sugar. Fold in the beaten eggs, using two
tablespoons of flour to prevent the mixture
curdling. Mix gently to combine.
5Transfer the mixture into the prepared tin.
Bake for 21/г-3 hours or until a skewer inserted
into the centre comes out clean. If the cake
is browning too quickly, cover with a sheet of
parchment paper.
6	Using a skewer, pierce holes into the top of
the cake and spoon in the remaining 100ml of
whiskey. Allow the cake to cool completely.
7To store the cake, cover in parchment paper
and wrap in tin foil. Make in advance and
continue to soak with whiskey to preserve
the cake.
Per serving 347kcals, 16.2g fat (6.4g saturated), 39.5g
carbs (22.8g sugars), 5.6g protein, 2.9g fibre, 0.09g
sodium
@o
36 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
baking and sweet treats traditional bakes
easyfood.ie
easyFood 37
Mcringuc-toppcd minee pies
Makes 24
For the pastry
125g plain flour
25g icing sugar
75g cold butter
1 egg yolk
2-3 tbsp cold water
Zest of 1 orange
For the filling
400g mincemeat
1 pear, peeled and chopped
30g dried cranberries
Zest of 1 orange
4 tbsp brandy, Disaronno or
Cointreau, optional
For the meringue
2 large eggs, separated
125g caster sugar
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/
gas mark 4. Grease two mince pie trays
with melted butter.
2	In a large bowl, sieve together the flour
and icing sugar. Use your fingers to rub
in the butter until the mixture
resembles breadcrumbs.
3	Mix in the egg yolk and enough water
to form a soft dough. Turn the pastry onto
a floured surface and lightly knead until
the dough comes together. Wrap in cling
film and refrigerate for at least
30 minutes.
4	On a floured surface, roll out the dough
to about 4mm thick. Using a fluted 9cm
biscuit cutter, cut out 24 discs and press
them into the prepared mince pie trays.
Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
5	In a large bowl, mix together the filling
ingredients and set aside.
6	Line the pastry cases with small
squares of parchment paper and fill with
baking beans. Bake the pastry blind for
about 10 minutes or until the sides of the
pastry are a pale golden colour. Remove
the beans and allow the pastry to cool in
the cases.
7	For the meringue, slowly start to whisk
the egg whites, using an electric beater
or a free standing mixer with a whisk
attachment. Mix until the egg whites
begin to foam. Increase the speed and
whisk until the whites reach soft peaks.
8	Gradually add the caster sugar, one
tablespoon at a time, whisking well
between each addition. Continue to do so
until all of the sugar has been added.
9	Divide the mincemeat mixture amongst
the pastry cases. Top each with a dollop
of meringue. Return the pies to the oven
for 5-10 minutes until the meringue is
golden.
Per serving 121 kcals, 3.2g fat (1.8g saturated), 21.8g
carbs (14.6g sugars), 1.2g protein, 0.4g fibre, 0.074g
sodium
< •• IF
38
CHRISTMAS 2023
isyfood
START TOUR FESTIVE
BAKES EARLY WITH
Whether it's their dried fruit, flour, chocolate chips or sugar range, Gem
have all the amazing ingredients you need to make Christmas baking fun
and easy for the whole family! Gem's Brand Ambassador, Shane Smith
has brought us a traditional recipe to make this beautiful Christmas Cake.

1

Bake: 2 hours
Serves 12-14
For the soaked fruit
900g Gem Christmas Cake Mix
1 lemon, zested and juiced
200ml sherry/whiskey/brandy/herbal
tea, plus extra for feeding
1Z? tsp ground clove
For the cake
260g butter, softened
210g Gem Dark Muscovado Sugar
4 large eggs
Dash of vanilla extract
180g Gem Plain Flour
80g Gem Ground Almonds
% tsp Gem Baking Powder
2 tsp mixed spice
1/г tsp ground cinnamon
V2 tsp ground clove
100g Gem Flaked Almonds
To decorate
50g green fondant, for holly
20g red fondant, for berries
50g blue fondant, for ribbon
100g smooth marmalade
500g Gem Golden Marzipan
800g white fondant, rolled out
1 To soak the fruit, add the Gem Christmas Cake Mix to a
bowl with the remaining ingredients and leave to soak for a
minimum of two days before you bake the cake.
2To make the cake, first prepare the tin by lining the base
and sides of a deep 20cm cake tin with two layers of	jj
parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 160°C/140°C fan/	?
gas mark 3.	/
3To make the cake, in a bowl cream the butter and
sugar together. Add the eggs and vanilla, and
mix through.	v
4Add the soaked fruits and the remaining ingredients
and mix until combined.
5 Spoon the cake batter into the prepared tin and level
out the top.
6 Place in the centre of the preheated oven and bake for	*.
approximately two hours. Every oven differs so make
sure and test that the cake is cooked by sticking a knife
in the centre. If it comes out clean, you're good to go!
7Once baked, using a skewer, poke holes in the cake and
spoon over a few tablespoons of your chosen alcohol/
herbal tea. Allow to cool fully in the tin.
8Once cooled, you can remove the cake from the tin, wrap it
in baking parchment. Feed the cake with your chose'n soaking
liquid every two weeks until you ice it. Simply brush it or drizzle
the liquid over the entire cake to do this.
9To make the decorations, cut out the holly leaves, roll the berries,
assemble the ribbon and leave somewhere cool and dry.
10	To decorate the cake, spread a thin layer of marmalade over
the cake.
11	Roll out the Gem marzipan and cover the cake. Brush the
marzipan with a small amount of the remaining marmalade, then
cover the cake with the white fondant.
12	To finish, tie a ribbon around the base of the cake and add your
Christmas decorations on top.
IcTsI
ваге!
FOR MORE FESTIVE RECIPE
INSPIRATION VISIT:
WWW.GEMBAKES.IE
@ GEMBAKES.IE
(3 О YouTube
40 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
SHANES
16P TIPS
Shane Smith has carefully crafted
this recipe using Gem's quality
baking products to make your
life as easy as possible during the
festive season.
I recommend using the Gem Christmas
Cake Mix so you don't have to buy
multiple packs of dried fruit.The pack
has the perfect amount for the cake, so
there's no waste.
i
You can make the decorations up to
two weeks in advance. Simply store
them in an airtight container until
you're ready to use them.
I
When decorating the cake, heat the
marmalade a little in a pot over a
medium heat so it's easier to spread
it over the cake. You can use apricot
marmalade either - just make sure
it's smooth.
i
If you're using tea to soak the fruit, Earl
Grey works well, adding a nice depth
of flavour.
i
I love marzipan, so I like to add a little
extra when decorating the cake!
CAKE TffiEUNE
Late October
Soak your fruit
Early November
Make the cake
Throughout November
Feed your cake
Mid December
Decorate the cake
Gem Brand Ambassador
easyFood 41
easyfood.ie
Odiums
Behind Every Bake
SINCE 1845
no Mess,
no f usS...
just Fun!
Visit Odiums.ie for recipes and baking inspiration.
baking and sweet things showstopper cakes
7 V
OUT
HAT
CAKE
r SHOW OFF YOUR BAKING
SKILLS THIS CHRISTMAS
WITH THESE INCREDIBLY
SHOWSTOPPING CAKES
easyFood 43

baking and sweet things showstopper cakes
\cgan chocolate truffle cake
Serves 12
For the vegan chocolate truffles
250g dark chocolate, chopped
125g coconut cream
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 tbsp icing sugar
To decorate the truffles
Chopped hazelnuts
Cocoa powder
For the hazelnut chocolate shards
100g dark chocolate, chopped
85g hazelnuts, toasted, roughly chopped
For the vegan chocolate sponges
400g plain flour
3 tsp baking powder
3 tsp bicarbonate of soda
75g cocoa powder
450g caster sugar
Pinch of salt
360ml oat milk, or other non-dairy milk
of choice
90ml vegetable oil
180ml warm water
1	У2 tbsp lemon juice
For the vegan chocolate frosting
250g dark chocolate, chopped
400g coconut cream
100g icing sugar, plus extra depending on
how sweet you want the frosting to be
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the vegan chocolate ganache
50g dark chocolate, chopped
100g coconut cream
1 To make the chocolate truffles, add the
dark chocolate to a heat-proof bowl. In a
small saucepan, heat the coconut cream
and coconut oil together until just boiling,
then pour it over the chocolate. Allow to sit
for 2-3 minutes, then stir until smooth, add
the icing sugar and mix.
2	Allow this mixture to cool to room
temperature, then place it in the fridge
for about 30 minutes, until the mixture
becomes thick and maleable.
3	Scoop out spoonfuls of the mixture in
varying size amounts, roll into balls. Roll half
the balls in the chopped hazelnuts and half
in the cocoa powder. Set aside until needed.
4	To prepare the chocolate shards, melt the
chocolate in a heat-proof bowl set over a
pot of simmering water. Pour the melted
chocolate immediately onto a baking tray
lined with cling film.
easy food, ie
Gently spread it into an even, thin layer by
tilting the baking tray in all directions.
5	Scatter the hazelnuts onto the chocolate
and allow to set for at least two hours (while
you make the rest of the cake). Once set,
cut or break the chocolate into triangles.
6	Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas
mark 4, and line three 6-inch round cake tins
with greaseproof paper.
7	Sieve the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate
of soda and cocoa powder together in a
large bowl. Add the sugar and salt and
whisk well so that the dry ingredients are
evenly distributed.
8Combine the oat milk, vegetable oil, warm
water and lemon juice in a separate bowl.
Pour the wet into the dry ingredients and
whisk well to form a smooth cake batter.
9	Distribute the cake batter evenly between
the tins and bake for 40 minutes, or until
a toothpick inserted into the centre of the
cake comes out clean.
10	Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 10
minutes, then turn the cakes out onto a wire
rack to cool completely.
11	To make the frosting, add the dark
chocolate to a heat-proof bowl. Heat half of
the coconut cream in a small saucepan until
just boiling, then pour it over the chocolate.
Leave it to stand for 2-3 minutes, then stir
well until smooth and glossy. Allow to cool
to room temperature.
12	When cooled, add the remaining coconut
cream and whip until fluffy. The frosting will
get a bit lighter in colour as air
is incorporated.
13	Add the icing sugar and vanilla extract
and whisk until evenly combined.
Per serving 516 kcals, 16.6g fat (12.8g saturated), 90.7g
carbs (59.2g sugars), 7.3g protein, 4.4g fibre, 0.124g sodium
14	To make the ganache, add the chopped
dark chocolate to a heat-proof bowl. Heat
the coconut cream until just boiling, then
pour it over the chocolate. Allow to stand for
2-3 minutes, then stir well until smooth and
glossy. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
15	Place the first layer of sponge on a cake
stand or serving plate and spread a layer of
frosting on top. Repeat this step with a
second layer of sponge and frosting, placing
the third sponge layer on top. Frost the out-
side of the cake with the remaining frosting,
creating an even smooth layer. Chill the cake
in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
16	Pour the ganache over the middle of
the top of the cake, and allow it to gently
run down the sides, then fill out the top of
the cake by drizzling on more ganache and
smoothing it out with an offset spatula.
17	Use the hazelnut chocolate shards and
the truffles to decorate the top of the cake.
easyFood 45
Proiilcrolc сакс
Serves 15
For the cake
375g butter
375g caster sugar
7 large eggs
375g self-raising flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas
mark 4. Grease and line three 6-inch round
cake tins.
2 In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the
butter and sugar together until light and
fluffy. Add in the eggs, flour and vanilla and
mix again until just combined.
3 Divide the mixture between the cake tins
For the chocolate ganache
500g dark chocolate chips
500ml double cream
and smooth out to the edges. Bake for 30
minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the
centre comes out clean.
4 Remove from the oven and transfer the
For the buttercream
300g butter, softened
1 Vz tsp vanilla extract
600g icing sugar
1-2 tbsp milk, optional
cakes to a wire rack. Allow to
cool completely.
5To make the chocolate ganache, place the
chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. In a
separate heatproof bowl, heat the cream in
the microwave for 30 second bursts until
To assemble
900g store-bought frozen
slightly bubbling. Pour the cream over the
chocolate and allow to sit for a few minutes,
then stir together until smooth and silky.
6To make the buttercream, beat the butter
in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the
whisk attachment until pale and fluffy. Add
the vanilla extract and icing sugar and beat
until smooth.
7 To assemble, place the first sponge layer
on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread
one-quarter of the ganache on top, followed
by a layer of profiteroles and a thin layer of
buttercream. Place the second cake layer on
top and repeat this step.
8	Place the final sponge layer on top and use
a palette knife or offset spatula to spread
half of the remaining buttercream over the
top and sides of the cake, making sure to
fill in any gaps. Refrigerate for 30 minutes
to set.
9	Once set, ice with the remaining
buttercream until smooth, covering
any crumbs.
10	Pour half of the remaining ganache onto
the centre of the cake. Use an offset spatula
to spread it out towards the edge of the
cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. You
can add more drips by piping extra around
the edges. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes
to firm up slightly.
11	To make the profiterole tower, dip the
tops of the buns in the ganache, layer the
choux buns on top of the cake in a pyramid
shape using the chocolate to stick
them together.
Per serving 770 kcals, 40.5g fat (173g saturated), 87.4g
carbs (62.3g sugars), 6.8g protein, 0.5g fibre, 0.106g sodium
fe easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
baking and sweet things showstopper cakes
easyFood 47
-f

IF YOU DON'T HAVE THREE CAKE TINS. YOU CAN BAKE THIS CARE IN A LARGE. 20CM X 30CM BAKING
TRAY. INCREASING THE BAKING TIME TO 30-35 MINUTES. ONCE THE CAKE IS BAKED AND COOLED. CUT
OUT TWO 6-INCH CIRCLES AND USE THE SCRAPS TO FORM THE BOTTOM LAYER OF THE CAKE. TIGHTLY
PACKING THE SCRAPS INSIDE THE CAKE RING. ENSURING THERE ARE NO GAPS.
48 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
baking and sweet things showstopper cakes
Black fores! naked cake
Serves 10
115g unsalted butter, at room temperature
300g caster sugar
3 large eggs
120ml buttermilk
60ml sunflower oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp instant coffee granules
130g plain flour
1 tbsp cornflour
70g cocoa powder
V/z tsp baking powder
For the cherry filling
450g fresh or frozen cherries, pitted
50g caster sugar
2 tbsp cornflour
For the dark chocolate ganache
80g dark chocolate chips
60ml double cream
For the cherry drizzle
2 tbsp cherry liqueur (optional)
4 tbsp cherry juice
For the whipped cream filling
480ml double cream
5 tbsp icing sugar
To assemble
100ml double cream
Cherries
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas
mark 4 and line three 6-inch round cake tins
with greaseproof paper.
2 Cream the butter and sugar together in a
stand mixer until well combined. Add the
eggs and beat on high until
completely incorporated.
3Add the buttermilk, sunflower oil, vanilla
extract, and instant coffee granules to a
small jug or bowl and mix together until
the coffee has dissolved. Pour this into the
egg mixture and beat well on high for a few
minutes, scraping down the bowl as and
when necessary.
4 Sieve the flour, cornflour, cocoa powder
and baking powder into the bowl with
the batter. Mix together gently until just
combined, then spoon the batter into the
prepared cake tins. Smooth out the batter
until flat, making sure to spread it all the
way to the corners.
5 Bake for 15 minutes, or until a skewer
inserted into the middle of the cakes comes
out with a couple of crumbs on it. Once
easyfood.je
baked, leave to cool in the tins on a wire
rack for 15 minutes, then remove from the
tins and place on the rack to
cool completely.
6To make the cherry filling, add the cherries,
caster sugar and cornflour to a saucepan
on a medium heat. Stir occasionally and
once the mixture comes to the boil, reduce
the heat slightly and leave to simmer for
10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once
thickened, remove from the heat and leave
to cool completely.
7To make the ganache, add the chocolate
chips to a small bowl and cover with the
double cream. Heat in the microwave for 30
seconds, until the cream starts to bubble
very slightly. Remove from the microwave
and leave to stand for a minute to help the
chocolate melt. Stir the cream and chocolate
together until a smooth ganache forms.
8To make the cherry drizzle, add the cherry
liqueur and juice to a small bowl and stir
together. If not using the liqueur then you
can just use six tablespoons of cherry
juice instead.
9To make the whipped cream filling, add
the double cream and icing sugar to a large
bowl and whisk with an electric hand whisk
(or in a stand mixer with a balloon whisk
attachment) until stiff peaks form. Be careful
not to over whisk - the peaks should be
stiff, but should be smooth, not broken.
10To assemble the cake, place a 6-inch cake
ring onto a board, baking tray, or plate. Line
the inside of the cake ring with acetate or
a large layer of baking parchment folded in
half, taping the ends of the acetate/
parchment together where they meet.
11 Place one cake layer inside the cake ring
and spoon two tablespoons of the cherry
drizzle on top, trying to make sure the whole
12 Spoon approximately one third of the
chocolate ganache onto the cake layer, and
spread evenly. Make sure the ganache gets
right to the edges of the cake. Spoon half
of the cherry filling on top of the ganache
and spread out evenly, again making sure
to get right up to the edges. Finally, gently
spoon half of the whipped cream on top of
the cherry layer, spreading out gently to the
edges of the cake, trying to avoid mixing
with the cherry layer underneath. Try and get
the cream layer as flat as possible.
13 Place the second layer of cake on top of
the cream layer, pressing down gently but
firmly with your hands. Repeat the process
as before, by drizzling two tablespoons of
cherry drizzle over the cake, and then adding
one third of the ganache, the remaining
cherry filling, and the remaining whipped
cream. Again, make sure to get each layer of
filling right up to the edges of the acetate/
parchment, and try to make the whipped
cream layer as flat as possible.
14 Place the remaining cake layer on top
of the final cream layer, and press down as
before. Drizzle one or two tablespoons of
cherry drizzle on top, but don't use it all if
you don't think it's needed. Spoon the last
third of the ganache on top of the cake and
spread out as before.
15 Place the cake into the fridge and allow
to firm up for a few hours. Whip the double
cream into stiff peaks and pipe a few swirls
onto the cake, topping with fresh cherries if
desired and serve immediately from
the fridge.
Per serving 618 kcals, 40.3g fat (21.6g saturated), 65.8g
carbs (48.2g sugars), 71g protein, 3.2g fibre, 0.123g sodium
€ • © •
Gingerbread eake
Serves 8
250g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
11/г tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
У2 tsp ground nutmeg
Уд tsp ground cloves
1/г tsp salt
180g sour cream, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
140g unsalted butter, at room temperature
Zest of one orange
125g light muscovado sugar
115g caster sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
75g treacle
For the orange cream cheese frosting
225g unsalted butter, at room temperature
225g cream cheese, at room temperature
Zest of one orange
600g icing sugar
For the white chocolate ganache drip
35g double cream
75g good-quality white chocolate chips
€ • © •
To decorate
Gingerbread men
Dried oranges
Candied cranberries
Per serving 941 kcals, 61g fat (36g saturated), 90.4g carbs
(58.6g sugars), 13.3g protein, 2.1g fibre, 0.590g sodium
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas
mark 4. Grease and line three 6-inch round
cake tins.
2	Sieve the flour, baking powder, spices and
salt together in a medium bowl. Whisk until
combined and set aside.
3	Combine the sour cream and vanilla
extract together in a measuring jug.
4	Cream the butter, orange zest and both
sugars on a medium-high speed in your
stand mixer until pale and fluffy.
5	Turn the mixer to medium-low speed and
add the eggs one at a time, making sure
everything is fully incorporated after each
addition. Stop the mixer and scrape down
the sides of the bowl. Add the treacle and
mix until everything is combined.
6	Add the spiced flour mixture and the sour
cream mixture, alternating between one
another, starting and finishing with the dry
ingredients, mixing to form a batter. Divide
the batter evenly among the three tins and
bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a skewer
inserted in the middle comes out with a few
moist crumbs.
7	Once the cakes are done, let them cool for
10-15 minutes before removing them from
the tins to cool completely.
8	To make the cream cheese frosting, cream
the butter, cream cheese and orange zest
until light and fluffy. Gradually add the icing
sugar and beat until smooth.
9	For the white chocolate drip, bring the
double cream just barely to a simmer and
pour over the chocolate chips in a bowl.
Leave the mixture to sit for 1-2 minutes. Stir
with a spatula until combined and smooth.
10	Place one cake layer on a cake board or
a serving plate. Using a small offset palette
knife or a piping bag, spread the frosting
over the cake. Top it with the next cake layer
and repeat the process.
11	Place the final cake layer on top, upside
down. Crumb coat by frosting the sides of
the cake using a scraper or palette knife.
Place the cake in the fridge to set for 30
minutes. Once the crumb coat has set,
cover the cake in a second layer of cream
cheese frosting, scraping and smoothing
until no crumbs show through.
12	Chill the cake for another 30-60 minutes
before adding the ganache drip on top. The
cake has to be cold so that the drip doesn't
fall all the way down.
13	To create the ganache drip effect, pour
approximately three-quarters of the white
chocolate ganache in the middle of your
cake, then slowly push it towards the edges
using a small offset palette knife. Carefully,
pour the remaining ganache on the edges
of the cake where the drips are forming, to
encourage the drips to travel down the sides
of the cake.
14	Decorate the cake with gingerbread
men, dried oranges and some
candied cranberries.
50 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
easyFood 51
52 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
sweet treats alternative puddings
WHITE CHOCOLATE &>
GINGER CRUNCH PUDDING
Serves 8-10
550g white chocolate
200g butter
150ml condensed milk
200g gingemut biscuits, broken
into small pieces
150g white chocolate Kit Kats
100g White Chocolate
Fingers, halved
100g crystallised ginger, halved
To decorate
100g white chocolate, melted
Holly-shaped sugar decorations
1	Line a small bowl with clingfilm -
make sure it's covered completely, to
ensure the cake is easy to remove.
2	Melt the chocolate and butter in
a large heatproof bowl over a pot
of simmering water, then stir in the
condensed milk.
3	Add the gingernuts, Kit Kats,
Chocolate Fingers and crystalised
ginger to a large bowl. Pour in the
chocolate mixture, and stir to combine.
Scoop the mixture into the prepared
bowl. Press down with the back of a
spoon to smooth the top.
4	Allow to set completely for 3-4
hours in the fridge. Once set, turn the
pudding out onto a serving plate.
5	To decorate, pour the melted white
chocolate over top of the pudding,
allowing the chocolate to drip down the
sides. Add a holly sugar decoration and
allow the chocolate to set before serving.
Per serving 539 kcals, 32.4g fat (179g saturated),
58.g carbs (42.9 sugars), 5.5g protein, 0.2g fibre,
0.144g sodium
Q ©
WE USED A 0.5L PYREX BOWL AS IT’S THE
PERFECT SIZE AND SHAPE. BUT IF YOU CAN USE
A SMALL PUDDING BOWL EITHER.
*
THIS PUDDING WILL LAST FOR ONE WEEK IN

