The Taste of Dublin

On Monday, my best friend tonsillitis paid me a visit. She seems to arrive any time I'm feeling slightly stressed or tired, so, after working a six day week comprised of twelve hour shifts I was bound to suffer. Taking a full week off work seemed like a wise choice, however, it led me to miss out on Sylvan Esso's Whelan's gig which I had been looking forward to for months. I spent Tuesday evening miserably in bed, unable to speak or eat, thinking of the fab time my pals were having - self pity level one hundred. Come Thursday, I was feeling a little better. I lazed in the sunshine and began to eat solid food again. My boredom led me to spend every single second of my day on social media. Refreshing my Twitter feed over and over made me the first to see Glenisk's tweet offering two tickets to The Taste Of Dublin for the first person to respond. Of course I tweeted right away and, guess what?, WON THE TICKETS !!! Something which rarely happens my unlucky butt. 

Myself and Mam ventured up to the Iveagh Gardens yesterday to enjoy the festival. We spent the entire afternoon eating and drinking in the sunshine. With so many delicious cocktails and craft beers on offer, I seriously wished I wasn't taking antibiotics! With my throat feeling a serious amount better I tried and tasted everything else the festival had to offer. 

Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies from La Patissier.

Delicious Thai Cuisine which took me right back to the islands

Belgian Chocolate covered strawberries & fudge from Choc Allure

The award winning Paris Brest and Strawberry Tart from Le Patissier. I was so happy to finally taste the delicious Paris Brest - two almond choux pastry rings filled with a light and creamy praline creme mousseline. I can definitely see how the dessert was awarded gold in the Blas na hÉireann Irish Food Awards.

Let's Play Catch Up

It's been a helluva long time since I last posted so much as a picture up here - but - have no fear - I am back in action! I have had a pretty hectic past few months between travelling and beginning to work at the new place that I haven't had a second to even scribble down an idea for Yummmmyy. I have however been snapping away, making sure to take pics of everything I have made or eaten over the past few weeks.  And so, without further adieu,  here's the food camera role...

Salted Caramel Glazed Choux Buns with a Vanilla Pastry Cream Filling. Trying recipes from work at home has to be one of my utmost favourite things. I spend so much time talking about what I'm doing in the pastry kitchen that when I finally show my family and friends the real goods that I can actually also produce at home there's a real sense of achievement.

Breakfast is clearly still a huge deal for me - it's 100% my favourite meal of the day. This is home-made granola, natural Greek yoghurt, fresh fruit and home-made rhubarb, apple and ginger compote. Grandad has a seriously overgrown rhubarb patch in the garden so when he began to offer me bundles after bundles of the stuff I had to be a little more creative than good old rhubarb crumble.

  

After a pretty crazy night out in town, myself and my brother Al decided to venture to TBC, the pop-up cafe by Daniella Moyles and Yogism in the George's St, Arcade to try the famous buckwheat-flax breakfast pancakes and frozen yoghurt. Holy moly were they good! Al went for the protein pancakes with fresh berries and fro-yo and I decided to try them with pineapple, maple syrup and coconut natural yoghurt. If I lived in town you would more than likely find me perched at a coffee table there every morning - they really were that good.

I HAVE FINALLY MASTERED THE SOUFFLÉ

I was seriously proud in work one evening to find that my soufflé had risen almost half its height. According to our head chef, my soufflé won out, hands down, over our chef de partie's best! No one has been able to wipe the smile off my face since.

I live in the Happy Pear - the greatest place to eat in County Wicklow. I really don't know how it has possibly taken me so long to discover this place but I'm so unbelievably happy to have now. The food there is unbelievably good. Everything is organic and healthy. Their salads are, hands-down, the best I have ever tried. They use fruit juices and nut butters to dress which I absolutely love due to my strange fear or mayonnaise and vinegars. Myself and my pal Mai have made it our morning ritual to stop by for a bowl of the place's delicious porridge topped with fruit compote and granola after the gym. The porridge is FREE and it's a mere euro for any toppings - you'd be a fool not to try it!

After a seriously long week I snapped a quick pic of my last plate in the restaurant. Peanut parfait with peanut brittle, cardamom foam, sesame paste and Dulcey Chantilly. I was one happy chef watching the waiter take that final plate from my pass.

It was my little cousin Oisín's 6th birthday a few weeks ago so, to celebrate, I baked him a lemon sponge with lemon curd, fresh strawberries and lemon butter cream. 

Another work recipe tried at home - homemade marshmallow. We make some pretty whacky flavours to serve as petit fours. However, at home I made a batch of vanilla which were deeeeelicious in vanilla and chilli hot chocolate.

Cutting chocolate biscuit cake - one of my least favourite things to do in work. They always seem to crumble to pieces. When I was asked to make a chocolate biscuit cake for an order I was amendment to find a recipe that held and would be easy on the poor soul left with the awkward task of cutting it. My head chef suggested using condensed milk as an alternative to sugar and golden syrup which actually worked a treat. Hopefully Ireland's bakers catch on and I no longer have to piece crumbly old biscuit cake together in order to form a few slices !

