Today I tried a food experiment live on snapchat. It was risky, I mean what if it didn’t turn out well? But with these few ingredients I had a hunch it would be delish. And I was so happy when it did taste the way I envisaged. Okay, well I’m a massive sugar fan, so I might add more sweetener next time. But the great thing about this and why it is called “Nicecream” is that there is no refined sugar or dairy. By the way while I was doing this on snapchat (my username is blissbakery) a lovely girl (username @fightingcal) said she was going to make my “Nice cream” for her son. Brilliant! I loved that name for it and decided I had to use it!
I happened to have leftover strawberry puree from when I made the strawberry cupcakes (delish but in fact quite naughty, click here to see). And since I hate waste I was thinking of using it to make popsicles (also called iced lollies over here). But I couldn’t find those plastic moulds anywhere! And since I am lucky enough to have a fab ice cream maker thanks to my hubby, I said to myself, sure skip the lolly and go for some good old fashioned scoops! And here it is for you! So you choose which way you want to enjoy this healthy, dairy free, gluten free and refined sugar free delight!
Strawberry “I Scream for Nice-cream!”
Ingredients:
1 lb (16 oz or 450g) of fresh strawberries (or use frozen)
1 14 oz can of Coconut Milk
2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
Zest of half of a lemon
A few leaves of fresh basil
Instructions
Puree the strawberries. Add the coconut milk and combine.
Add the maple syrup and lemon zest. Puree to incorporate.
Add the fresh basil and pulse to break up the leaves, but
don’t over process.
Place into an ice cream maker if you want scooped ice cream
or into plastic popsicle container if you want an iced lolly.
My Grandpa O’Neill loved ice cream. However,there was only one flavor that he would eat. He would take me for ice cream whenever we were together and tell me I could have any flavor I wanted, so long as it was vanilla. I was totally bummed as I wanted Rocky Road. But he was wise and knew I would never finish a whole cone. Which meant he would finish it. So if my grandpa had to eat ice cream he wanted his favorite flavor which was, you guessed it vanilla.
So I’d like to think my grandpa would enjoy this “nice cream. ” Though he was so old school he’d say, “what the heck are you putting basil leaves in ice cream for missy?” Well I for one think they bring out the best in the strawberries!
These are only a few of the gorgeous and delicious handmade candy treats that I made with my teacher Pawel in my master class at Spun
From my very first Foodie Fieldtrip Friday back in October of 2015 until now I have experienced some pretty amazing things. I have tasted great food and learned wonderful culinary secrets. I’ve ventured through different countries including America, Ireland, Kenya, Turkey, Denmark, and England. I even climbed to the top of the O2 Arena in London! It would be quite hard for me to say which adventure has been the best so far as I have found great joy in each. But judging by the popular response on my snapchat account (username: blissbakery) for this past Friday’s outing to Spun for a masterclass in the art of making Lollipop candy, it was THEIR fav.
I accidentally found Spun months ago when I was in the East End of London. I was on my way to meet someone at Spitalfields nearby. I only had a minute to pop my head in but have been wanting to go back ever since. I am so glad I finally did and not only was it informative, it was a sensory explosion! From the smells and tastes to the colors bursting all around in the shop it is well worth a trip for anyone, even if you don’t have time to take a class. They have all of their handiwork in the shop to purchase. They also do custom orders, handmade candy faces or special candy for corporate events or weddings favors. They are franchised and now have five locations, but you might see them at a pop up or a festival somewhere. They have this cool Candy Floss cart (called Cotton Candy in America) and a wall of pick and mix sweets with darling bags just waiting to be filled.
My masterclass with the expert candy confectioner Pawel was booked in for one and a half hours and cost me 60 British Sterling Pounds. It was well worth every bit! I was greeted with a smile and escorted to the back area to pack my personal belonging in a locker and wash my hands. Then I was given an apron and offered a Proseco and snacks. I opted for a still water as it was quite hot and I hadn’t eaten lunch. Plus I wanted to get straight to the candy making! And after I completed some Health and Safety forms we did just that.