sweet treats alternative puddings
CHOCOLATE ORANGE PUDDING
Serves 8
For the sauce
50g cocoa powder
50g butter, plus extra for greasing
100g caster sugar
200ml milk
For the pudding
1	orange, zested, peeled
and segmented
100g soft light-brown sugar
225g self-raising flour
50g cocoa powder
150ml milk
1	tsp vanilla extract
2	large eggs
1	To make the sauce, add all the
ingredients to a small saucepan and
warm over a medium-high heat,
stirring to combine. Allow to bubble
for one minute to create a glossy
appearance. Spoon four tablespoons
of sauce into the base of a lightly
buttered, 1.2 litre pudding basin. Set
the rest aside to cool.
2	Put a large pot of water on to boil
with a small upturned plate placed
in the base of the pot to support the
basin. Make sure to use a pot that's
deep enough to enclose the whole
pudding basin.
3Add all the pudding ingredients,
except the orange segments, to a
food processor and blitz until smooth.
Add the orange segments and pulse
to incorporate. Spoon the mixture into
the pudding basin, smoothing
the edges.
4 If your basin does not have a lid, tear
off a sheet of foil and a sheet of baking
parchment, both about 30cm long.
Butter the baking parchment and place
it on top of the foil. Fold a 3cm pleat in
the middle of the sheets, then place
this over the pudding, buttered baking
parchment-side down. Tie with string
under the lip of the basin, making a
handle so you can lift the pudding out
once done. Trim the excess parchment
and foil to about 5cm, then tuck the
foil around the parchment to seal. Lower
the basin into the pot of water, checking
that the water comes two-thirds of the
way up the sides of the basin, then cover
the pot with a lid to trap the steam and
simmer for 90 minutes.
5 Carefully unwrap the pudding - it
should now be risen and firm - and
turn out onto a plate. Spoon over some
warmed sauce and serve the rest
separately with slices of the pudding.
Per serving 321 kcals, 9.2g fat (5.2g saturated),
58.4g carbs (29.7g sugars), 8.5g protein, 5g fibre,
0.078g sodium
© © Ф
easyfood.ie
GOOEY MINI TOFFEE PUDDINGS
Makes 8
For the sauce
75g light muscovado sugar
75g dark muscovado sugar
75g butter
150ml double cream
For the puddings
140g softened butter, plus extra
for greasing
200g light soft brown sugar
3 large eggs
175g self-raising flour
YOU CAN PREPARE THESE IN
ADVANCE AND REEP THEM IN
THE FREEZER TO WHIP UP AS A
LAST-MINUTE DESSERT!
1 Lightly grease eight mini metal
pudding basins - each one should hold
around 200ml. Place a small disc of
baking parchment in the base of
each one.
2 To make the sauce, add the sugars
and butter to a small saucepan and
cook over a low heat, stirring regularly,
until the butter melts and the sauce is
glossy. Add the cream and bring to a
simmer. Cook for one minute, stirring
constantly. Remove from the heat and
divide between the pudding basins.
Leave to cool for 30 mins.
3 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C
fan/gas mark 6. Beat the butter, sugar,
eggs and flour together in a large
bowl with an electric whisk until pale
and thick. Spoon the mixture into the
pudding basins and place them in a
small roasting tin.
4 Add cold water to the roasting tin
until it rises just 1cm up the sides of
the basins. Place the tin in the oven
and bake for about 25 mins or until
the cakes are well risen and a skewer
inserted comes out clean.
5Take the tin out of the oven and, one
at a time and holding firmly with a dry
tea towel, loosen the sides of each
pudding with a knife. Turn out onto
plates and serve immediately.
Per serving 531 kcals, 30.9g fat (18.8g saturated),
60.3g carbs (42.7g sugars), 5.3g protein, O.g fibre,
0.201 sodium
Q ©
Dr. Oetker’s Woodland
Christmas Yule Log Cake
Serves 16 - 20
Level: Challenging
Takes 4.5 hours
For the cake
12 medium eggs
225g caster sugar
225g plain flour
75g Dr. Oetker Fine Dark Cocoa Powder
To decorate
150g Dr. Oetker 26% White Chocolate
225g lightly salted butter, softened
425g icing sugar
10ml Dr. Oetker Madagascan Vanilla Extract
60ml whole milk (4 tbsp)
25g Dr. Oetker Fine Dark Cocoa Powder
300g Dr. Oetker 72% Extra Dark Chocolate
5g raspberries, optional
5g blackberries, optional
For this recipe, you need to make three Swiss
roll sponges. These individual sponges are
halved and wrapped round each other to make
one large sponge roll which forms the
tree stump.
1	Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas
mark 6. Grease and line the base of a 25 x
38cm (10x15 inch) Swiss roll tin with
baking parchment.
2	Working on one sponge at a time, whisk four
eggs with 75g caster sugar for 4-5 minutes
until thick, pale and the consistency of lightly
whipped cream.
3	Sift 75g of flour and 25g of cocoa powder
on top. Using a large metal spoon, gently fold
together until well blended taking care not to
over-mix and lose the fluffy texture.
4	Pile into the prepared tin. Smooth the
surface and bake for 8-9 minutes until risen
and just set, but not crusty.
5	While the cake is in the oven, lay a clean
tea towel on a wire rack and lay a sheet of
baking parchment on top. Once cooked, turn
the sponge on to the parchment, sponge-side
down. Leave the tin lining paper in place,
cover with another clean tea towel and leave
to cool for 30 minutes.
6To prepare the white chocolate butter icing,
break up the white chocolate into a heatproof
bowl and place over a saucepan of barely
simmering water to melt. Remove from the
water and leave aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Put 150g butter in a bowl and beat until
smooth and glossy. Gradually sieve and mix in
300g of icing sugar to make a firm icing, then
mix in the melted white chocolate, the vanilla
extract and 30-45ml (2-3 tbsp) of milk to create
a soft, spreadable consistency.
easyfood.ie
Put a twist on the troditionol Yule Log
with this Woodland-style Christmas
cake with edible chocolatey bark.
A great centrepiece For a Winter
birthday party, too.
Dr. Oetker
7	Unwrap the sponge and discard the paper.
Transfer to a large board and trim away a thin
strip from all of the edges to remove the crust.
Spread the sponge evenly with one third of
the icing making sure it reaches right to the
edges. Slice down the length of the sponge to
make two equal strips.
8	Carefully roll up one sponge tightly like a
Swiss roll - it may crack but try and roll as
neatly and tightly as possible to give a good
swirl effect for the centre of the cake. Lay the
rolled sponge at the end of the other strip of
cake and roll up to make a fat Swiss roll.
9	Following the same directions as above in
steps 2-5, relining the tin, make and bake
two more sponges using the remaining
ingredients. Spread with icing as above and
wrap around each other as described above
to make a large chunky Swiss roll approx.
18cm diameter and 10cm deep. Transfer to a
serving plate or board, and cover loosely with
cling film to keep fresh and to prevent from
drying out. Leave in a cool place. If the room
temperature is very warm, chill the cake for
about 30 minutes to firm up. Prolonged chilling
will dry the texture of the sponge.
10	Now prepare the bark for the outside of the
cake. Melt half the Extra Dark Chocolate as
above. Remove from the water and mix well.
Spread over a large upturned clean, uncoated
(not non-stick) or enamel baking tray or clean
board to make an oblong approx. 30 x 20cm
(12 x 8inch). Tap the tray or board to smooth
the chocolate and leave in a cool place for a
few minutes until almost set - the surface
will look dull rather than glossy but still able to
retain a fingerprint when ready to use.
Line another tray or board with baking
parchment.
11	Wedge the tray or board against your
torso. Using a pallet knife, hold the knife
carefully at the blade tip with one hand and
the handle with the other, starting at the
edge of the chocolate furthest away from
you, slice underneath the chocolate layer,
holding the blade at a slight (20-30°) angle. As
you slice through and drag the blade through
the chocolate towards you, it should form a
slightly curling roll up and over the knife blade.
The length and thickness of the roll or curl
depends on the length of time you slice the
blade through the chocolate and the angle you
hold the knife blade. You will need to turn the
tray or board of chocolate in order to make
more curls. Aim to make the chocolate curls
as long as the depth of the cake - approx.
10cm (4inch).
12	Transfer each piece of chocolate to the
lined board. Leave in a cool place to firm up
until you are ready to assemble the cake.
Melt the remaining Extra Dark Chocolate and
prepare another batch of long chocolate rolls.
You will need about 40 in total.
13	Use the remaining butter, icing sugar,
Cocoa Powder and milk to make up another
batch of spreadable butter icing. Spread the
icing all around the side of the cake to cover it.
Press the chocolate curls on to the side of the
cake to resemble bark, trimming them to fit,
as necessary.
14	To finish the cake place a few raspberries
and blackberries on top and around the base,
lightly dust the top of the cake with a little
icing sugar. Your show-stopping cake is now
ready to serve and enjoy!
CREM1
BAHE/SCREM
Serves 8
250ml double cream
50ml Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur
25g icing sugar
Bring your traditional Christmas
desserts to life with these
mouthwatering recipes.
1	Place the double cream, Baileys and icing
sugar in a large bowl. Use a hand or stand
mixer to beat the ingredients on a low
speed until combined.
2	Increase the speed slightly and continue
to mix until the whipped cream becomes a
smooth, soft-set consistency.
3	Serve with coffee, hot chocolate or your
favourite desserts.
58 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
sweet treats dessert sides
@<5 ®O
Per serving 347 kcals, 14.3g fat (71g saturated), 47g
carbs (38.9g sugars), 6.2g protein, Og fibre, 0.208g
sodium
VANILIA CUSTARD
Serves 8
475ml whole milk
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
150g caster sugar
50g cornflour
4 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1 tbsp butter, diced
1	Add the milk and vanilla to a
heavy-bottomed, medium-sized
saucepan and heat until simmering.
Take care not to let it boil.
2	Meanwhile, place the sugar and
cornflour into the bowl of a stand mixer
fitted with the whisk attachment, and
whisk until combined. Add the egg
yolks and whisk until the mixture turns
a pale yellow colour.
3	Slowly pour the milk mixture into the
eggs while whisking at a low speed
until combined. Do not mix too fast or it
will froth and foam.
4Transfer the mixture back to the
saucepan and cook over medium
heat for 3-5 minutes, or until it is thick
enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Whisk continually to prevent the
mixture from sticking to the pan.
5 As soon as the mixture thickens,
remove from the heat and whisk in
the butter.
6 Transfer the custard to a clean bowl
and cover with cling film. Press the
cling film directly on top of the custard
to prevent a filmy skin from developing.
REFRIGERATE FOR A MINIMUM
OF THREE HOURS. BUT NO
MORE TUAN TWO PAYS.
*
FOR A THINNER CONSISTENCY.
GENTLY REHEAT THE CUSTARP
BEFORE SERVING.
THIS RECIPE REQUIRES WHOLE
MILK SO MAKE SURE NOT TO
SUBSTITUTE WITH LOW-ГАТ
OR SKIMMER.
easyfood.ie
easyh
SALTED CARAMEL
Serves 6
200g granulated sugar
85g butter, cubed and at room temperature
120ml double cream, at room temperature
1 tsp flaky salt
1 Heat the granulated sugar in a heavy-
bottomed medium saucepan, over medium
heat, stirring constantly. The sugar will form
clumps and eventually melt into a thick
brown, amber-coloured liquid as you continue
to stir. Be careful not to burn it.
2 Once the sugar is completely dissolved,
immediately stir in the butter until melted
and combined. Take extra care in this step,
as the caramel will bubble rapidly when
the butter is added. If you notice the butter
separating or if the sugar clumps up, remove
it from the heat and vigorously whisk to
combine it again.
3 Slowly pour in the double cream and stir
constantly as you do so. The mixture will
rapidly bubble when added. After all the
cream has been added, stop stirring and
allow to boil for one minute. It will rise in the
pan as it boils.
4 Remove from the heat and stir in the salt.
Allow to slightly cool down before eating.
The caramel will thicken as it cools.
Per serving 297 kcals, 19g fat (12g saturated), 33.9g carbs
(33.4g sugars), 0.5g protein, 0g fibre, 0.477g sodium
О ©O'