Macaroons - something I had never made up until a few weeks ago. I was so surprised at how easy they are to make - it's unbelievable! 

My "healthy balls ".

I have been warned by Mam not to call them that but I couldn't resist! These raw cacao, pecan and date bites are made with all natural and healthy ingredients. They're a delicious health conscious treat that really don't taste the slightest bit healthy. Don't worry, there will be a recipe to follow.

My Dad has entered into a new fase that I like to call smoothie madness. I'm not complaining though - every morning I wake up to a delicious vitamin packed smoothie to set me up for the day. The best part is that I don't even have to wash the blender! He puts everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, into his smoothies - carrots, ginger, cinnamon, avocados, even oranges and lemons with skins and all -  the list goes on. They're surprisingly delicious nonetheless. 

Hubba hubba...

Mam arrived home yesterday with a pack of Belgian sugar waffles. I decided to be bold and topped them with Nutella, fresh raspberries, date syrup, natural Greek yoghurt and toasted pecan nuts. They were heavenly.

Exams, Exams, Exams.

It's that time of year again - the dreaded exam season. The college library is packed with exam period blow-ins, there are no books available for that one particular subject you're stuck on, assignment due dates are creeping up and everyone is stressing to the max. I used to count down the seconds until that last dreaded exam was over, but, this year, things are a little different. It's hard to believe, but I'm currently studying for my finals. This is my last... ever.... exam period. In one way I'm delighted, but in the other, extremely sad. No more heading out more nights than staying in during the week, no more skipping lectures when the sun is shining, no more chilling with the college gals after a hardcore full day session in the library - I must grow up and face the real world - what a scary idea! 

Pulling all-nighters and last minute cramming are only known too well by us final year students. We've spent three years perfecting our tactics, and, we figure that to do it right, you really do need some serious brain food. I always make sure to stock up on Berocca and vitamin C tabs, but, the most important thing for me is to eat a good breakfast and to munch on vitamin-packed snacks while I study. Having said that, chocolate and sweet treats are also important - well I like to think they are-  so check out the recipe for my trusty exam time buddies; my all time fave; Millionaire's Squares, at the end of the post. 

I can never function properly on a regular day, never mind during exam period, without a good breakfast in my belly. Here are a few samples of what I munch on each morning before I get to work...

A nice big bowl of porridge topped with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and Eucalyptus honey - it always does the job and keeps me going well into the day.

Vitamin packed blueberry and kiwi smoothies

To make these tasty treats simply blend...

1 Banana

 2 Kiwis

250g Blueberries

3 tbsps of Natural Yogurt

100ml Apple Juice

Small cup of Crushed Ice

... serve chilled, and enjoy! This smoothie is also perfect as a mid-study snack. It's full of vitamins and good sugars and, will keep you feeling wide awake while you work.

Granola topped with everything I can get my hands on! 

Natural Greek yogurt, raspberries, grapes, banana, almonds, dark chocolate chips, pumpkin seeds and honey - throw anything on top, it'll be delicious!

A breakfast feast; American Style Blueberry Pancakes topped with banana, maple syrup and strawberries. These have to be my favourite thing to munch on over breakfast, but, they do take a little longer than others to prepare. 

Ingredients

260ml Milk

270g Plain Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

4 tbsp Butter (melted)

2 Large Eggs

4 tbsp Caster Sugar

Handful of Blueberries

Method

1) Whisk the milk, eggs and melted butter together in a jug

2) Sieve the flour and baking powder into another bowl, mix and then combine with the wet mixture using your electric mixer

3) Melt a tsp of butter and a few drops of coconut oil in a pan, spoon one ladle of the mix onto the pan and, using your spatula, shape into a circle.

4) Stick 4-5 blueberries on top of the pancake before you flip and make sure both sides are evenly cooked

5) Serve topped with banana, strawberries and maple syrup.

Porridge topped with apple, blueberries, flaked almonds, cinnamon and honey - another delicious breckie that will keep you feeling full well into the day.

Carrot and Passion Fruit Smoothie - another delicious smoothie that is packed full of energy boosting vitamins. It'll leave you raring to go! Simply blend...

1 Banana

1 Pear

1 Carrot 

1 Passion Fruit

1 Cup of Orange Juice

Half a cup of Crushed Ice

... serve chilled and enjoy.

Toast with my one true love; peanut butter and banana sliced on top. This may not be as filling a breakfast as some of the others but it's seriously delicious. 

The Trusty Study Buddy

Millionaire's Squares

I seem to make these bad boys every time exam period comes around. I know I said that healthy food is key, but, I think we all need a little comfort food at this time of year too!Just click on the name above for the easy recipe.

I'm going to miss spending every day with these pals for sure..
Now I must get back and study - wish me luck!

2013 - What a Year!

I know I'm a few days late, but, I'd like to take this opportunity to wish all of you a very Happy New Year. I hope it's a fab year for each and every one if you. I myself have great intentions for 2014 which, if go to plan, I'll be blogging about in future. But, for the moment, let's do a quick re-run through Yummmmyy's 2013.