(OVER TIGHTLY AND STORE
FOR UP TO ONE MONTH IN
THE FRIDGE.
э|е
REHEAT IN THE MICROWAVE
OR ON THE HOB TO
DESIRED CONSISTENCY
BEFORE SERVING.
THIS MAKES A GREAT EDIBLE
GIFT! POUR INTO JARS AND
TIE WITH A RIBBON.
?et treats dessert sides
THIS CAN BE STORED IN TUE
FRIDGE FOR UP TO EIGHT WEEKS.
Per serving 190 kcals, 9.2g fat (5.8g saturated), 23.9g
carbs (23.5g sugars), 0.1g protein, Og fibre, 0.065g sodium
115g butter, softened
225g icing sugar, sieved
4-5 tbspTia Maria, or another coffee liqueur
1 Beat the butter using an electric hand whisk or
stand mixer until light and creamy.
2 Add the icing sugar and beat again
until incorporated.
3 Add theTia Maria to taste and stir well. If the
mixture curdles from too much liquid, add more
icing sugar until the mixture binds
back together.
4Serve with mince pies or your favourite festive
baked goods.
REPLACE THE TIA MARIA WITH ANY
LIQUEUR OF YOUR CHOICE.
YOU'LL WANT TO BE SURE THAT
YOUR BUTTER HAS BEEN OUT AT
ROOM TEMPERATURE FOR A FEW
HOURS. SO IT IS SOFT AND PERFECT
FOR WHIPPING.
OLD-FASHIONED
TIA HARtA BUTTER
Serves 6
isyfood.ie
easyFood 61
Ne w &
improved
Trifles are a true staple at Christmas,
but there’s only so much traditional
sherry trifle you can eat in a lifetime!
Why not give these exciting flavour
combos a whirl this year?
62 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
sweet treats trifles
Serves 20
For the carrot cake
250g plain flour
1	tsp baking powder
% tsp bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt
2	tsp ground cinnamon
!4 tsp ground nutmeg
!4tsp ground allspice
250g soft light brown sugar
4 eggs
235ml vegetable oil
500g shredded fresh carrots (about
6 medium carrots)
For the filling
800g cream cheese, softened
480ml double cream
80g icing sugar
3 tsp vanilla extract
400g pecans, chopped
For the pecan crunch
200g pecans
80g soft light brown sugar
60g plain flour
60g butter, melted
1 tsp cinnamon
To finish
1 orange, roughly zested
1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/ 170°C fan/
gas mark 5. Grease and line two 9-inch
round cake tins.
2 Stir the flour, baking powder,
bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon,
nutmeg and allspice together in a
medium bowl. Set aside.
3Add the brown sugar, eggs and
vegetable oil to a large bowl; mix with
an electric mixer on medium speed until
blended. Slowly add in the flour mixture
and continue to mix on low speed until
combined. Gently fold in the
shredded carrots.
4 Divide the batter evenly between the
cake tins. Bake for 25-30 minutes or
until a toothpick inserted into the centre
comes out clean. Remove the cakes from
the tins and leave to cool completely on
wire racks.
5 Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese
and icing sugar with an electric mixer
on medium speed until creamy. Add the
double cream and vanilla and continue to
mix on a low speed until smooth. Transfer
the icing to a piping bag.
6To make the pecan crunch, mix all the
ingredients together in a large bowl until
completely coated.
7 Pipe one-third of the icing across the
bottom of a 9-inch trifle dish. Using the
back of a spoon, gently smooth the icing
into an even layer. Sprinkle the icing
with half of the pecans. Place one of
the cakes on top of the icing and repeat
this process again. To finish, pipe the
remaining icing on top, sprinkle with
orange zest and serve immediately.
Per serving 556 kcals, 46.7g fat (17.4g saturated), 29.9g
carbs (15.9g sugars), 79g protein, 3g fibre, 0.153g sodium
easyfood.ie
easyFood 63
Jacob's Kimberley
Gingerbread trifle
Serves 20
900ml double cream
330g caramel
250g sour cream
40g icing sugar, sifted
800g Jacob's Kimberley biscuits
90ml brandy
1	tsp cinnamon
200g Jacob's Ginger Nut, crumbled
1	Divide the double cream evenly between
two bowls. Add the caramel to one bowl and
whisk until thickened. Add the sour cream and
icing sugar to a second bowl and whisk
until thickened.
2	Layer one-third of the Jacob's Kimberley
biscuits over the bottom of a large trifle dish.
Drizzle with one-third of the brandy, sprinkle
over one-third of the cinnamon, then
one-quarter of the Jacob's Ginger Nut crumbs.
3Top with one-third of the caramel mix,
followed by one-third of the sour cream
mixture. Repeat the layering process twice.
Finish the trifle with the remaining biscuit
crumbs and more Jacob's Kimberley biscuits.
Per serving 484 kcals, 26.4g fat (16.2g saturated), 55.2g
carbs (28.8g sugars), 5.3g protein, 0.8g fibre, 0.198g sodium
€ © •
Find more festive recipe inspiration
atjacobsJe
(a) @jacobsbiscuits
О @jacobslovebiscuits
sweet treats trifles
easyfood.ie
easyFood 65
BiscoiT banana (rifles
Serves 4
200g Biscoff spread
300ml double cream
2 cupcakes, sliced in half
2 bananas, sliced
100g Biscoff biscuits, crushed
4 Biscoff biscuits, whole
1	Add the Biscoff spread to a microwave-safe
bowl. Melt in the microwave for 30 seconds.
Set aside to cool to room temperature.
2	Beat the cream and one-quarter of the
melted Biscoff spread in a large bowl until soft
peaks form.
3	Layer the Biscoff spread, a cupcake slice,
bananas, Biscoff cream, and crushed Biscoff
biscuits in glasses of your choice. Repeat
the layers again, excluding the cupcake layer.
Garnish with a Biscoff biscuit and
serve immediately.
Per serving 836 kcals, 55.8g fat (26.3g saturated), 77.4g
carbs (43.3g sugars), 5.9g protein, 2.2g fibre, 0.211g sodium
66 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
sweet treats trifles
Bailey s tiramisu trifle
м idi caramel
Serves 6
For the chocolate whipped cream
300ml double cream
3 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
50g icing sugar
For the mascarpone filling
100g milk chocolate, melted
230g mascarpone , slightly softened
5 tbsp Baileys
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the syrup
200ml strong brewed coffee
1 tbsp granulated sugar
To assemble
12 sponge fingers
250g caramel
100g milk chocolate shavings
1 Add the cream, two tablespoons of
cocoa powder and half of the icing sugar
to a large mixing bowl. Beat with a
handheld mixer until medium-stiff peaks
form. Set aside in the fridge.
2 For the mascarpone filling, gently
fold the melted chocolate into the
mascarpone. Add the remaining icing
sugar, one tablespoon of Baileys and the
vanilla extract and mix until combined.
3To make the syrup, whisk the coffee,
granulated sugar, the remaining cocoa
powder and the rest of the Baileys
together in a shallow bowl. Set aside.
4To assemble, dip the sponge fingers
into the coffee mixture, soaking both
sides. Arrange the soaked sponge fingers
in a single, snug layer in the bottom of six
small trifle bowls, breaking the sponge
fingers if necessary. Top with a layer
of the mascarpone mixture and gently
spread to smooth. Add a layer of the
caramel and spread evenly. Sprinkle with
the chocolate shavings on top, followed
by a layer of the chocolate cream and
spread to smooth. Drizzle with caramel
and extra chocolate shavings.
5 Refrigerate for at least two hours
before serving to allow sponge fingers
to soften.
Per serving 804 kcals, 43.2g fat (26.4g saturated),
84.9g carbs (63.4g sugars), 12.3g protein, 2g fibre,
0.215g sodium

CHOCOLATE WHIPPED CREAM CAN BE STORED. COVERED.
IN THE REFRIGERATOR FOR UP TO THREE DAYS.
WHEN WHISKING THE MASCARPONE FILLING. TAKE CARE
NOT TO OVER-WHISk. OR THE MIXTURE WILL CURDLE.
TO MARE THIS EASY CHOCOLATE TIRAMISU TRIFLE
NON-ALCOHOUC. LEAVE OUT THE BAILEYS AND INCREASE
THE STRONG BREWED COFFEE TO 250ML
easyfood.ie
easyFood 67
Sugar,
SpiGC
and all
Things
nice.*
Nothing screams
Christmas like
wholesome,
homemade bakes.
We carefully crafted
these recipes in our
Test Kitchen using
the finest diucra
baking products.
do what are you
waiting for? Pull out
YOur best Christmas
apron, grab Your
mixing bowl and
get ready to whip
up some incredible
sweet treats...
For more festive recipes and inspiration
visit: nordzuckerireland.ie
© @siucraireland
Л @siucraireland
68 easyFood
sweet treats siucra advertorial
Gingerbread
sandwich cookies
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Makes: 22
Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes, plus chilling time
Difficulty: Intermediate
For the gingerbread cookies
450g plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp ground ginger
Vztsp ground allspice
1/z tsp ground cloves
125g butter, softened
125g Siucra Light Golden Brown Sugar
200g treacle
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the ginger cream filling
80g butter, softened
100g cream cheese, softened
220g Sidcra Icing Sugar
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp vanilla extract
sugar for a little longer than you
think is necessary - that's the
key to the perfect bake.
These cookies can be stored in
an air-tight container for up to
five days.
1	Combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda,
cinnamon, ginger, allspice and cloves in a
medium bowl. Set aside.
2	Cream the butter and brown sugar in an
electric mixer until it becomes pale and
creamy. This may take a few minutes longer
than you think so the trick is to be patient.
3 Beat in the treacle, egg and vanilla extract
until combined. Add in the dry ingredients
that you set aside earlier and mix on low
speed until it comes together as a slightly
crumbly dough.
4Turn the dough out onto a sheet of cling film
and press to form a flattened disc. Wrap the
dough in cling film and chill in the fridge for at
least four hours, but
preferably overnight.
5 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/
gas mark 4 and line two baking trays with
parchment paper. Meanwhile, leave the
dough out at room temperature for 15-20
minutes to soften before rolling. This will
prevent the edges from cracking.
6 On a well-floured surface, roll the dough
to about half a centimetre thick. Use a
gingerbread cookie cutter to cut cookie
shapes and transfer them to a baking tray,
leaving about a half inch between each
cookie. Re-roll the scraps and repeat until you
can't cut any more cookies out of the dough.
7 Bake the cookies for 10-11 minutes until
golden. Let them cool on the baking tray for
at least 10 minutes before transferring them
to a wire rack to cool fully.
8 To make the ginger cream, mix the butter
and cream cheese in a mixing bowl until
smooth and creamy. Add in the icing sugar,
ground ginger and vanilla extract and mix
until combined. Transfer the ginger cream to a
piping bag fitted with a piping tip of
your choice.
9 Match up two similarly sized and shaped
cookies and pipe the filling onto one cookie.
Gently sandwich the other cookie on top.
Dust the tops with icing sugar before serving.
Per serving 251 kcals, 10g fat (6g saturated), 39g carbs (22g
sugars), 3g protein, 1g fibre, 0.128g sodium
@ @ ® О
%
www.easyfood.ie
easyFood 69
Croquembouchc
foivcr witk berries
Prep Time: 1 hour
Makes: 22
Total Time: 2 hours, 25 minutes
Difficulty: Advanced
For the choux buns
1 tsp Siucra Golden Caster Sugar
115g unsalted butter, cut into
small pieces
140g plain flour
5 medium eggs, beaten
Test Kirchen Tips
You can decorate your croquembouche
tower with just about anything you like!
Try chocolate treats, edible flowers,
redcurrants or melted chocolate.
You can also switch up your choux
bun filling. You could try a chocolate
mousse, creme patisserie, or
shop-bought Baileys cream.
For more fresh recipes and inspiration
visit: www.nordzuckerireland.ie
@ @siucraireland
О @siucraireland
For the filling
300ml double cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
50g Siucra Icing Sugar
For the caramel
150g Siucra Granulated Sugar
150g heavy cream, room temperature
60g butter, cubed
To decorate
100g mixed berries
Siucra Icing Sugar, to dust
1 To make the choux pastry, add the sugar,
butter and 240ml of water to a large pan and
heat very gently until the butter has melted.
Increase the heat and bring the liquid to
the boil.
2 As soon as it's bubbling, lower the heat, tip
in the flour and mix with a wooden spoon
until the mixture forms a smooth dough that
clumps together, leaving the rest of the pan
clean. Carry on beating and cooking over a
low heat for five minutes.
3 Allow the mixture to cool for five minutes,
then add in the eggs a little at a time, mixing
thoroughly between each addition, until the
dough is smooth but still thick. It should drop
very reluctantly from the spoon in the shape
of a V when you bang it against the side of
the pan.
4 Heat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas mark
6 and line two baking trays with greaseproof
paper. Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted
with a large round nozzle, and pipe 30 walnut-
sized balls, spaced an inch apart for rising.
Dip your finger in a little water to smooth out
any bumps or peaks in the dough, then bake
for 30-35 minutes until the choux buns are
puffed, golden and crisp. Turn off the oven
and leave the choux buns in for another 30
minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
5To make the filling, beat the cream and
vanilla extract using a stand mixer. Beat on
medium speed until soft peaks begin to form.
Add in the icing sugar and beat again until just
combined and smooth.
6 Poke holes in the bottom of each bun using
a small piping nozzle or knife. Fill a piping
bag with the filling and pipe it into the buns
through the small hole. The bun is full once
it feels heavy, and the cream wants to squirt
back out.
7To make the caramel, heat granulated sugar
in a heavy pot over a medium heat until it's
completely melted and amber brown
in colour.
8 Slowly pour in the heavy cream, stirring
constantly. The caramel should be runny but
should coat the back of the spoon with a thin
layer. Turn off the heat and stir in the butter,
one cube at a time, until completely melted
and combined. Leave aside to cool.
9 To assemble, take a large serving plate,
dunk each choux bun in the caramel sauce
covering the top, and stack the buns by
creating a circle for the base and building
upwards with a smaller circle each time
creating a tower shape. Decorate the tower
with berries and a dusting of icing sugar.
Per serving 445 kcals, 33.2g fat (20.1g saturated), 33.3g
carbs (20.8g sugars), 5.4g protein, 0.7g fibre, 0.149g sodium.
@@©
70 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023

72 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
EAT IRELAND
Staff writer Alison Egan explores the story
behind Gra Chocolates, the hugely popular
Galway-based, luxury chocolate brand.
They say diamonds are a girl's best friend,
but in fact, it's chocolate! Whether it’s sweet
white chocolate, bitter dark, or silky-smooth
milk; flavoured with caramel and flakes
of sea salt, orange infusions or blasts of
berries; or filled with fudgy ganache and
velvety, strawberry creme; there truly is
no greater joy in life, than lifting the lid on
a fresh box of assorted choccies - in my
humble opinion, at least!
When you're presented with a luxurious
box of hand-painted chocolates made by
Grainne Mullins, the award-winning pastry
chef and owner of Gra Chocolates, based
in Co. Galway, you're in for a serious treat
Recently, I had the pleasure of chatting with
the rising entrepreneurial superstar about
her incredible brand and journey...
Having spent years working in fine-dining
and Michelin-star restaurants, Grainne
found herself looking for ways to keep busy
when the pandemic struck. Utilising her
expert skills, Grainne decided to make her
friends and family some gorgeous, hand-
painted Easter eggs as gifts.
“I shared photos of them on social media
and loads of people started reaching out,
saying they'd like to buy them!" Grainne
explains, "From there I got the idea that this
really could be a business."
Having launched just a few months later,
Gra Chocolates has gone from strength
to strength, turning over close to €1M in
2022, with Grainne being named one of
Forbes Magazine's 30 under 30 earlier this
year. "It was just me at the beginning and
now I've hired a great team, all of us are
working together and keeping busy with the
business throughout the year. It's brilliant
to see it expanding - we now have our own
purpose-built unit as well, which is used for
making the chocolates and packaging and
getting out the orders. We're very lucky to
have grown as quickly as we did,"
Grainne says.
The Gra Chocolate range includes a
variety of cylinder or heart-shaped, luxury
chocolates, boasting a selection of fillings
and flavours; from ‘Mint to be' and 'Nuts
about you' to 'Fineapple' and 'Bee my
Honey', we're spoilt for choice! The
'Ex-Straw-dinary' chocolate sounds
particularly enticing; featuring gooey
strawberry compote paired with a beautiful
white chocolate ganache made with Irish
Cream. Make sure to check out Grainne's
recipe for homemade Irish Cream on p. 74!
Each chocolate is hand-painted in
gorgeous, abstract, bright and colourful
designs, with a colour palette to suit every
theme. As well as selling premium Easter
eggs during spring, Gra has also launched
a range of luxury hot chocolates, with
mouthwatering flavours including Classic,
Velvet Vanilla, Mint and Salted Caramel.
Creating edible art is definitely a skill; one
that takes practice, patience and precision!
"It takes a lot of work - it's a lot of attention
to detail is required to ensure everything is
up to scratch and that the recipes are being
followed," Grainne notes. "As everyone
knows, pastry chefs can be quite particular,
as they have to be, with their recipes, but it's
also down to the science and the chocolate
and how all of that works."
To make her gourmet, hand-painted
chocolates, first Grainne paints the
chocolate moulds, then she adds in
tempered chocolate and pours out the
excess so that all you're left with is the shell.
You fill the shell with one of the assorted
fillings, and there you have it
The chocolates are made from the finest
ingredients in the world: ethically sourced
Valrhona Chocolate, Casa Luker cocoa
butter and the world's best dairy produce
- Irish cream and butter. Made in small
batches, Grainne says it's a three-day
process in total.
The creative process is a lot more strategic
than you might think. When asked how she
comes up with the concepts for her designs,
Grainne says, "It all depends on the flavours
- you'd usually have a theme to a box of
chocolates, so whatever that might be,
whether it's classic flavours, alcohol, more
unique flavours, there are all sorts
of options."
"It might be similar colours; spring,
summertime versus wintertime would have
very different types of colours that we
would use, to make them all look different
and unique."
easyfood.ie
easyFood 73
Nowadays, you can't launch and run a modern
business without first considering the
'erMwfimental impact, and I was delighted
to hear that this is absolutely being thought
about at Gra Chocolates. "Absolutely, we're
always trying to be as sustainable as we can.
We're actually at the moment doing some
courses as well to try and really improve and
pull on areas that we might not have
done before."
"All of those things are really important to
us, being as sustainable as we can, reducing
our energy use when possible, even our
packaging. Unfortunately, we have to use
plastic because it's the only thing that's
currently available that will protect the
chocolates in shipping, but we're always
looking for alternatives to see what else we
can use or what else is out there."
When it comes to customer favourites,
there's one particular product which grabs
the public's attention time and time again:
"Our salted caramel chocolate without a
doubt. ’Lil' bit salty1 it's called." Meanwhile,
Grainne is a little less decisive when it comes
to her personal favourite, the decision
similar to choosing your favourite child I'd
imagine! However, like her evolving chocolate
range, Grainne's top pick "changes all the
time depending on my mood, but I love the
pineapple one, especially in the summertime."
What's next for Gra Chocolates? Well,
according to Grainne, we can expect plenty
more flavours in 2024, as she hints at some
exciting new projects on the horizon. "We're
really going to be looking at growing the
business and pursuing opportunities we
haven't looked at before." We can't wait to see
what Gra Chocolates get up to next year!
IRISH CREAM LIQUEUR
'MY HOMEMADE IRISH CREAM RECIPE IS
DELICIOUS AND THE PERFECT WAY TO END
YOUR CHRISTMAS DINNER. THE SMOOTH,
SWEET FLAVOUR IS DELICIOUS ON ITS OWN
OVER ICE OR POURED INTO COFFEE. IT ALSO
MAKES A FABULOUS GIFT FOR FRIENDS AND
FAMILY! JUST THE THING TO SERVE AROUND
THE FESTIVE PERIOD.'
200ml of Connemara whiskey
300ml of double cream
200g of condensed milk
50g honey
1 tsp instant coffee powder
1 tsp Vanilla extract
Ice cubes
Cocoa powder, for dusting
1 Mix all ingredients together thoroughly.
2 Pour into one large or several smaller sterilised
bottles. This will keep in the fridge for two weeks.
3 Serve over ice with a dusting of cocoa powder
GRAINNE’S TOP TIP:
IF IT SPLITS. A QUICK BLAST IN THE MICROWAVE
AND A GOOD SHAKE WILL BRING IT BACK TOGETHER.
Recipe courtesy of Grainne Mullins.
To check out the full range of Gra
Chocolates, go to grachocolates.com.
74 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
ПЮ
кошсави
\УлО _п_ □□□
Bread 41 bakery owner
Eoin Cluskey
We got rid of our takeaway cups last February. Last year we reckon we were
responsible for between 30-40K compostable cups going into landfills, so
as of the beginning of this year, we don't offer compostable cups any more
and it's worked really well. The last figures I pulled, I saved the business €9K
by getting rid of compostable cups. It takes a little bit of time, for people
to get used to bringing in their own reusable cups, and that's just one of
multiple things we're doing across the site.
I've also been teaching people how to make bread as my way of giving
back. I've been going into schools in the local community and further afield
and I've taught 3,500 kids to make a loaf of bread in the last two years. So,
this year we started out our teach-the-teacher programme. I put out an ad,
asking whether home economics teachers would want to upskill, because
we want to expand our reach. We had over 400 teachers apply from all
over Ireland.
We're working through this now and we're building out the schedule. Ideally,
they'd come in and we'd teach four classes on our own time, which would
probably be one night a week every two months, or depending on what way
it works, and we'd teach them how to make a simple bread, a simple pastry
and just tricks that you learn in the trade.
I'm very conscious that teachers sometimes have 22 kids to teach and
they're time-limited with an hour; so, we need to build a programme that
fits within their schedule. So, that's super exciting! We thought we'd maybe
get 100 people interested, and now we've been blown away!
In what other ways has the business changed this year?
It's a lean journey we're on at the moment, as we're scaling the business.
Obviously, Greystones, our brand new bakery location, is in the pipeline, and
then we'll be onto the next one. Our Greystones bakery will be one-of-a-
kind. It will be what 41 could be if you could see all the nooks and crannies.
We will be baking on site - everything will be fresh and hot. Simple food
done really, really well. We are putting in our first ever bread-and-go, an
automated system where you can just grab a loaf, tap and leave. It gets
really busy here at 41 Pearse Street, and some people just want to grab a
loaf of bread; they don't want to queue or wait 15 minutes for pastries. In
Greystones, you can walk in, pick up your loaf, tap and walk out the door.
Staff writer, Alison Egan,
hears all about what
makes Bread 41 on Pearse
Street, truly such a special
hot spot, from the man
himself, Eoin Cluskey.
Has bread-making always been a passion?
How did you first get into it?
Yes! My nanny was a baker - she was more into the apple pies, actually. Her
second name was Baker, and so my mother's maiden name is Baker, which
is really strange! I'm a qualified carpenter by trade, and I travelled a lot and
so I had to fend for myself and feed myself while travelling and I just fell in
love with it. I suppose, I'm one of those weird people who say, 'if you find
something and you enjoy doing it, do it and the rest will fall into place.' I still
believe that.
Sustainability and giving back to the community are a big part of your
ethos at Bread 41 - how have these themes come into play this year?
Moving towards zero-waste is all about making constant, small
improvements all the time, and now we're a few months away from being
В-corp certified - we'll be the first small-scale bakery shop to have it.
We'll also be opening our own warehouse facility, where we'll be controlling
everything we can. We'll go out to organic nut suppliers in Spain and we'll
work with small farmers across Europe to bring in all the stuff we can't
get locally. Our waste-
management project will
happen out there at the
warehouse too. Currently,
if we have trucks pulling
up here, we don't take
cardboard boxes off them,
so it's a bit of a stickling point
for the team, because you
have to wait there while they
unbox it. So if we get any
cardboard in, it'll be brought
to our main facility and then
we can be more in control of
the waste.
What's something you're
proud of as a business
owner?
Something I'm proud of
is that we have 51 staff here, 17 different nationalities and we bring in a
minimum wage that actually represents maybe 4% of staff - so our part-
timers, who are mainly 16 or 17-year-olds. We have €13.85 across the board.
So, someone who works eight hours a week - they're on €13.85, but that
would be very rare. In terms of the coffee shop game, nobody talks about
it, everyone is afraid to advertise what they pay.
easyfood.ie
easyFood 75
this time of year?
We also make a pension contribution to full-time staff, once you're here
over a year, which mightn't sound like much but for the most part it doesn't
exist, especially in small-scale businesses.
We obviously make a lot of donations to charity, but we want to do more
than just write a check. Team members will come to me and say they'd
like us to support this charity, and we say, 'okay, but what will you do?' We
constantly challenge the team to give back their time, and so we allow
30 minutes a week from each staff member to work on a project that will
benefit the bigger picture.
At the moment we have a breakfast club and we help out two local schools
by making bread - and we just designed a healthy muffin for kids. We
developed this recipe just for them - so there's chocolate in it, but we used
wholewheat flour to balance it out. With that, we were looking at how we
can get the buy-in from the kids and we looked at everything from the
age of the child, can the child pick it up, ect. We look at the restraints in the
schools too, which no-one talks about again - there could be one teacher
looking after 40 kids, and you might think, 'sure, just give them toast', but
can the teacher make toast for 40 kids? Is there a knife? Is there butter? Is
there a topping? So, we reached out to a couple of jam companies and they
gave us jam to drop over to the kids, giving them bread, butter and jam. It's
actually very simple but it's also very nutritious - again, it's the buy-in, it's
not just telling them what they want, we ask them what they want.
We also took in an ex-prisoner. They worked here, full-pay, for the last nine
months, and then we were able to help them get a job of their choosing in a
community kitchen.
Christmas is a fabulous time to be making bread. I'm sorry to say it's
probably one of the few occasions when we all get together around the
table as a family. If you do get invited to someone's house for dinner you
can bring a tare-and-share bread, or it could be a couple of mince pies.
If you haven't made your mince meat yet, you're probably going to buy it
instead, but you are going to make your pastry. It's such an easy task -1
think everyone has the cupcake tins in their house with the scone cutter.
It's a great bake if you want to bring something hot or warm. If you're well
ahead of the game, make a mulled wine. It's super-simple but it's a great
place to start!
Will you be put in charge of anything at home when it comes to
getting the festive feast ready? Or is this your chance to take it easy?
Christmas is my favourite time of year because I actually get to have my
family around for dinner -1 have four sisters and a brother, but I think when
we're all together, there's about 28 of us. I say, 'everyone bring a dish' and
I think it's a really good way of doing things, because nothing is meant
to be perfect. I'm the host and I normally do the potato gratin, because
it's absolutely beautiful. It's just warm - and like I said, we do dishes. So,
everyone brings a dish and everyone has a little bit of everything.
What will your winter menu look like in the bakery?
We tend to do something warm, that hugs you. We're still lugging apples
- we have a barter scheme here where we take people's fallen vegetables
and fallen fruit so we'd always have such a massive, massive vast of apples,
so there's always an apple pie on the menu.
76 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
festive entertaining
THE RECIPES YOU NEED WHEN BRINGING
THE WHOLE GANG TOGETHER
rtbllvt BRUNCH, P./B
PERFECT PLATTERS, P.81
COSY UP WITH TOASTY TIPPLES, P.88
easyfood.ie
easyFood 77
Whether you’re on Team Savoury
or Team Sweet, we’ve a Christmas
brunch recipe just for you.
78 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
festive entertaining festive brunch
Festive Turkish eggs
Serves 3-4
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 onion, chopped
Уг tsp salt
1 garlic clove, crushed
1A tsp cinnamon
У» tsp nutmeg
250g roasted red pepper, or 2
peppers, chopped
1A tsp chilli flakes
2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/
gas mark 6.
2	Heat half a tablespoon of oil in a large
oven-proof handled pan, over medium
heat. When hot, add the onion and a pinch
of salt and cook for five minutes, stirring
occasionally. Add the garlic and spices
and cook for a further three minutes. Add
the red peppers and chilli flakes, cook for
another 2-3 minutes, and add the tinned
tomatoes with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Simmer for eight minutes, add the maple
syrup and stir through.
3	Using a spoon, hollow out four spaces in
the tomato mixture and crack an egg into
each space. Season each egg with a pinch
of salt and pepper.
4	Place in the oven to cook for another
8-10 minutes, depending on how well you
like your eggs cooked. Garnish with the
coriander and serve with
toasted sourdough.
Per serving 376 kcals, 9.4g fat (2.2g saturated), 56.5g
carbs (16.8g sugars), 15.5g protein, 3.7g fibre, 0.896g
sodium
Q ©
easyfood.ie
easyFood 79
Easy Christmas-spiced cruffins
Makes 8
700g/2 x 6 packs of Jus-Rol
croissants
25g brown sugar
1/г tsp cinnamon
30g butter, softened to room
temperature
1 egg
Caster sugar, for dusting
250g lemon curd
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/
gas mark 6. Grease eight holes divided
between two muffin trays.
2	Unroll a pack of croissant dough and
place it on a lightly floured surface. It
should unroll into a long rectangle, approx.
70cm in length. Make sure the long side
is facing towards you. Cut the dough in
half vertically, so you have two smaller
rectangles. Place one rectangle of dough
on top of the other, overlapping slightly.
You'll see the perforated lines in the dough.
To create one smooth layer of dough, pinch
these lines together then roll once or twice
with a floured rolling pin, so that the dough
comes together and is smooth.
3	In a small bowl, mix together the brown
sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
4	Spread half the butter gently over the
dough, sprinkle with one tablespoon of the
sugar-cinnamon mixture and roll the dough
away from you, using the palms of both
your hands. Cut the log in half. Repeat this
process with the second pack of croissant
Q ® )
Per serving 495 kcals, 35.1g fat (18.5g saturated), 42.5g
carbs (18.1g sugars), 9.3g protein, 1.3g fibre, 0.136g
sodium
dough. You should have four long cinnamon
rolls. Cut each log in half lengthways
exposing the layers - now you will have
eight dough strips.
5	To form the cruffins, pinch the top of
a strip of dough and stretch it a little to
lengthen. Still holding one end of the
dough, twist the remaining dough (with
the layered side facing outward) around
your fingers to create a knot. Place in
the greased muffin tray. Repeat with the
remaining pieces. Brush the cruffins with
egg wash and bake for 15 minutes, or
until golden brown and cooked through.
Remove and allow to cool fully.
6	Dust the cruffins in sugar and using a
skewer or a small knife, make a hole in the
top of each cruffin.
7	Add the lemon curd to a zip-lock bag and
snip a very small hole in one corner. Place
the hole of the bag into the hole in the
cruffin and pipe the curd into it, until a little
comes out of the top of the cruffin. Repeat
with all the remaining cruffins and serve
with your brunch favourites.
80 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
festive entertaining sharing boards
«АЙ
82 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
Til
festive en
Per serving 687 kcals, 45g fat (14.2g saturated), 60.8g carbs
(18.8g sugars), 17.3g protein, 5.6g fibre, 1.083g sodium
Pour the olives into a small bowl and add
this to the board, then assemble the grapes,
tomatoes, pistachios and crackers around the
board to fill it out.

HONEY BAKED FETA IN FILO
Serves 6
For the baked filo
3 sheets of filo pastry
2 tbsp olive oil
1 block of feta
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp honey
For the sharing board
150g garlic & herb cream cheese
150g pitted olives
400g grapes
200g plum tomatoes
150g pistachios
200g selection of crackers
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/
gas mark 6.
2 On a board or a clean work surface, lay out
the sheets of filo one at a time. Using a pastry
brush, brush the first sheet of filo with olive
oil, top with the next sheet of filo and repeat,
brushing with oil. Finish with the last sheet
of filo and add the block of feta to the centre.
Wrap the pastry around the feta, sealing it
like a parcel and turn it over. Transfer to a
parchment-lined baking tray and sprinkle with
sesame seeds. Bake for 30 minutes until the
pastry is golden brown.
3To assemble the sharing board, add the
baked feta to one half of a large wooden board
and drizzle with honey. Add the garlic and herb
cream cheese to the other side of the board.
<3 3
For the cranberry & macadamia scones
450g self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
50g caster sugar
100g butter, cubed, room temperature
20g dried cranberries
20g macadamia nuts, finely chopped
2 eggs, whisked
25ml milk
For the sharing board
100g butter, room temperature
200g lemon curd
200g jam of choice
350ml whipped cream
250g selection of fresh berries
1	ripe melon, cut into wedges
1 Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/
gas mark 7 Line two baking trays with
baking parchment.
2	Add the flour, baking powder and sugar
to a large bowl. Add the butter and rub
in with your fingertips until the mixture
resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the
cranberries and macadamia nuts.
3	Crack the eggs into a measuring jug,
then add enough milk to make the total
liquid 300ml. Stir the eggs and milk into
the flour - you may not need it all - and
mix until a soft, sticky dough
is formed.
4Turn out onto a lightly floured work
surface and roll evenly to a
2cm thickness.
5	Cut into as many rounds as possible
with a fluted 2.5cm cutter for small
scones or a 5cm cutter for larger scones
and place on the prepared baking trays.
Brush the tops of the scones with a little
extra milk, or any egg and milk left in
the jug.
6	Bake for 8-9 minutes for smaller scones
and 12-14 minutes for larger, or until the
scones are well risen and a pale, golden-
brown colour. Lift onto a wire rack to cool.
7	Add the butter, lemon curd, jam,
whipped cream and fresh berries to
small bowls.
8To assemble the sharing board, add
the scones to a large wooden board, and
place the small bowls of toppings and cut
melon around the scones.
Per serving 766 kcals, 46g fat (26g saturated), 85g carbs
(37.6g sugars), 11.1g protein, 4.4g fibre, 0.198g sodium
Q ®
84 easyFood


festive entertaining sharing boards
HZZADIP BOARD
Serves 6
For the spicy pizza layered dip
280g cream cheese
У2 tsp dried herbs
2 sprigs fresh basil, leaves chopped
200g pizza sauce or passata
1 ball fresh mozzarella, chopped into
small pieces
70g nduja, crumbled
125g cheddar cheese, grated
For the sharing board
1 x 125g garlic flatbread
3 small pitas, toasted, cut into triangles
3 slices of sourdough, halved
and toasted
125g sesame crackers or bread sticks
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/
gas mark 6.
2 Mix together the cream cheese, herbs
and half of the fresh basil in a bowl.
ЗСоок the flat bread according to pack
instructions and portion into eight pieces.
4Spread the cream cheese over the
bottom of an 18x13x4 cm ovenproof
serving dish. Add a layer of the pizza
sauce (or passata) to cover the cream
cheese, scatter the chopped mozzarella
evenly over the pizza sauce, add half the
nduja over the mozzarella, scatter the
cheddar cheese over the ndjua and finish
by sprinkling the remaining ndjua on
top. Bake for 20 minutes, until bubbling.
Remove from the oven and allow to
sit for 2-3 minutes before carefully
transferring to a large wooden board.
5 Garnish with the remaining chopped
basil, add the flatbread, pita, sourdough
toasts and sesame crackers or bread
sticks to the board around the dip.
Per serving 542 kcals, 30.9g fat (16.3g saturated),
46.8g carbs (2.7g sugars), 19.8g protein, 2.6g fibre,
0.896g sodium
o©
1
SX IIP
1TH
ТУ
Пк
Whether you’re entertaining,
chilling at home with family, or
simply cosying up with a good
book on a lazy afternoon, these
wonderful winter warmers are
exactly what you need.
festive entertaining tasty tipples
WINTER SANGRIA WITH BERRIES
Serves 6-8
1 Add all the ingredients to a large pitcher
or jug and stir well. Add a little ice.
2 Serve in glasses garnished with blood
oranges or regular orange slices.
To garnish
1 blood orange or regular orange, sliced
Per serving 139kcals, 0.1g fat (0g saturated), 16.7g carbs
(12.5g sugars), 0.4g protein, 1.8g fibre, 0.07g sodium
o©
easyFood 89
food.ie
800ml red wine
150ml apple juice
150ml cranberry juice
200ml ginger beer or ale
1 orange, sliced
1 apple, cored and chopped
20g raspberries
20g blueberries
IRISH COFFEE WITH SALTED CARAMEL DRIZZLE
Makes 2 coffees
50ml whiskey
2 tsp brown sugar
2 espresso shots of coffee
2 tbsp double cream, lightly whipped
7b garnish
Уг tsp of flaky sea salt
2 tbsp caramel
1	Heat two coffee glasses and divide the
whiskey between them.
2	Stir the sugar into the whiskey to dissolve.
Add the coffee and stir well.
3	Spoon the cream gradually onto the top of
a heated large spoon, held upside-down just
above the coffee. This will ensure it floats over
the surface of the coffee.
4To garnish, mix the salt through the caramel
and drizzle it over the coffees.
Per serving 226kcals, 5.6g fat (3.5g saturated), 30.4g carbs
(3g sugars), 1 g protein, 0.4g fibre, 0.622g sodium
@	© ©
Ю easi
CHRISTMAS 2023
festive entertaining tasty tipples
GLOBE
(GLOGG IS SWEDISH MULLED WINE!)
Serves 8-10
1 bottle of red wine
250g white sugar
1 Add all the ingredients, except the
1 orange, skin zested, peeled
and cut into strips
6 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
60g raisins
60g flaked almonds
100ml vodka
vodka, to a large pot and simmer for
20 minutes.
2 Add the vodka and mix through.
Serve warm.
Per serving 310kcals, 4.3g fat (0.3g saturated),
40.7g carbs (36.7g sugars), 2.3g protein, 0.9g
fibre, 0.006g sodium
©

THE GLOGG TASTES EVEN BETTER
WHEN ITS BEEN INFUSING FOR A
COUPLE OF HOURS. YOU CAN SIMPLY
SWITCH OFF THE HEAT AND LEAVE IT
TO SIT COVERED. HEAT IT UP AND ADD
THE VODKA WHEN YOU'RE READY.
easyfood.ie
easyFood 91
kid’s kitchen
KEEPING THE LITTLE ELVES BUSY
IN FOR A TREAT! P.93
92 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
sweet treats kid's treats
I.
Find more great kid-friendly
content on everymum.ie
easy
Jun iORS
IN FOR Л ТПеАТ!
Allow your kids to flex their creative muscles
by baking up some fun in the kitchen with
these easy-to-make treats.