2013 really has been such a brilliant year with so much happening with Yummmmyy. I've learned an awful lot in a year and, I really like to think that my bakes have improved by miles. I'm now baking cakes and other bakes to order - something I would have only dreamed of at the beginning of 2013.

Lets return to February 2013 when I was awarded the Liebster Award for best up and coming blog of the month. I couldn't believe it when I opened the email informing me that my blog had been given such an award. I was actually a little bit skeptical as I'd only been blogging for a few months at that stage and I thought of Yummmmyy as more of a private baking diary that no one really paid any attention to. Little did I know, Yummmmyy was actually reaching many other bloggers and followers in all corners of the world! Winning the Leibster Award really gave me that boost of confidence I needed to keep blogging and to believe in myself as a blogger.

In March 2013 another achievement made me realise that I really did have a group of followers who appreciated what I was doing. I was approached by an Irish company called Ads on Bags, who asked if they could feature some of my recipes on the surfaces of their biodegradable supermarket bags. Once again, I found myself second guessing the offer and asking myself why this company would choose my recipes to feature on their bags. How and ever, I agreed to submit a recipe for publishing once every month which turned out to be such a good opportunity.

With the Summer came more exciting opportunities, the first being my invitation to the launch of Kenco Millicano's new travel mug designed by Orla Kiely. I was so excited at the thoughts of mingling with other Irish foodies at the launch when I received the invitation.... Aaaand, would you believe, myself and my boyfriend Dave were pictured at the launch in the Irish Tatler!!! 

Also during the Summer, I was a recipient of a fabulous  cooler box full of Philadelphia products to try, which I had been sent courtesy of Kraft Foods - I felt so important being asked to test a new product. Like I said, SO much has happened in one year! 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

WELCOME 2014

Yummmmyy's 1st Birthday Celebrated with Raspberry & Almond Cupcakes

I actually can't believe that it's been an entire year since I began to blog! It was at a dinner party with the college galz when I made a batch of my Chocolate Brownies with Triple Chocolate Sauce that I was convinced set Yummmmyy up. I must have impressed the girls with my dessert, especially Rhona, who was really keen to see what else I could make. I showed her my recipe book and she was adiment I set up my own food blog. I'm so happy I took her advice as I absolutely love want I'm doing and my dream is definitely still to one day own my very own bakery where I can bake all of my favourite recipes :) 

It's been such a good year and so much has happened with Yummmmyy. I've learned so much and I really like to think that my bakes are improving week by week. In February 2013, I was awarded the Liebster Award for best up and coming blog - which I was absolutely thrilled about. 

In March I was approached by an Irish company Ads on Bags, who asked if they could feature some of my recipes on their biodegradable supermarket bags - such a brilliant opportunity.

During the Summer, I was invited to the launch of Kenco Millicano's new travel mug designed by Orla Kiely - time to mingle with other Irish foodies, aaaand myself and my boyfriend Dave were pictured at the launch in the Irish Tatler!!! 

Also during the Summer, I was a recipient of a brilliant cooler box full of Philadelphia products to try, courtesy of Kraft Foods - I felt so important being asked to test a new product. 

Like I said, SO much has happened in one year! 

Yummmmyy's Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest pages are also booming with a great amount of likes and followers and the blog itself has over 21400 page views !!! I am unbelievably proud of what I have done over the past year and here's hoping that I'll have another post similar to this one for Yummmmyy's 2nd Birthday!

So, to celebrate Yummmmyy's big day, I tried out a new recipe which I adapted from one I found in a cookbook given to me by my Nana Barbara, which is simply called "Muffins". I LOVE anything almond - marzipan, bakewell tarts, almond slices, almond fingers, frangipan - the list is endless! So, these Raspberry & Almond Muffins were a must try...

You Will Need...

250g Plain Flour (sieved)

80g Chopped Almonds

2.5 tsp Baking Powder (sieved)

.5 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda (sieved)

50g Ground Almonds

140g Caster Sugar

250g Raspberries (fresh or frozen)

1 Egg (lightly beaten)

80 ml Sunflower Oil

275 ml Buttermilk

150g Marzipan

12 Raspberries (for decoration)

Fresh Cream (for decoration)

Icing Sugar (for dusting)

Method

1) Preheat your oven to 180C/ 350F/ Gas Mark 5

2) Line your muffin tray with muffin cases and place it in the fridge while making the batter.

3) Put the Flour, Ground Almonds, Chopped Almonds, Bicarbonate of Soda & Baking Powder in a bowl and combine

4) In a jug or separate bowl, combine the Egg, Sugar, Oil and Buttermilk 

5) Fold the wet mixture and the Raspberries into the dry mixture until all of the dry ingredients are moistened

6) Cut the marzipan into cubes

7) Take your tray out of the fridge and fill each muffin case with one large spoon of the batter

8) Place a marzipan cube into the middle of each case and top with the remaining mixture

9) Bake for 20 mins

10) Leave to stand in the muffin tray when done and serve them warm topped with fresh cream and a raspberry