Jron «ur sistw
everymum
easyfood.ie
easyFood 93
easy Jun ions
CHRISTMAS
cfoeCfffaf* bait
Serves 16
100g pretzels, chopped in half
15 Oreos, cut into quarters
100g red and green Smarties
500g white chocolate, broken into pieces
2 tbsp Christmas sprinkles of your choice
1	Spread the pretzels out onto a parchment-
lined baking tray, then layer with the Oreo
pieces and top with half of the Smarties.
2	Melt the white chocolate in the microwave,
heating it in 30 second bursts and stirring
until smooth. Pour the melted chocolate on
top of the treats on the baking tray.
3	Use a spatula to spread the chocolate
over the pretzels, Oreos, and Smarties.
Make sure the edges are covered. Add
the remaining smarties and the Christmas
sprinkles on top.
4	Refrigerate for two hours to harden the
bark. Remove the bark from the fridge and
use your hands to break it into pieces of
various sizes before serving.
Per serving 285 kcals, g fat (6.4g saturated), 29g carbs
(15.2g sugars), 2.6g protein, 0.5g fibre, 0.077g sodium
Q@®
IF YOU FIND TUE BARK TOO DIFFICULT TO
BREAK UP. WAIT UNTIL IT COMES TO ROOM
TEMPERATURE AND THEN BREAK TUE
BARK INTO PIECES.
STORE TUE BARK IN AN AIRTIGUT
CONTAINER FOR UP TO FOUR DAYS.
Find more great kid-friendly
content on everymum.ie
everymurrr
94 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
sweet treats kid's treats
CHRISTMAS TREE
cupcafe
Makes 12
150g caster sugar
150g butter, softened
2 eggs
1	tsp vanilla extract
150g self-raising flour
For the buttercream
400g icing sugar
200g unsalted butter, softened
1	tsp vanilla extract
2	tsp green food colouring gel
Chocolate stars
Christmas sprinkles
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/
gas mark 4 and line a cupcake tray
with 12 cupcake cases.
2	Beat the sugar and butter together in
a large mixing bowl.
3	Whisk the eggs and vanilla together
in a jug. Slowly stream this into the
butter mixture and mix until
just combined.
4	Sieve in the flour and mix to
combine. Spoon the mixture into the
lined cupcake tray.
5	Bake for 15-20 minutes. Allow to
cool completely.
6	Beat the icing sugar, butter and
vanilla together in a bowl until light
and fluffy. Add green food colouring
and mix until fully combined.
7	Spoon the buttercream into a piping
bag fitted with a star nozzle. Add a tall
swirl of buttercream to the top of each
cupcake. Decorate with chocolate
stars and Christmas sprinkles.
Per serving 482kcals, 20.5g fat (12.6g saturated),
72.9g carbs (572g sugars), 3.8g protein, 0.5g fibre,
0.258g sodium
easyfood.ie
easy Food 95

Makes 24
THESE COOKIES CAN BE STORED IN AN AIRTIGUT
CONTAINER FOR UP TO FOUR DAYS.
280g plain flour
1/z tsp baking powder
170g butter, at room temperature
150g granulated sugar
1	large egg
2	tsp vanilla extract
For the royal icing
3	egg whites
450g icing sugar
1 tsp peppermint extract
To decorate
Various food colouring gels
Christmas sprinkles
1	Whisk the flour and baking powder
together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2	Cream the butter and sugar with a
handheld or a stand mixer fitted with a
paddle attachment on high speed for two
minutes. When completely smooth and
creamy, add the egg and vanilla, and beat
on high speed for one more minute until
combined. Scrape down the sides and the
bottom of the bowl and beat again
to combine.
3Add the dry ingredients and mix on low
until combined. If the dough seems too soft
and sticky for rolling, add another tablespoon
of flour.
4	Lightly flour a work surface and roll the
dough out to about a quarter-inch thick. The
rolled-out dough can be any shape, as long
as it is even thickness.
5	Wrap the dough with cling film and chill in
the fridge for at least two hours.
6	Once chilled, preheat the oven to
180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4. Line 2-3 large
baking trays with parchment paper. Using
a Christmas shaped cookie cutter, cut the
dough into shapes. Re-roll the remaining
dough and continue cutting until all is used.
7	Arrange the cookies on baking trays,
placing them three inches apart. Bake for
11-12 minutes or until lightly browned around
the edges. If your oven has hot spots, rotate
the baking tray halfway through the bake
time. Allow the cookies to cool on the tray
for five minutes, then transfer to a wire rack
to cool completely before decorating.
8	Beat the egg whites on medium-low
speed for one minute, until frothy. With the
mixer speed on low, slowly add in the icing
sugar and peppermint extract. Once fully
incorporated, increase the speed to medium-
high and beat until stiff, shiny peaks form.
9	Divide the icing between a few bowls
and squeeze a few drops of food colouring
into each bowl. We used red, green, yellow,
orange, and black ensuring to leave some
icing white. Fill piping bags with the various
coloured icings and cut a very small hole at
the bottom.
10	Outline and flood the cookies with a
base colour. Allow the icing to set, then add
decorative designs in different colours, like
polka dots, candy cane stripes, snowman
accessories. The icing will completely set in
about two hours at room temperature.
Per serving 195kcals, 6.1g fat (3.7g saturated), 33.9g carbs
(24.7g sugars), 2g protein, 0.3g fibre, 0.048g sodium
@@© ©
what’s for dinner?
MEAL PLANNING MADE EASY
98 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
what's for dinner? lei
easyfood.ie
easyFood 99
Serves 4-6
Уг tbsp olive oil
100g chorizo, diced
1 onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, peeled and
finely chopped
Уг tsp salt
200g leftover ham, chopped
200g leftover turkey, shredded
tsp ground black pepper
1 x 500g jar of tomato sauce
1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk
For the topping
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
100g breadcrumbs
1 tsp oil
1	Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/
gas mark 6.
2	Heat half a tablespoon of oil in a
large pan over a medium heat. When
hot, add the chorizo and cook for 2-3
minutes, until the oil has turned red
from the chorizo. Add the onion to the
pan and cook for five minutes, stirring
occasionally until it starts to soften. Add
the garlic and a pinch of salt and cook
for three minutes, stirring so the garlic
doesn't burn.
3Add the ham, turkey and a pinch of salt
and pepper to the pan and coat in the
onion and chorizo. Add the tomato sauce
and tinned coconut milk and simmer for
five minutes.
4While the sauce is simmering, in a
large bowl mix the topping
ingredients together.
5 Transfer the tomato mixture from
the pan to a large pie or lasagne-style
oven-proof dish. Scatter the breadcrumb
topping on top in an even layer to cover
the filling. Bake for 25 minutes until the
top is golden brown and the sauce
is_bubbling.
Per serving 461 kcals, 30.7g fat (18.8g saturated),
24g carbs (7.6g sugars), '24.8g protein, 4.4g fibre,
1.428g sodium
€ ф © DF Q
what's for dinner? leftover magic
Per serving 206kcals, 11.3g fat (1.8g saturated),
25.8g carbs (17.4g sugars), 4.5g protein, 71g fibre,
0.187g sodium
nd cMmjc wUd й/ф
Serves 4
1/2 a head of red cabbage, core
removed, shredded
4 tbsp vinaigrette of choice
Уд tsp salt
1/д tsp ground black pepper
1 head of baby gem lettuce,
roughly chopped
1 pomegranate, seeds removed
1	orange, pith removed and
segmented
20g hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
11n a large mixing bowl, toss the
shredded cabbage in the vinaigrette and
a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside for
20 minutes or 1-2 hours in the fridge if
time allows.
2	Mix the baby gem lettuce and most
of the pomegranate seeds through the
cabbage, taste and season with salt and
pepper if needed. Transfer to a salad
bowl or platter and top with the orange
segments, hazelnuts, and remaining
pomegranate seeds.
easyFood 101

Makes 4
4 tbsp red pesto
4 panini rolls
4 tbsp leftover stuffing, optional
4-6 slices of leftover Christmas ham
2 balls of fresh mozzarella, sliced
Уд tsp salt
14 tsp ground black pepper
1	Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/
gas mark 6.
2	Spread half a tablespoon of pesto
on each side of the four paninis, add a
tablespoon of stuffing to each roll, top
with a generous slice of ham. Top the
ham with slices of mozzarella. Season
the mozzarella with a pinch of salt and
black pepper.
3	Transfer the paninis to a large, lined
baking tray and bake in the oven for 8-10
minutes until the cheese starts to melt
and the bread is toasted.
Per serving 523kcals, 22.9g fat (3.5g saturated),
48.9g carbs (2.6g sugars), 21.6g protein, 3g fibre,
01.384g sodium
€ © LF
easyfood
Serves 4-6
3 tbsp olive oil
65g pancetta lardons
1 large onion, diced
1/z tsp salt
1 medium celeriac, peeled
and chopped
1 parsnip, peeled and chopped
1 apple, cored and chopped
2L vegetable stock
200ml cream
1Л tsp black pepper
1 sprig of fresh parsley, optional
1 sprig of fresh sage, optional
1	Heat half a tablespoon of oil in a large
pan or pot over medium heat, add the
lardons and cook for 5-8 minutes, until
crispy and browned, stirring occasionally.
Remove from the pan with a slotted
spoon and set aside on kitchen paper.
2	Add the onions to the pan with a pinch
of salt and cook for five minutes, stirring
occasionally. Add the celeriac, parsnip
and apple to the pan with another pinch
of salt. Cook for 10-12 minutes until the
celeriac and parsnip are cooked through.
3	Add the stock and cream to the pan and
bring to a simmer, season with a pinch of
salt and pepper and cook for 15 minutes.
4While the soup is simmering, make the
herb oil if using. Using a hand blender,
blend the parsley and sage with 1-2
tablespoons of oil and a pinch of salt.
5 Remove the soup from the heat, blend
until smooth, taste and season with salt
and pepper.
6 Serve with the crispy pancetta and a
drizzle of herb oil.
Per serving 235 kcals, 14.4g fat (4g saturated), 24.9g
carbs (8.3g sugars), 4.1g protein, 4.6g fibre, 1.133g
sodium
104 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023

о®
Per serving 554 kcals, 27.1g fat (7g saturated), 60g
carbs (8.2g sugars), 18.9g protein, 10.6g fibre, 0.243g
sodium
Serves 4
MS
2 large carrots, peeled and cut
into batons
2 parsnips, peeled and cut into batons
1	beetroot, peeled and cut
into wedges
1	tbsp olive oil
1/г tsp ground cumin
Уг tsp ground coriander
1Atsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt and black pepper
200g quinoa and barley mix, cooked
and cooled
150g mixed leaves
2	tbsp salad dressing of choice
50g dried cranberries
80g walnuts, chopped
150g soft goat's cheese
11n a mixing bowl, toss together the
vegetables, oil, spices and a pinch of
salt and pepper. Add to the basket of the
air fryer and cook for 20 minutes until
roasted and cooked through, shaking the
basket a few times during cooking.
2 To assemble, in a mixing bowl toss
the quinoa, mixed leaves and dressing
together, transfer to a serving platter,
scatter the cranberries and walnuts over
the salad, break up the goat's cheese,
dot over the salad and top with the spice
roasted veg.
Serves 4-6
For the topping
1 parsnip, peeled and chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
450g potato, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp butter
25ml milk, heated
Per serving 437 kcals, 23.4g fat (11.7g saturated), 32.3g
carbs (8.2g sugars), 25.3g protein, 3.9g fibre, 0.567g
sodium
У1 tbsp oil
1 medium onion, chopped
600g mixed fish, skin removed,
haddock, smoked haddock, cod
or salmon
1 To make the bechamel sauce, melt
the butter in a medium-large pot over
medium heat. Sieve the flour into the
melted butter, whisking continuously
until it forms a paste. Continue to whisk
over the heat for 2-3 minutes to cook the
flour. Gradually add the milk to the pan,
whisking continuously until the paste
is incorporated into the milk. Add the
mustard and a pinch of salt and pepper
and simmer for five minutes, stirring
occasionally so the sauce does not stick
to the base of the pot. When the sauce
has thickened, remove from the heat and
set aside.
2 While the sauce is simmering, steam
or boil the vegetables for the topping
until fork tender. Drain well and mash
immediately with the butter, adding the
milk a splash at a time, so the mash
doesn't become too loose. Mash until
smooth, taste and season with salt and
pepper if needed.
3 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/
gas mark 6.
4 For the fish, heat the oil in a large
pan over medium heat, when hot add
the onion and a pinch of salt, cook for
five minutes, stirring occasionally until
softened. Add the fish and a pinch of salt
and pepper to the pan and cook for
5-8 minutes.
5 Add the fish and onion back into the
bechamel sauce and mix well, transfer
to an oven-proof dish and smooth out.
Top with the potato and root vegetable
mash in an even layer - add the mash in
sections if it's easier. Top with a drizzle
of oil.
6 Bake for 20 minutes or until the top
has started to brown and the sauce is
bubbling. Serve with your favourite green
salad and crunchy bread.
For the bechamel sauce
80g butter
50g flour
575ml milk
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Уг tsp salt
tsp black pepper
€ • © OF

easyfood.ie
easyFood 107
Шу tytwt & рМ&днЛмь
Serves 4-6
20g butter
300ml milk
500ml double cream
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1	onion, peeled and sliced
Pinch of nutmeg
2	bay leaves
Уг tsp salt
Уг tsp ground black pepper
800g potatoes, parboiled and sliced
400g Brussels sprouts, cleaned
and shredded
150g white cheddar, grated
50g breadcrumbs
50g Parmesan or pecorino, grated
1	Grease an oven-proof dish with some
of the butter and set aside.
2	Add the milk, cream, butter, garlic,
onion, nutmeg, bay leaves and a pinch of
salt and pepper to a medium-sized pot
over medium heat and bring to a simmer
for five minutes so the flavours infuse
the milk and the onion softens.
3 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/
gas mark 6.
4	To the oven-proof dish, add one-third
of the sliced potatoes in an even layer
and top with one-third of the shredded
sprouts. Add one-third of the infused milk
to cover, then a sprinkle of the grated
cheddar. Repeat this step with another
two layers of the potatoes, sprouts, milk,
and cheese, until they are all used.
5	Mix the breadcrumbs and parmesan
together and scatter over the top in an
even layer.
6	Bake for 25 minutes or until the top has
started to brown and the sauce
is bubbling.
Per serving 660 kcals, 47.4g fat (29.5g saturated), 43.5g
carbs (9.4g sugars), 19.9g protein, 6.5g fibre, 0.614g
sodium
$
CHRISTMAS 2023 .
108 easyFood
One-pMi дм!#, diiclcui алф Mid Ыл
Serves 4
at's for dinner? winter warmers
To serve
Mashed potato
Per serving 282 kcals, 11.3g fat (1.5g saturated), 20.1g carbs
(6.5g sugars), 23.8g protein, 2.7g fibre, 0.549g sodium
О
2 large chicken breasts
Уг tsp salt
Уд tsp ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves
1 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp sundried tomato pesto
2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
Уд tsp chilli flakes
200g kale, stalks removed
and chopped
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/
gas mark 6.
2	Season the chicken breasts with a pinch of
salt and pepper and add to an oven-proof dish
with the garlic cloves and the oil. Bake for 15
minutes until the chicken starts to brown.
3	In a medium bowl, mix the pesto, chopped
tomatoes and chilli flakes together.
4	Remove the dish from the oven and add the
kale, pushing it down around the chicken, add
the tomato mixture to the dish, covering the
kale and chicken. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt
and pepper. Cover the dish tightly with tinfoil
and bake for another 20 minutes. Serve with
mashed potatoes.

team favourites
THE RECIPES OF CHRISTMAS PAST
110 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
team faves Christmas recipes
All we want
for Christmas
easyfood.ie
easyFood 111
kftci* Eight сакс
Serves 20
For the sponge
225g plain flour
350g caster sugar
85g cocoa powder
1Уг tsp baking powder
11/г tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 eggs
250ml milk
125ml vegetable oil
250ml boiling water
For the After Eight buttercream filling
300g icing sugar
150g unsalted butter, softened
10 After Eights, chopped
For the mint chocolate icing
400g icing sugar
50g cocoa powder
225g unsalted butter, softened
100g mint chocolate, melted
For the ganache
180ml cream
228g dark chocolate
To decorate
8 After Eights
Fresh mint
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas
mark 4. Line four 20cm cake tins with non-
stick parchment paper.
2To make the sponge, place all of the
ingredients except for the boiling water into
a large bowl. Beat together until
just combined.
3	Add the boiling water, a little at a time,
mixing and scraping down the sides after
each addition.
4	Divide the mixture evenly amongst the
tins and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a
skewer is inserted and comes out clean.
Allow to cool completely.
5	To make the filling, beat together the icing
sugar and butter until smooth. Add in the
chopped After Eghts and beat until they are
evenly mixed through.
6	Place the first sponge layer on a cake
stand or serving plate.
7	Spread over some of the buttercream and
add the next sponge on top. Continue to
stack and fill each of the sponges.
8To make the icing, beat together the
icing sugar, cocoa powder and unsalted
butter until smooth. Add the melted mint
chocolate and beat until smooth.
9	Use a palette knife or offset spatula to
spread most of the icing over the top and
sides of the cake, making sure to fill in any
gaps. Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes
to set.
10	Once set, spread over more mint choco-
late icing to cover any crumbs and smooth;
reserve some of the icing to pipe swirls on
the top. Allow the cake to sit in the freezer
or fridge until set and cold.
11	To make the ganache, boil the cream
in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Add the
chopped dark chocolate, remove from
the heat and allow to sit until melted. Stir
together until smooth.
12	Place the cake on a wire rack, sitting
over a baking tray. Pour the ganache over
until completely covered. Allow the ganache
to set for about five minutes.
13	Using a star nozzle, pipe swirls of the
mint chocolate icing around the top edges.
14	Stick the After Eights between the piped
swirls and top each swirl of icing with a
mint leaf.
Per serving 586kcals, 28.9g fat (15.7g saturated), 81.3g
carbs (66.5g sugars), 5g protein, 2.9g fibre, 0.486g sodium
@®o
112 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
team faves Christmas recipes
‘lea cake’ cake
Serves 25
Р^оЗ	ськей ro*3 3o
3^3 !>u* *«м</ ol»o<^t ruipts3iMi'
З^^^Т^М * ЗичрЬ'Г*. fa
fatkitfa*/
f
For the sponge
300g butter
300g caster sugar
6 eggs
300g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp milk
For the Swiss meringue buttercream
4 egg whites
300g caster sugar
400g unsalted butter, softened
and chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the filling
6 tea cakes, chopped
50g dark chocolate, melted
For the meringue
300g caster sugar
75ml water
3 eggs, separated
To decorate
3 tea cakes, chopped
3 tea cakes, halved
1 Preheat the oven 18O’C/16O°C fan/
gas mark 4. Line three 20cm tins with
parchment paper.
2	In a large bowl, beat together the butter
and the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the
eggs one at a time, beating after
each addition.
3	Fold in the flour, baking powder and milk
until just combined.
4	Divide the mixture evenly amongst the tins
and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer
is inserted and comes out clean. Allow the
sponges to cool completely.
5	For the Swiss meringue buttercream, place
a bowl over a pot of simmering water. Add
the egg whites and sugar and whisk until all
of the sugar has dissolved and is no longer
grainy. Remove from the heat.
6Transfer into a free-standing mixer
and whisk for about 10 minutes or until
completely cool.
7	Once cool, add the softened unsalted
butter little by little while the mixer is on. Add
the vanilla extract and whisk again.
easyfood.ie
8	Place the first sponge layer on a cake stand
or serving plate.
9	Spread over some of the buttercream and
top with chopped tea cakes and a drizzle of
melted chocolate. Place the next sponge on
top. Continue to stack and fill each of the
sponges. Place the cake in the fridge until
the meringue is ready.
10	For the meringue, put the sugar and the
water into a small saucepan over a medium
heat. Attach a sugar thermometer to the side
of the pot.
11	Slowly start to whisk the egg white using
an electric beater or a free standing mixer
with a whisk attachment. Mix until the egg
white starts to foam.
12	Allow the sugar to reach 12ГС, then
slowly stream the hot sugar into the egg
white. Turn the mixer to full speed and
whisk until the egg whites have cooled to
room temperature.
13	Remove the cake from the fridge and
roughly spread over the meringue. Place
the cake in the oven at 160°C to toast the
meringue. Alternatively, if you have a blow
torch, you can torch the outside of the cake.
Top the cake with chopped tea cakes and
halved tea cakes.
Per serving 468kcals, 273g fat (16.5g saturated), 53.9g
carbs (41.5g sugars), 4.8g protein, 0.7g fibre, 0.192g
sodium
@© О
fryoo^ tOVJr^OO^ -
(К Цч& ОМ/tort/(\ wtc^ Wk^C/i* /лй/^и /
Cranberry & walnut sourdough
Makes 1 large loaf
100g sourdough starter
500g strong white bread flour
a basket, you can use a mixing bowl. Line
the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and dust
that with flour.
6 Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour,
TOP TIP: The stretch and fold
method replaces kneading in
this recipe and it thankfully
takes less time and less
effort. For best results, we
recommend you bake your loaf
in a cast iron pan with a lid,
preheating it with the oven.
370ml warm water
10g fine sea salt
100g chopped walnuts
100g dried cranberries
Rice flour, for dusting
1 Mix together the starter, flour and 345ml
of the water. Squeeze the mixture through
your fingers until everything is moistened,
scraping any dry bits from the sides of the
bowl. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
2Add the salt to the remaining 25ml water
and pour over the dough. Squeeze the
dough to help incorporate the liquid and salt.
At this stage the dough will separate a little
due to the added water, but just keep folding
the dough until it comes together fully.
3	Use a damp hand to scoop under the
dough, lifting it up, gently stretching until you
feel some resistance, then fold it over itself.
Rotate the bowl 90° and stretch and fold
again. Repeat until you come back around
to where you started, then cover and leave
for 30 minutes. Repeat the stretching and
folding four times over the next two hours.
If you feel the dough hasn't enough strength
yet, repeat the stretch and fold once more.
It should be smooth and strong by the last
one. Leave to rest for two hours.
4	Lightly flour your countertop and use a
plastic dough scraper to remove the dough
gently from the bowl. At this stage the
underside of the dough is floured but the
top is still sticky. Flatten out the dough and
add the nuts and cranberries. Using lightly
floured hands do a brief preshape. Go
underneath the dough and fold it over itself
multiple times as you go around, forming
it into a rough circle. Turn the dough over,
cover with a clean kitchen towel and leave to
relax for 20 minutes.
5	Meanwhile, prepare a proving basket or
bowl. If using a traditional cane basket,
lightly dust with rice flour. If you don't have
then and turn the dough over.
7Think of the dough as a clock. Gently lift
and stretch the nine o'clock point of dough
up and over towards the three o'clock point,
then lift and stretch the three o'clock point
up and back over towards the nine. Do the
same moves between the six and 12 o'clock
points. Turn the dough over so the seams are
on the worksurface.
8This rough shape now needs to be
tightened up a little. Using both hands and
keeping them in contact with the work
surface the whole time, cup the dough and
drag it towards yourself about 15-20cm.
The dough should drag along the work
surface and you should feel the ball tighten
up. Rotate the dough 90° and repeat the
dragging, doing this a few times until the
dough is taut and round. Be careful at this
stage as doing this too many times will tear
the dough.
9 Carefully lift the dough and turn it into
a proving basket; the seams should be
showing upwards. Allow to rest at room
temperature for 3-4 hours, or cover with a
cloth and place in the fridge overnight (we
recommend this longer, slower
proving time).
10	Preheat the oven to 240°C/220°C fan/gas
mark 8 with a lidded cast iron pot or casse-
role dish inside.
11	Carefully remove the pot and turn your
loaf into it. Use a sharp knife to slash an X or
a square shape into the top of the dough.
12	Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the lid
and bake for 30 minutes longer. Check the
loaf by tapping on the bottom - it should
sound hollow. If it's not ready, return it to the
oven for a further 10 minutes. Remove from
oven and allow to cool fully before slicing.
Per serving 216kcals, 5.7g fat (0.4g saturated), 34.3g carbs
(1.3g sugars), 7.8g protein, 2.3g fibre, 0.361g sodium
@ ( ® C © ©
114 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
team faves Christmas recipes
й COCOMft-^^ Ьк/ЦчЬ
blwwtoppiiy /^e/(jcki leoKtbl
Snow j coconut cake
Serves 12-14
For the sponge
170g unsalted butter, softened
330g caster sugar
5 large egg whites
120g sour cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
260g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
У2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
240ml tinned coconut milk
80g desiccated coconut
For the buttercream
600g icing sugar
230g unsalted butter, softened
225g cream cheese, at room temp.
30ml tinned coconut milk
Vatsp vanilla extract
To decorate
160g desiccated coconut
6-8 Ruffalos
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas
mark 4. Line four 20cm cake tins with non-
stick parchment paper.
2	In a large bowl, beat together the butter
and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the
egg whites and beat until combined.
3	Beat in the sour cream and vanilla. The
mixture may look curdled at this stage, but
don't worry.
4	Scrape down the sides and add in the
flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda
and salt. Add the coconut milk and mix
until combined.
5	Fold in the desiccated coconut and mix
until there are no lumps left.
6	Divide the mixture evenly amongst the
prepared tins and bake for 20-25 minutes or
until a skewer inserted in the centre comes
out clean. Allow the sponges to
cool completely.
7	For the buttercream, beat together the
icing sugar and butter until smooth. Add the
cream cheese and beat again.
8Add the coconut milk and vanilla and beat
until smooth. If the icing is too thin, add
more icing sugar; if it is too thick, add a
splash of coconut milk.
9To assemble the cake, place the first
sponge layer on a cake stand or serving
plate. Spread over some of the buttercream
and place the next sponge on top. Continue
to stack and spread each of the sponges.
10 Use a palette knife or offset spatula to
spread the buttercream over the top and
sides of the cake, making sure to fill in any
gaps. Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes
to set.
11	Once set, spread over more buttercream
to cover any crumbs and smooth the icing;
reserve some of the buttercream to pipe
swirls on the top.
12	While the icing is still wet, use your
hands to press the desiccated coconut
around the top and sides of the cake, until
completely covered. Allow to chill in the
fridge for five minutes.
13	Using a piping bag with a star-shaped
nozzle, pipe swirls of the remaining but-
tercream icing around the top edge of the
cake. Place a Ruffalo sweet on top of each
buttercream swirl.
Per serving769kcals, 46.5g fat (33.3g saturated), 86.9g
carbs (67.7g sugars), 6.6g protein, 3.7g fibre, 0.45g sodium
®o
easyfood.ie
easyFood 115
!ыЛ/ WOrt/fy^* OKt/f
Cranberry & orange
mini Bundis
1 For the sugared cranberries, combine 140g
of the sugar and the water in a small pot over
a medium heat. Allow to simmer until the
sugar has dissolved and the mixture is syrupy.
Add the cranberries and turn to coat, then
allow to sit in the syrup for 10 minutes.
2	Remove the cranberries from the syrup,
place on a sheet of parchment and allow to
dry for at least one hour.
3	Place the remaining sugar on a plate. Add
the cranberries and toss to coat. Set aside.
4 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas
mark 4. Prepare nine mini Bundt tins by
brushing the insides with melted butter. Place
in the fridge until the butter has set. Grease
the tins again with more melted butter and
add a dusting of flour. Tap out the excess flour
and set aside.
5	In a large bowl, beat together the butter and
sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one
at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in
the vanilla extract.
6	Fold in the flour, baking powder, salt and
milk until just combined.
7	Add two tablespoons of the mixture to the
bottom of each Bundt tin and spread with the
back of a spoon to make an even layer. Add
one tablespoon of the dried cranberries and a
little orange zest to each.
Serves 9
For the sugared cranberries
190g sugar
120ml water
100g cranberries
For the Bundts
340g unsalted butter, softened, plus
extra for greasing
300g caster sugar
6 eggs
1	tsp vanilla extract
360g plain flour, plus extra for
2	tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
170ml milk
100g dried cranberries
Zest of 1 orange
For the icing
200g icing sugar
Juice of У2 an orange
To decorate
Orange zest
8	Divide the remaining mixture evenly
amongst the tins and bake for 20-25 minutes
or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes
out clean. Allow to cool completely.
9	For the icing, mix together the icing sugar
and orange juice. Add more juice or more
icing sugar if needed to get the right texture.
Drizzle the icing around the top edges of
the Bundts.
10	Decorate the Bundts with the sugared
cranberries and some extra orange zest.
Per serving 789kcals, 34.8g fat (20.6g saturated), 115.1g
carbs (81g sugars), 8.8g protein, 1.9g fibre, 0.531g sodium
dusting
116 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
л
the gift guide
TICKING OFF YOUR CHRISTMAS LIST


HANDMADE WITH LOVE, P.118
THE EASYFOOD GIFT GUIDE, P.124
GIVE THE GIFT OF COOKBOOKS, P.126
CELEBRATING IRISH VOICES, P.128


• .
easyfood.ie
easyFood 117

gift guide edible gifts
PICKLED CUCUMBERS
Makes 3 jam jars
8 mini cucumbers, or 2 large
cucumbers
1A tsp whole mustard seeds
Уд tsp dried dill
У2 tsp black peppercorn
2 garlic cloves, whole
60ml water
60ml white wine vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
1	tbsp salt
1	Slice the cucumbers into uniform
slices of even thickness.
2	Add the cucumber slices, mustard
seed, dill, peppercorns and garlic into a
clean, sterilised jar.
3	Mix the water, vinegar, sugar and salt
in a medium pan and bring to a boil.
4As soon as it reaches a boil, pour it
over the cucumber mixture in the jar
until they are just covered.
5 Screw on the lid and leave in the
fridge to marinate overnight.
DON'T LET TUE VINEGAR
MIXTURE OVER-BOIL AS SOME
OF THE VINEGAR NEEDED FOR
Per serving 63 kcals, 1g fat (1g saturated), 11g carbs
(9g sugars), 1g protein, 2g fibre, 1.753g sodium
@© ООФ
TUE PICKLING PROCESS WILL BOIL
OUT.
*
TUESE QUICK PICKLED CUCUMBERS
WILL BE GOOD FOR UP TO TUREE
WEEKS IN TUE FRIDGE.
easyfood.ie
easyFood 119
Makes 10
2 oranges, scrubbed
450ml water
300g sugar
100g dark chocolate chips
100g white chocolate chips
Flaky sea salt
1	tbsp freeze-dried raspberries
1	Trim the ends of the oranges and slice
them into uniform rounds. Carefully
remove and discard any seeds.
2	Combine the water and sugar in a
saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring
continuously until the sugar has
completely dissolved.
3	Add the orange slices to the pan in
a single layer and reduce the heat.
Simmer the slices in the poaching liquid
for one hour, uncovered, until the slices
have become nearly transparent (the
poaching liquid will turn a deep
pink colour).
4	Carefully remove the orange slices
and transfer them to a cooling rack,
placed over a baking sheet to catch any
excess syrup drippings.
5	Let the orange slices dry for 24 hours,
uncovered, until they are mostly dry and
minimally tacky.
6	Add the chocolate to two separate
heatproof bowls, and set over two pots
with simmering water. Make sure the
bottom of the bowls are not touching
the water. Stir until the chocolate is
completely melted and smooth.
Remove from the heat.
7	Using your hands, dip the orange
slices halfway into the chocolate so
that they are evenly coated on each
side. Set the coated slices aside on
a sheet of parchment paper, then
sprinkle with the flaky sea salt or
freeze-dried raspberries.
8	Once all of the slices have been
coated, transfer them to the fridge and
allow the chocolate to set for 10-15
minutes before packaging.
Per serving 221 kcals, 5.3g fat (3.4g saturated),
44.4g carbs (42.8g sugars), 1.5g protein, 1.2g fibre,
0.053g sodium
@© o©
120 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
gift guide edible gifts
easyfood.ie
easyFood 121
RUM PISTACHIO CHOCOLATE FUDGE
Makes 20 pieces of fudge
450g white chocolate chips
1 x 395g tin of condensed milk
100g butter, diced
2 tbsp dark rum
150g unsalted pistachios
120g dried cranberries
100g glace cherries
1	Grease a 20cm square cake tin and
line the base and sides with
baking parchment.
2	Place chocolate, condensed milk,
butter and rum in a heatproof bowl set
over a saucepan of simmering water.
Stir until melted and smooth.
3	Remove from the heat and stir in
the pistachios, cranberries and glace
cherries until well combined.
4	Pour the mixture into the prepared
tin. Cover and chill in the fridge for four
hours or until firm.
5	Cut into squares.
YOU (AN ADAPT THIS RECIPE
BY SWAPPING TUE RUM.
PISTACHIOS, CRANBERRIES AND
CHERRIES WITH INGREDIENTS
THAT SUIT WHOEVER YOU ARE
GIFTING THIS TO.
*
Per serving 174 kcals, 11.9g fat (7g saturated), 15g
carbs (14.3g sugars), 1.7g protein, 0.5g fibre, 0.049g
sodium
122 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
gift guide edible gifts
lients are
LEMON ’
AMARETTI
COOKIES
Makes 14
275g ground almonds
200g caster sugar
2 large egg whites
14 tsp cream of tartar
Zest of one lemon
1 tbsp lemon juice
25g icing sugar (for rolling)
1 Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan/
gas mark 3. Line a large baking tray
with greaseproof paper.
2	In a medium bowl, whisk together the
ground almonds and sugar and
set aside.
3	In a large bowl, using a handheld
mixer, whisk the egg whites and cream
of tartar until they hold peaks. Whisk in
the lemon zest and juice until
just combined.
4	Add the ground almonds and caster
sugar to the egg mixture and use a
spoon to stir until all the ingrec
combined and a dough forms.
5	Place the icing sugar in a small bowl.
Use a small cookie scoop to scoop out
1-inch balls of dough. Use your hands
to roll the dough into a ball shape, then
roll the ball in icing sugar to coat. Place
the cookies on the prepared baking
tray, leaving about an inch and a half
between each cookie.
6	Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the
bottom of the cookies are lightly golden
and the tops of the cookies start to
crack. Remove from the oven and cool
THESE COOKIES CAN BE MADE
on the baking tray before moving to a
wire rack to cool completely.
Per serving 113 kcals, 3.2g fat {0.2g saturated), 20.8g
carbs (19.5g sugars), 2g protein, 0.7g fibre, 0.008g
sodium
©$ ®C ©
AHEAD AND STORED IN AN
AIRTIGHT CONTAINER IN THE
FRIDGE FOR UP TO A WEEK, OR
IN THE FREEZER FOR UP TO
THREE MONTHS.
Ж
easyfood.ie
easyFood 123
▼
The easyFood
Gift Guide
THE EASYFOOD TEAM HAVE THEIR
WISHLISTS READY FOR SANTA!
SOPHIE
3L Metal, Odor-Resistant,
Indoor Compost Bucket
wayfair.ie (€22.49)
7 eat so much fruit and vegetables, so produce a
large amount of organic waste. This looks so much
better than my compostable bags sitting on
the counter Г
ELSJE
The easyFood Home-Cooking 101 course
easyfood.ie/articles/cooking-101-course (€36.90)
"This course is perfect for anyone wanting to
learn how to cook - there's no better teacher
than Naomi! She has taught me so much about
cooking since joining the easyFood team!'1
NINJA Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer - Grey
(AF300UK)
currys. ie (€199.99)
"My small one-drawer air fryer that I bought
on a trial is so well loved, it would be
amazing to have multiple things air frying at
once, as I am totally converted."
ALISON
Lawn Red Cookie Jar
nicholasmosse.com (€107)
"What's better than a beautiful cookie jar, fully
stocked with freshly baked cookies, courtesy
of Irish, female-founded vegan cookie dough
company, Naked Bakes? Id definitely be excited to
open these presents on Christmas morningIй
3 x 600g Naked Bakes Cookie Dough
nakedbakesireland.com (€26.99)
Carbonised Ash Wood Salad Server Hands
johnlewis.com (€21.05)
"I'm in dire need of salad servers. These are great
as they're like extensions of your hands -
perfect to get the tiniest piece of tomato onto
your plate!"
SAFIQ
Handmade ceramic rainbow confetti cake stand
etsy.com (seller @trinketyourhome) (€129.60)
"This cake stand would absolutely be the most beautiful
thing I own; it has been on my radar for months now!
Imagine a showstopper cake paired with it!"
SAGE Barista Express Impress Bean to Cup Coffee
Machine - Sea Salt
currys.ie (€829.99)
"This is my ultimate wish list item, the amount of
caffeine I consume on the day-to-day totally justifies
this one. Plus, everyone in the house benefits from it!"
124 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
gift guide team wishlist
ADRIENNE
NAOMI
The Barista Set - handmade
ceramics from Arran st East
arranstreeteast.ie (€90)
"I think the design of these
ceramics is so beautiful, and
I love that they're based in
Dublin. I'm also hoping to
do one of their incredible
workshops - a gorgeous
Christmas present for yourself
or anyone else interested. “
Coravin Timeless Three + Wine
Preservation System
brownthomas.com (€208)
“This allows you to pour a glass of your
favourite wines without pulling the cork. It
seems expensive but if you're like me and
like the odd glass of wine, then you save the
cost of the Coravin very quickly - eliminating
the need to throw out half empty bottles!"
HANNAH
Claro Purple Champagne Saucers, Set of Four
"I think these are gorgeous! Oliver Bonas has
some lovely bits, great gadgets, and lots of
cookbooks, so you're bound to find some great
gift inspiration there."
GS Series Cook's Knife 13cm
brownthomas.com (€169)
"This is a great mid-range Japanese knife, if you don't want to
go super fancy, but it's still really great quality."
PAULA
Pure cacao block (200g) and
handcrafted ceramic mug
nibbedcacao.com (€39.20)
7 adore Nibbed cacao and drink it
every morning - it's become such
a happy ritual for me. Why not gift a
little happiness to someone you love
and maybe they too will start a little
self-care ritual."
Ooni Koda 12 Gas
Powered Pizza Oven
ooni.com (€399)
7 saw a great demo of
these in use at Taste of
Dublin this year and they
seem so quick and easy
to use. I would love one!"
The All of them Masau Boxset
whitemasau.com (€41)
"This is the ultimate pressie for any spice-loving
foodies in your life. It gives them a chance to
sample three of the epic, locally-made White
Mausu products that go amazingly on everything
from noodles and soups, to eggs and sambos.'
easyFood 125
easyfood.ie
"W^GIET GUIDE *
Cookbooks
Give the gift of cookbooks
FOR THE AIR FRYER OBSESSED
FOR THE ZERO-WASTE COOK
BORED1
OF
LUNCH
7he ЯеаНИц
Ain Эпцеп
Book
FOR THE FLAVOUR EXPERIMENTER
You Can Cook This
By Max La Manna
Published by Penguin Random House
€22
Bored of Lunch: The Healthy
Air Fryer Book
By Nathan Anthony
Published by Ebury Press
€1799
Flavour Kitchen
By Crystelle Pereira
Published by Kyle Books
€30.80
FOR THE KOREAN FOOD FANATIC
FOR THE AVID BAKER
FOR THE BUDDING BEEKEEPER
First, Cream the Butter and Sugar:
The essential baking companion
By Emelia Jackson
Published by Murdoch Books
€42
Rice Table
By Su Scott
Published by Quadrille Publishing Ltd
€37.80
Honey: Recipes From a
Beekeeper's Kitchen
By Amy Newsome
Published by Quadrille Publishing Ltd
€37.80
CHRISTMAS 2023
126 easyFood
gift guide cookbooks
FOR THE CASUAL HOME BAKER
FOR THE SALAD SUPERFAN

FOR THE ONE-PAN COOK
LEON Big Salads
By Rebecca Seal
Published by Octopus Publishing Group
€28
Jane's Patisserie Everyday
By Jane Dunne
Published by Ebury Press
€22.99
Foolproof Roasting Pan
By Sue Quinn
Published by Quadrille Publishing Ltd
€13.65
FOR THE EVERYDAY HOME COOK
FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN FIEND
FOR THE BAKER ON A BUDGET
Home Kitchen
By Donal Skehan
Published by Yellow Kite
€24.99
5 ingredients: Mediterranean
By Jamie Oliver
Published by Penguin Michael Joseph
€29
The Thrifty Baker: Shop,
Bake & Eat on a Budget
By Hermine Dossou
Published by White Lion Publishing
£18.99
FOR THE CULINARY NERD
FOR THE COOKBOOK COLLECTOR
FOR LITTLE ASPIRING CHEFS
The Flavour Thesaurus: More
Flavours
By Niki Segnit
Published by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
€28
The 2023 Blasta Book collection
Published by Nine Bean Rows
€50
Kids' Kitchen Takeover
By Oliver McCabe
Published by Viridian Nutrition and Suddenly
Publishing UK
€50
easyfood.ie
easyFood 127
EBRATING
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LATEST INSTALMENT IN
THE BLASTA BOOKS SERIES: MASARAP
Blasta Books are little books with big voices and have been making
an even bigger splash in the world of Irish food. 'They're a series of
hardcover, small format cookbooks, released quarterly which cover
some of the boldest, brightest voices in Irish food. Blasta Books is
to cookbooks what street food is to restaurants: they give people
a fun, accessible and affordable way to eat exciting food.' Now,
we're delighted to introduce you to the fourth Blasta Book of 2023:
MASARAP by chef Richie Castillo and partner Alex O'Neill.
WASTED
MASARAP
Richie and Alex are the owners of Bahay, a pop-up restaurant introducing people to
Filipino cooking using the very best Irish ingredients.Their debut cookbook MASARAP
- meaning tasty in Tagalog, the Filipino language - is a showcase of Richie's culinary
heritage with dishes exploding with flavour.
Dominated by the powerful trinity of taste - salty, sour and sweet - Richie's recipes are
addictive, exciting and compelling. From childhood classics such as adobo, sinigang and
kare-kare to plates that reflect Richie's fun and playful style, including banana ketchup-
glazed wings and Filly cheesesteak, MASARAP is a unique exploration of Filipino food
through an Irish cultural lens.
Their recipe on the right for banana ketchup-glazed wings would go down an absolute
treat during your festive celebrations this season!
Photo credit: Ruth Calder-Potts
128 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
cookbook corner
BANANA KETCHUP-GLAZED WINGS
Serves 4-6
This idea came about during our pop-up
in the Glimmerman, naturally. It was a
no-brainer as chicken wings are such a pub
staple, the perfect bite to have with a
few pints.
Blasta Books #8: MASARAP
by Richie Castillo and Alex O'Neill
Published by Blasta Books
€15, blastabooks.com
1kg chicken wings (a mix of mids and
primes if possible)
2 tbsp flaky sea salt
450ml vegetable oil, for deep-frying
For the banana ketchup glaze
200ml banana ketchup
50g light brown sugar
15g garlic, grated
10g ginger, grated
75ml 7up
Juice of 1 * 3/4 lemon
1	tbsp sugar cane vinegar
2	tbsp flaky sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
50g salted butter, cubed
To garnish:
30g roasted salted peanuts, crushed
1 Put your chicken wings in a large bowl and
sprinkle over the salt. Give the wings a good
toss to coat them in the salt.
2To make the glaze, put the banana ketchup,
brown sugar, grated garlic and ginger, 7up,
lemon juice, vinegar, flaky sea salt and
two cracks of the pepper mill in a medium
saucepan. Whisk together, making sure the
ingredients are all well incorporated, then
put the pan on a medium-low heat to gently
warm. Once it's warmed through, whisk in
the butter one cube at a time, making sure
each cube is fully emulsified into the glaze
before adding the next. Set aside.
3 Heat the oil in your deep-fryer to 160°C.
If you don't have a deep-fryer and are using
a pot, make sure it’s a large, wide, heavy-
based pot, like a casserole if you have one.
Never overfill the pot - it should only be half
full at most. Always be present and attentive
when frying with hot oil, as things can go
south if not. A thermometer is also
very useful.
4	Remove the wings from the bowl and pat
them dry with kitchen paper to prevent any
splatters when frying.
5	You're going to fry the wings twice here:
first to cook the wings and then again to
crisp them up. Working in batches so that
you don't overcrowd the fryer or pot, fry
the wings for 8-10 minutes, until they are
completely cooked through (check them
after 8 minutes). Transfer to a wire rack and
cook the remaining wings.
6	Increase the temperature of the oil to
180°C. Have a large mixing bowl and
your glaze at the ready, as this next stage
happens fast.
7	Once the oil has reached 180°C and
working in batches again, add your wings
to the hot oil. Give the fryer basket a shake
or agitate the wings with tongs to prevent
them from sticking. Cook for 2-3 minutes,
until nice and crisp. Transfer to a wire rack
and cook the remaining wings.
8	Once all your wings are done, put them in
the bowl, pour over the glaze and toss
to coat.
9	Transfer to a serving platter or bowl and
garnish with the crushed peanuts.
easyfood.ie
easyFood 129

currys
Barista style
coffee at home?
Brew-tiful!
We won’t be beaten on price.
’At Currys, we promise to match or beat the price you’d pay at DID Electrical, Harvey Norman, Power City or Expert,
and up to 7 days after you’ve bought from us. Terms & Conditions apply, see www.Currys.ie for details.
easyFoodies
SHINING A LIGHT ON YOU: OUR EASYFOOD
READERS AND EXTROARDINARY HOME-COOKS
easyfood.ie
easyFood 131
HOME-COOK
HERO
In fact, it's Billy's apple trees that are
used by Neasa's granny Bega when
making her famous apple tarts. "She
also made the best carrots to go with a
roast dinner — I remember begging my
mam to make them like Bega's. Also, her
mince pies are the best!" Neasa adds.
However, it wasn't until Neasa started
secondary school and got to experience
home ec classes for the first time when
her passion for food really took off.
"It's so cliche, but yes, I always knew I
wanted to be a home ec teacher," she
laughs. "I just love how versatile and
useful the subject is. It's such a life skill.
I was always more into the practical side
of school; I loved having a double class of
home ec on Wednesday."
Now in her eighth year of teaching, Neasa
goes on to talk about how rewarding it
is to see her students learn and grow.
"When I get new students in First Year,
some of them don't have a clue how
to even wash up. Then, by the time
they're in Third Year, they're doing it all
by themselves in their exams... it's just
so nice to see
"It's different in art, where students can
just leave their painting and come back to
it a week later. You can't do that in home
ec and just leave a cake in the oven."
"I was already doing my own recipes and
had been thinking of putting together a
little booklet for the kids when Folens got
on to me to see if I might be interested
in turning these recipes into a workbook
for students',' Neasa explains." That was
through Instagram as well because I had
started to create videos and things
like that."
During the pandemic, Neasa created a
series of videos, outlining exactly how to
make certain dishes, so that her students
could tune in and learn from them,
instead of having to rely on textbooks.
"I could give them a recipe obviously, but
some of the students come from homes
where they wouldn't be doing a lot of
baking with parents or siblings, so they
had no idea. And that's when the videos
came about."
THIS ISSUE, WE’RE SHINING THE
HOME-COOK HERO SPOTLIGHT ON
NEASA EGAN. A TALENTED HOME
EC TEACHER FROM KILKENNY —
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS
©COMEDINEONLINE ON INSTAGRAM.
NEASA TALKS US THROUGH HER
JOURNEY FROM FOOD BLOGGER TO
COOKBOOK AUTHOR, HER FAVOURITE
CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS AND HER
GREATEST INSPIRATIONS IN THE
KITCHEN.
READ ON TO HEAR ALL ABOUT
HER INSPIRING STORY...
A passion for food was always firmly in
Neasa's genes; both of her grannies and
her mum are big foodies. "They always
encouraged me in the kitchen," Neasa
notes. Her granddad Billy also has a
love of food; he looks after the hens and
maintains his vegetable polytunnel, which
keeps the whole family stocked when it
comes to homegrown veggies and eggs.
which is available to teachers and
students across the country.
Tackling an issue faced by both teachers
and students alike, Neasa has found a
solution to the shorter class model. "A
lot of schools are going down to one-
hour classes, and for home ec teachers
it's become really tricky because we're
getting [the students] in, set up, getting
them to make the dish and then getting
them to clean up and out in that time
before the next class comes in when you
have to do it all again. I found that when
it came to examining for the practical, the
skills need to be there to get the marks,
but they've had a lot less time practicing
in class. So, this was a real area that I
felt needed more attention, in terms of
making high-skill dishes in an hour."
Skills For Life is
available to Home
Economic teachers
and students on
the Folens HIVE @
folenseducation.
Check out Neasa on
Instagram
@comedineonline
Skills For Life is a Junior Cycle book
which includes 30 recipes that can all be
made in 60 minutes or less. From apple
crumble and chicken curry to macaroni
and cheese and carrot cake muffins, the
students are spoiled for choice!
"Seeing the students making their
own meals from scratch makes it all
worthwhile," Neasa says proudly.
Outside the classroom, Neasa loves to
keep things simple and satisfying, opting
for the ultimate winter warmer to keep
her company. "I love a slow-cooked
chicken curry at this time of year, and
you'd have to have naan bread with it —
the whole shebang! It's just something
warm and wholesome to come home to
after work."
132 easyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
easyfood-ies home-cook hero
We love
Meanwhile, the Christmas spread is a little
more special. "When it comes to Christmas
dinner, my mam is such a great cook. My
granny used to do it all but she's not able
anymore, so mam has started doing it and
I've taken on a lot more responsibility — but
we'd all pitch in!"
"We love Christmas though — both of my
parents have a pub so it's a very busy time
for them. That's why at Christmas we'd all
pitch in because it's the one day that they're
truly off."
"We try and go all-out for Christmas. We
have dinner early because the highlight for
us is the leftover sandwiches, so we'd have
to make time for that. That's why we'd have
an early dinner, around half 12/1 pm, so we
Christmas —
both of my
parents have
a pub so it’s
a very busy
time for them.
That’s why at
Christmas we
all pitch in
because it’s the
one day that
they’re truly off.’’
can fit in the sandwiches later on. And we
have to make extra stuffing for
the sandwiches!"
Meanwhile, it's not all fun and games in the
kitchen, as Neasa recalls one of her worst
baking fails. "My biggest baking fail was
thinking evaporated milk would work for
a biscuit cake over condensed milk when
making my friend's birthday cake. I can
confirm It does not work, which I learned the
hard way."
"You just have to laugh when these things
happen though. It's all a learning curve and
that's what I always say to the kids in school
— if anything bad happens, you won't do
that again. The biggest thing to watch out for
with them is forgetting to turn on the oven."
What's your desert island dish?
The one dish you could eat over
and over and never get sick of.
"This is a weird one, but porridge.
If you're in the door and there's
nothing, there's always porridge to
resort to. Sometimes, you just have
a porridge dinner if needs be. Now, I
like it with all the trimmings — with
berries and maybe a sprinkle of
granola, or peanut butter."
What would be your dream dinner
party menu?
"I love anything with goat's cheese
for a starter.
For dinner, I'd love a chicken Ceasar
salad with chips. I love the hot and
the cold.
For dessert, I love pastry, but I'd
choose my granny's eve's pudding
with lots of ice cream. It's just really
hearty, stewed apples with a Madera
topping."
What's your signature bake?
"Chocolate biscuit cake."
easyFood 133
CHEESECAKE
LOVE
WE WERE THRILLED TO
SEE SO MANY OF OUR
READERS GETTING STUCK
INTO OUR CHEESECAKE
MASH-UP FEATURE, IN
OUR MAY/JUNE ISSUE
OF EASYFOOD.
WHAT
YOU'VE BEEN
COOKING
WE LOVE SEEING THE
EASYFOOD RECIPES
YOU’RE MAKING AT
HOME. HERE’S A
SELECTION OF SOME OF
THE CREATIONS YOU’VE
SHARED WITH US
OVER THE PAST
FEW MONTHS.
"Made the baklava
cheesecake for
Father's Day - went
down a treat! The
lemon meringue
cheesecake was
also made and
devoured during
silage season!" -
Cara Clancy
"So this just happened! I say just happened but, of
course, it took half the day, although it won't take
half the day to devour it!!" - @damiboy
"In between editing the poetry podcast (@eatthestorms) last night, I
whipped up these beauties!!! A homemade Baked baklava cheesecake
and open peach, prosciutto, leek and mozzarella pie with pesto and
mascarpone base, topped with basil. How am I single?" - @damiboy
BUZZING FOR
BUNS!
MEANWHILE, OUR
MUCH-LOVED
BANANA OAT
MUFFINS ALSO
GOT SOME EXTRA
APPRECIATION!
"I made a double
batch of these
delicious muffins.
They didn't last
long on the dish." -
Geraldine O'Neill
"365kcal breakfast banana muffins
@easyfoodmag recipe. Easy and quick to
make and perfect for late brekkie." -
@turn_to_kate
134 easyFood
easyFood-ies what you've been cooking
SAVOURING
THE SEASON!
SO MANY OF OUR READERS ENJOYED
EATING SEASONALLY, SHARING THEIR
GORGEOUS DISHES WHICH MAKE THE
MOST OF FRESH, VIBRANT PRODUCE.
READERS
WRITING IN
Beatriz Lara took inspiration from our recent What's
In Season feature, which showcased delicious new
potatoes - including this super-simple one-pan
salmon and potato bake.
"I have to say, I love cooking and food mags. The July to September
Issue of easyFood has got to be my most favourite. You guys have
outdone yourselves. I could not wait to turn the next page. It just got
better and better. I love your commitment and all your hard work-
keep it up. I can't wait to try out all of the recipes." - Mary Thome
"My family are over the moon with the recipes from
pages 13 and 15 in the July-September Magazine,
thanks a lot for the gorgeous ideas. Very easy and
tasty, really good." - Beatriz Lara
Neasa was also
delighted to
have her article
published in our
recent issue.
"easyFood
article 3.0.
Super excited to
be part of the
@easyfoodmag
July-September
issue. I share my
top tips for eating
healthy while
dining outdoors.
I’ve included my
favourite easy
jam jar salad
dressing recipes
and all. There are
so many great
recipes to choose
from, I'm trying
out their air fryer
recipes this
weekend!"
Lemon & Basil
Salad Dressing
"Thanks to @easyfoodmag for this great Salmon & Asparagus
Tart recipe. I tweaked it a bit and used GF pastry. It's so
straightforward to make with delicious flavours! I only had
cooked salmon so I mixed it with the mascarpone and pesto
so it wouldn't dry out." - @cozbakes

1
r Tag us on
social if you try an
easyFood recipe at
home @easyfoodmag
Or send your pics
in by email to
editor@easyfood.ie
"One-pan pasta
bake - quick dinner
idea inspired by
@easyfoodmag." -
Neasa Egan
C3@ea:
к

easyfood.h
easyFood В5
you know me so well...
For the one
who looks
all shy
But who is
actually full
of zest
For the one
with a hard
exterior
But who is
really just
a softy
For the one
who looks
sweet
But who
secretly has
a dark side
For the one
with a classy
exterior
But who is
smooth with
hidden depths
rtenb
For the ones you really know.

competitions
POWERSCOURT
HOTEL RESORT SPA
WIN A €500 VOUCHER FOR
POWERSCOURT HOTEL
The Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa in Wicklow, awarded
Ireland's Best Resort Hotel 2019, is famous for its
breathtaking location in the Wicklow mountains. A warm
welcome awaits you whether you're planning a Christmas
Day getaway with family, or catching up with old friends,
Powerscourt Hotel, Resort & Spa is the place to celebrate
this festive season.
This year, guests can enjoy and celebrate the magic of the
festivities in the luxurious surroundings of Powerscourt Hotel,
with A Classic Powerscourt Christmas. This two-night package
is available on Christmas Day and St. Stephens' Day.
With carol singers setting the scene on Christmas Eve, guests
will be buzzing with festive anticipation. Enjoy seasonal mince
pies and mulled wine before taking some time to explore the
sights of Powerscourt Estate or to relax in the comfort of your
luxurious guest room.The little ones will receive reindeer dust
and carrots to give to Rudolph and his helpers as a midnight
snack. Continue the festivities with a sumptuous four-course
dinner with musical accompaniment.
On Christmas Day, wake up to a hearty breakfast in Sika
Restaurant with a glass of festive bubbles. Take in the sights
of The Estate by horse and carriage or enjoy a crisp winter
walk at your leisure with a warming hot chocolate. For those
who wish to have a more relaxing start to the day, you can
take it easy by the Swarovski crystal-lit pool. Santa makes a
special appearance for younger guests and then it's time for a
delectable Christmas lunch featuring your traditional favourites
with seasonal music.
Rise refreshed on Stephen's Day and enjoy a post-breakfast
falconry display on the front lawn before making the journey
home. A Powerscourt Christmas package is available from
€1,255 per person sharing, and up to two children under 12
years of age may share a room with two adults.
A voucher for the luxurious Powerscourt Hotel will be
more than welcome this Christmas! Use your voucher
towards a range of experiences at Powerscourt Hotel: from
delicious Afternoon Tea at the Sugar Loaf Lounge, dinner
in the Sally Gap Bar and Brasserie, to Spa Treatments at
the award-winning ESPA, or an overnight stay for a special
occasion.
To be in with the chance of winning this lavish prize, go to
easyfood.ie/competitions.
Terms and conditions apply. Competition closes January 1st, 2024.
For more details and bookings please
visit www.powerscourthotel.com, contact them on
reservations@powerscourthotel.com, or call (0)1 274 8888.
easyfood.ie
Easy Food 137
^9^ Limerick
Э Strand Hotel
WIN A 2-NIGHT STAY AT The Limerick Strand Hotel
WITH DINNER ON ONE EVENING
To celebrate the launch of their Festive Experiences,
we're delighted to be teaming up with the award-
winning four-star Limerick Strand Hotel, offering
one lucky reader the chance to win a two-night stay
for two, with breakfast each day and dinner on one
evening in the hugely popular River Bar & Restaurant.
Looking for a luxurious way to enjoy the festivities with
family this Christmas? Look no further than the Limerick
Strand Hotel, as their festive packages sound absolutely
magical!
Let the exceptionally festive backdrop and ambience of
the hotel envelop you, as you're welcomed with mulled
wine and mince pies on Christmas Eve. Spend a leisurely
afternoon discovering the superb amenities of your
Christmas retreat and take a dip in the indoor heated pool.
Perhaps you might seize the opportunity to do a little last-
minute shopping, soaking up the charming ambience of
Limerick city. Evening celebrations continue with a festive
Christmas Eve dinner in the award-winning River Bar &
Restaurant followed by live music. For families staying
over Christmas, children will receive milk, cookies and a
carrot for Santa and Rudolph's visit, on December 24th!
Meanwhile, Christmas Day begins with the Limerick
Strand's award-winning Bucks Fizz breakfast from 7 am
until 10:30 am. Gear up for the festive feast with drinks
and canapes a half hour before your booked lunch time,
followed by a fabulous Christmas spread in the elegant
River Bar & Restaurant. The five-course lunch menu is
designed by their award-winning Executive Chef. Santa
will also drop by to say hello, albeit, exhausted after his
worldwide dash with gifts for all the children!
To round off the festivities, take it easy, relax, and
enjoy Christmas High Tea served in the River Bar &
Restaurant from 7 pm-9.30 pm.
To be in with the chance of winning this luxurious
prize, a two-night stay, breakfast each day and dinner
on one evening, go to easyfood.ie/competitions.
Terms and conditions apply. Competition closes January
1st, 2024. Prize valid until December 2024, subject to
availability, not applicable on event dates, based on two
adults sharing, prize is non-transferable.
Please contact the Reservations Team directly to
book the residential package (P: 061 421800, E:
reservations@strandlimerick.ie).
w
^38 Easy Food
CHRISTMAS 2023
WIN A ONE-NIGHT STAY WITH DINNER ON
ONE EVENING AT the Ice House Hotel
This Christmas, whisk all your stresses away and escape
the hectic festive season at the Ice House in Ballina. One
lucky reader is in with the chance to win the perfect
getaway - a night stay in a beautiful Riverroom bedroom
overlooking the River Moy, dinner at 54° 9° Restaurant,
and an outdoor bath experience for two people.
Perched on the banks of the Moy, with stunning views across
the river and out to the Wild Atlantic Way, The Ice House is an
escape to the extraordinary. It feels like a happening hotspot
in a bubble that's all your own. Think eclectic style, laid back
buzz and brilliant flavour in a place of unhurried peace and easy
natural beauty.
ice house
The Ice House offers a North Mayo destination where
travelers can enjoy some much-needed downtime in one
of the country's most beautiful locations all while enjoying
great food and treatments in The Chill Spa with an outdoor
thermal area. Did we mention that the Ice House is home to
one of Ireland's Top 10 Spas? This is the perfect excuse to get
pampered this Christmas.
To be in with the chance of winning this lavish prize,
simply go to easyfood.ie/competitions.
Terms and conditions apply. Competition closes January 1st, 2024.
Visit www.theicehouse.ie for more info on Christmas
vouchers and festive breaks.
easyfood.ie
Easy Food 139
rierib
For the ones you really know.
WIN 1 OF 5 LUXURY
CHOCOLATE HAMPERS FROM
LILY O'BRIEN'S
Christmas is all about spending time with loved ones and
what better way to treat the ones you really know than
with a special gift of Lily O'Brien's chocolates
this Christmas?
Whether it's spoiling your best friend with the Lily
O'Brien's Desserts Collection, gifting someone special
the Ultimate Chocolate collection, or giving your nearest
and dearest a present of the Lily O'Brien's Chocolate
Collection to share, show the ones you really know just
how much they mean to you with a gift of Lily O'Brien's
this Christmas.
And when sharing the best of times with family and
friends during the festive season, why not bring along
some Lily O'Brien's deliciousTruffles? Choose from Milk
ChocolateTruffles, VanillaTruffles, or award-winning Salted
CaramelTruffles. An O'ooh so-luxurious delight for the
taste buds!
To help spread some festive cheer this season, we're
giving five lucky readers a luxury hamper of Lily O'Brien's
chocolates.To be in with a chance to win, go to easyfood.
ie/competitions.
Terms and conditions apply. Competition closes January 1st, 2024.
All Lily О Brien's collections are available in supermarkets
nationwide and online at www.lilyobriens.ie.
WIN A €250 VOUCHER
FOR THE PURTY KITCHEN
IN DUN LAOGHAIRE
Experience the taste of Ireland at The Purty Kitchen in Ddn
Laoghaire. Nestled behind the old harbour walls of this
charming coastal town, this Gastro Pub offers a unique
drinking & dining experience that combines traditional Irish
flavours with a modern twist.
Pop in for their Daily
Market Fish Specials,
where you can enjoy the
freshest catches of the
day. Their talented chefs
work closely with local
suppliers to ensure that
only the finest seafood
is served to their valued
guests. From succulent
Monkfish to delicate
Halibut, John Dory and
Turbot, each dish is
expertly prepared and
bursting with flavour.
Exciting news! The Purty Kitchen is now open for lunch on Fridays.
Gather your friends, family, or colleagues and indulge in a leisurely
afternoon meal. With its warm and welcoming atmosphere, The
Purty Kitchen is the perfect
place to relax, unwind, and
savour the best of Irish
food and drink.
To celebrate the festive
season, we're giving
away a €250 voucher
for this charming Irish
restaurant.To be in
with the chance to
win, go to easyfood.ie/
competitions.
Terms and conditions
apply. Competition closes
January 1st, 2024.
THE PURTY KITCHEN
BAR . KITCHEN . LOFT
3-5 OLD DUNLEARY RD, DUN LAOGHAIRE.
EST. 1728.
140 Easy Food
CHRISTMAS 2023
WIN A DELONGHI DINAMICA*
BEAN TO CUP COFFEE MACHINE
FROM CURRYS
With Christmas on the way, we're going to need all of
the energy (or caffeine!) we can get ahead of those crazy
shopping days! What could be better than your very own
Bean to Cup Coffee Machine to help you fuel your day?
To help you out, we're giving away a De'Longhi Dinamica
Bean to Cup Coffee Machine worth nearly €1,000 to one lucky
winner!
ITSTOP FEATURES INCLUDE:
Simple touch controls - Easily create your favourite cof-
fee shop drinks at home, with the simple-to-use De'Longhi
Dinamica ECAM 350.35W Bean to Cup Coffee Machine. It
features clear touch controls from which you decide which
settings to use, so you can quickly enjoy a delicious beverage.
Grind coffee beans-The integrated grinder means you don't
just have to use ground coffee for your drinks - you can also
buy fresh beans, with the ability to store up to 400g on-board.
As well as using one of the 13 grinder settings for the beans,
there's also a milk frother so you can whip up cappuccinos
and lattes whenever you want.
Programmable strength options-The simple "MY" menu
on the touch screen helps you to program the strength,
length, and temperature of your coffee, and you can store the
settings to quickly access your preferred drink next time.
Automatic rinse - Keep your coffee machine in top condition
by using the automatic rinse, cleaning, and descale pro-
grammes. It also has dishwasher-safe parts when you'd prefer
a deeper clean.
From pods to bean to cup and espresso machines, Currys
have a massive range of coffee machines to suit all tastes and
budgets from top brands like Sage Appliances, Nespresso
and De'Longhi.
To win this luxurious prize, go to easyfood.ie/competitions.
Terms and conditions apply. Competitions close January 1st, 2024.
To view the
full range of kitchen
gadgets at Currys,
pop into one of their 16
stores nationwide or
visit www.currys.ie
currys
easyfood.ie
EasyFood 141
WIN DINNER & J .
: DRINKS FOR FOUR
IN KINARA KITCHEN,
RANELAGH
. WIN! A LINDT
CHOCOLATE HAMPER
WORTH €250!
To celebrate this year's Lindt Christmas range, we have an
amazing Christmas chocolate hamper worth €250 to
give away!
With the holiday season just around the corner,
Kinara Group, Dublin's leading collective of Pakistani
restaurants, is bustling with excitement to host all
manner of festive dining experiences.
Now in its 22nd year of business, the Group comprises
three gorgeous Dublin locations, open Wednesday to
Sunday; Kinara, Clontarf, Kinara Kitchen, Ranelagh, and
Kajjal, Malahide.
From small plates of pan-seared chilli scallops, to mains
like MurghTikka Masala, as well as an impressive
repertoire of cocktails, Kinara Group has something for
every guest to enjoy at your yuletide gatherings!
To celebrate as only they can, Kinara Group is giving
away a dinner for four with drinks at Kinara Kitchen
Ranelagh to one lucky winner, worth €250. To enter,
simply visit easyfood.ie/competitions.
Terms and conditions apply. Competition closes January 1st, 2024.
To keep up
to date on
Kinara Group's
offerings and
their latest
menus, visit
their website
www.kinara.
ie and follow
them on social
media @
kinara_group.
There really is something special about Lindt chocolate at
Christmas. Whether it's a moment of bliss before or after
preparing the Christmas dinner, a Kris Kindle present, or
something special under the Christmas tree, the Master
Chocolatiers at Lindt have been hard at work creating a
selection of sumptuous gifts for the Christmas season.
This year, LINDOR has an exciting new limited edition festive
product with the launch of LINDOR Irish Cream! If you're a
fan of all things Irish Cream, this is the product you'll want in
your house this Christmas!
Also, brand new for this year is the Sparkle edition LINDOR
Milk & Assorted 200g cornets.The same, smooth LINDOR
truffles we know and love, but this year in sparkly, festive
packaging.The perfect treat to bring as a gift to anyone's home
this Christmas!

RANELAGH
LINDOR Salted Caramel now available in 337g - everyone's
favourite flavour but with even more to share!The Lindt
Master Chocolatiers combine expertise and the finest
ingredients to produce the perfectly round milk chocolate shell
with salt crystals filled with an irresistibly smooth melting
caramel centre.
So, whether you're travelling to see family, visiting friends,
or treating your loved ones or yourself at home this festive
season, it wouldn't be Christmas without Lindt.
To win this scrumptious prize, go to easyfood.ie/competitions.
Terms and conditions apply. Competition closes January^, 2024.
CHRISTMAS 2023
WIN A €500 FOOD
& BEVERAGE
VOUCHER FORTHE
5-STAR
CONRAD
DUBLIN
It's the most wonderful time of the year, and where better
to celebrate than at Conrad Dublin? Nestled in the heart of
the capital on EarlsfortTerrace, the 5-star hotel has a host of
premium food and drinks offerings, to make picking your next
spot for yuletide gatherings a breeze.
Recently relaunched,The Coburg restaurant is the perfect choice
for a festive feast. Each dish strives to marry classic Irish produce
with a melting pot of cultural influences. From moreish mains
like Hereford Irish Beef to delicious desserts like Praline and Pear
Mousse, diners will be spoiled for choice.
For an intimate evening of both classic and experimental tipples,
destination bar Lemuel's seeks to envelope guests through
considered cocktails.The latest menu takes drinkers on a voyage
of the city and hotel's past, present and future alongside its
timeless charm, making for a cosy meeting spot this Christmas.
Tucked away in neighbourhood venueTheTerrace is the decadent
AfternoonTea Room. Featuring a delightful selection of savoury
bites, sandwiches, and sweet treats, all accompanied by a range
of premium teas and champagne, the ideal gift for a loved one
who opts for the finer things in life.
To spread the festive cheer, Conrad Dublin is giving away a €500
voucher to splurge on food and drink to one lucky winner. To enter,
go to easyfood.ie/competitions.
Terms and conditions apply. Competition closes January 1st, 2024.
Whether you're on the hunt for a special celebration spot, or
perhaps a luxurious intimate gathering, further information and
availability can be explored on conraddublinrestaurants.com
To keep up with all the latest at Conrad Dublin, visit th^Conrad
Dublin website and for more, please follow @conrad_dublin on
Instagram.
easyfood.ie
WIN 1 OF 5 ULTIMATE
FIVE FARMS
DINNER PARTY KITS
Savour moments and rituals this Christmas with Five
Farms premium Irish cream liqueur. Made with fresh
Irish cream from five family-owned farms in West
Cork, the brand prides itself on using fresh and local
ingredients to create an indulgent and delicious drink.
Five Farms is perfect to enjoy over ice as the ultimate
after-dinner treat any time of the year.
Their flavours embody the festive season with
butterscotch, caramel fondue and vanilla bean jumping
from the glass. The lush palate coats the mouth with
flavours of coffee with fresh cream, dulce de leche,
coconut, maple, and Belgian waffles.
An intensely satisfying after-dinner sipper in place of
dessert, Five Farms is available in most independent
off-licenses, and an increasing number of pubs, hotels
and restaurants, along with O'Brien's, Tesco, SuperValu,
Centra, Spar, Euro Spar, Blarney Woolen Mills, and Marks
and Spencer.
For the season that's in it, we're delighted to have teamed
up with Five Farms to gift five readers the ultimate festive
Five Farms dinner party kit,
complete with tumbler glasses,
delicious products and more.
To be in with a chance to
win, simply visit easyfood.ie/
competitions.
Terms and conditions apply.
Competition closes January 1st 2024.
144 Easy Food
CHRISTMAS 2023
competitions
The Foods
of Athenry
н
KI LLRU DDE RY
WIN A FOUR-COURSE DINNER
AT KILLRUDDERY, PLUS A GOLD
FINCH MEMBERSHIP
WIN! A CHRISTMAS
HAMPER FROM
THE FOODS OF ATHENRY
Baked on the Lawless family farm in the lush green
Galway countryside, Siobhan Lawless and all the
team atThe Foods of Athenry are passionate about
creating products that the whole family can enjoy
without compromising on really great taste.
This Christmas when it comes to luxury, all-natural,
additive-free mince pies, Christmas puddings, delicious
fruit cakes and flavoursome crackers for your festive
cheese board, look no further than The Foods of Athenry
Nestled between the Little Sugar Loaf and Bray Head in Co.
Wicklow, just 30 minutes from Dublin city centre, Killruddery is
a great Historic House of Ireland.
Home to three generations of the Brabazon family who have been
living here since the 17th century - at Killruddery, celebrating the
seasonal bounty of this estate is an everyday affair. This celebration
of the great outdoors is encompassed in Killruddery's Seasonal
Supper Club which takes place on Friday and Saturday nights in
the atmospheric 19th century Grain Store, featuring a vegetable
focused menu.
Join the Killruddery team by candle light for an evening featuring a
seasonal, four-course menu near the roaring log fire - a wonderful
occasion at any time of the year.
To help you celebrate the seasonal festivities at Killruddery this
Christmas, we're giving one lucky winner the opportunity to win
a table of two at Killruddery's Seasonal Supper Club, which
includes a four-course sharing menu for two people and a
glass of bubbles each, along with a Killruddery Gold Finch
Membership, helping you explore the benefits of roaming an 800
acre, biodiverse estate for yourself.
To enter, go to easyfood.ie/competitions.
Competition closes January 1st, 2024. Terms and conditions apply.
Please note, extra drinks/wine on the night of the Seasonal Supper
Club are not included and must be paid for separately.
range - available to buy
nationwide, this is an
Irish favourite that can
be enjoyed by everyone
around the table.
The Foods of Athenry
baking team also cater for
all dietary requirements
across their product range
- so nobody feels left out
this Christmas.
This season, we have
a special Christmas
Hamper from The
Foods of Athenry worth
€250 to give away to
one lucky reader.The
perfect addition to any
household for festive
entertaining.
To enter, simply
go to easyfood.ie/
competitions.
Terms and conditions
apply. Competition closes
December 16th, 2023
The Foods of Athenry
product range can
be found in over 215
stockists nationwide
including Tescos,
SuperValu, Dunnes,
independent retailers
and online at
www.foodsofathenry.ie
TREATYOURSELF BETTER!
WIN A HAMPER WORTH
€250 FROM NOBO
This Christmas, you can Treat Yourself (and your loved
ones) Better with Irish food brand Nobo's delicious range
of healthier treats and tasty pantry staples, as well as a
range of indulgent festive gifting options for the food-
lover in your life.
Nobo is renowned for its plant-based chocolates, the
ultimate under-the-tree treat. However, it also boasts a range
of premium pantry supplies, perfect for Christmas cooking
and entertaining, from pancake mix and rich, nutty spreads
to olive oil, hot chocolate, and more.
Those with a sweet tooth will melt at the taste of Nobo's
indulgent Nuffles, Nut Clusters, and limited-edition bars,
while the savoury cooks will love the brand's organic olive oil.
The team at Nobo believes that simplicity and the best
ingredients lie at the heart of good food, and each product
reflects this ethos.
To be in with the chance of winning this lavish hamper,
go to easyfood.ie/competitions.
Terms and conditions apply. Competition closes January 1st, 2024.
Shop the full collection from www.nobo.ie and selected
ranges from stores nationwide, including TESCO,
Evergreen, Avoca, and Donnybrook Fair.
WIN A KENWOOD
CHEF BAKER &
A BAKING HAMPER
FROM GEM
This festive time of year always puts us in the mood
for baking! To help you keep baking well into the new
year and beyond, we've teamed up with Gem to offer
one lucky reader the chance to win an amazing baking
hamper and a Kenwood Chef Baker stand mixer.
With a 5L stainless steel
dishwasher-safe bowl,
EasyWeigh built-in Scales
which allow you to weigh
directly into the bowl, and
a 1200W Chef Motor™ for
powerful performances, this
stand mixer is a must-have
for any budding baker!
Not forgetting that there are
over 25 optional attachments
to choose from, answering
all your baking needs, and
there's a LightLift™ Head,
making easy work of adding
ingredients to your mixes
and batters.
To be in with the chance
of winning this wonderful
prize, simply go to
easyfood.ie/competitions.
Competition closes
January 1st, 2024. Terms
and conditions apply.
The image of the hamper
is an illustration only-
Gem reserve the right to
include products based
on availability. The hamper
will include 15 Gem baking
products and Gem
matching aprons.
146 EasyFood
CHRISTMAS 2023
competitions
M&S
— FOOD —
WIN A€500
VOUCHER FOR
M&S!
As always, Christmas wouldn't be
Christmas without a lovely, leisurely stroll
through the mesmerizing M&S Food Hall!
This season, we're gearing up to indulge in
a festive feast like no other, with help from
Marks & Spencer's sensational Christmas
food range.
Bursting with tasty delights, M&S is the
one-stop-shop this Christmas.The perfect
blend of traditional flavours and innovative
twists, M&S has sourced the finest
ingredients to ensure unparalleled quality
and taste. Whether it's a grand family
gathering or an intimate dinner for two,
make it special with M&S.
What's more, you can tick one thing off
your list and order your M&S feast with the
return of M&S’ Christmas Food to Order.
Pre-order everything from delicious Irish
turkeys to scrumptious Irish spiced beef
and so much more!
Not to mention, their vast range of seasonal
fruit and veg is perfect for helping us get
back into the swing of things come New
Year's! To help lighten the load this January,
we're giving one lucky ready the chance to
win a whopping €500 voucher for Marks &
Spencer's!
To be in with the chance to win this
wonderful prize, go to easyfood.ie/
competitions.
Terms and conditions apply. Competition
closes January 1st, 2024.
easyfood.ie
Easy Food 147
VINO LOGS
Ireland's most eco-friendly fuel,
created entirely from waste.
No	100% Compressed
Deforestation
Grape Seed
Clean Burning
With Little Ash
No Chemicals or
Binding Agents
100%
Sustainable
High Energy
Heat Output
100%	Environmentally
Recycled
Friendly
Available Nationwide in all
Good Retailers - just ask!
VINO LOGS