Pawel had the candy mix already cooking, and it looked like a big cauldron boiling away. Spun candy is vegetarian, gluten and gelatine free, and they use natural flavors and colors. It is a mixture of four parts sugar, one part glucose, and one part water. Then I was able to choose the flavoring! Since I wanted to do rainbow colors, I decided to go with a Tutti Fruitti flavor. When it was added to the pot it started to steam and bubble like a magic trick. Pawel then poured the liquid mixture onto a slab of cool marble so we could add the colors. Once it was broken up into the different colors we put it on an adjacent table that was heated from below. I had to put on the protective gloves as the candy was still quite hot, which is necessary in order to mold it into different shapes. I got a little taste of the candy when it was warm and still a bit chewy. Wow so delicious!! But we had to work fast to make the shapes because the candy mixture starts to harden quickly.
The artist at work, Pawel showing me how to make a butterfly lolly. As you can see he is wearing protective gloves as the candy is quite hot when working with it.
Pawel the genius candyman showed me how to make traditional circular lolly pops. Because I chose a rainbow color pattern, each lolly looked different. We also made twirly pops, butterflies, snails, flowers, cats, starfish and my request, hearts. It is my fav shape so I was delighted! Then Pawel personalized a few, some for gifts and some for me. While he worked away I explored the shop front and drooled over the various candy on offer, as well as fudge, honeycomb and my fav popcorn! I also chatted with other folks who were doing different master classes who were equally impressed.
What started in 2013 in Covent Garden has now grown outside the UK to the Middle East and a new one in Miami. I am so in love with what they do, the artistry involved and the quality of the product. I also think the customer service is fantastic. It would be a great activity for parties such as a Company Team Bonding, a Wedding Hen or Children’s Birthday. I realize these days some people don’t want to eat sugar, but all things in moderation is my motto. Spun is a treat, and if you are going to splurge why not go with the best? And there is great value at Spun as well. I still cannot believe how much candy I got for what I paid. Hence I am doing a free give away competition on my Snapchat. My way to share the LOVE.
Our one picture together! I was so delighted with my heart lolly! Pawel is holding Rose Kitty who came along for the sweet excitement!
I really enjoy exploring new places and sharing the excitement with others. I also want to support businesses that are doing things right and deserve the unsponsored publicity. I would definitely go back to Spun again in a heartbeat! And I wish them continued success in the future.
This Spun location is on Wentworth Street and is quite large with glass walls separating the retail part, which you can see here, from the workshop area where I attended my class.
For some reason I was feeling very homesick for Ireland this morning. And since cooking and baking make excellent therapeutic activities, I hit the kitchen. I had some strawberries on hand and thought about the time I made strawberry cupcakes for a Breast Cancer fundraiser on the Emerald Isle! Only I used Wexford Strawberries, the world’s best strawberries in my opinion. However, even if I didn’t have the juiciest, sweetest and most flavorful strawberries in the world, I could just imagine I did!
Wexford Strawberry Cupcakes
Cupcake ingredients:
1 ½ cups (220 g) regular flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking soda
Fresh Strawberries pureed to get 1/3 cup (70 g)
¼ cup milk (50 ml) room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup (114 g or 4 oz =1 stick) unsalted butter
at room temperature
1 cup (215 g) caster sugar
1 large egg + 2 large egg whites
*buttercream ingredients to follow
Instructions:
In a bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In another bowl mix together the strawberry puree, milk, vanilla. Set aside.
In an electric mixing bowl (using the paddle attachment) beat the butter until fluffy. Add the sugar gradually. When combined and nice and light, turn off the mixer and scrap down the sides.
Then on slow speed gradually add the eggs. Stop and scrap the sides again.
Add ½ of the flour mixture, when blended add the liquid mixture. Stop and scrape the sides again before adding the remaining flour mixture.
Put the batter into a paper lined cupcake tin using an ice cream scooper.
Bake for approx 20 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool completely in tin before putting frosting on top of the cupcakes.
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting Ingredients
3 Tbsp strawberry puree
1 cup (8 oz) 227 g (which is = 2 sticks) unsalted butter
pinch of salt
3 ½ cups (480 g) sifted icing sugar (also called confectioners powdered sugar)
½ tsp vanilla extract
drop of pink food coloring (optional)
Instructions:
Beat the butter and salt until creamy in an electric mixer with paddle attachment.
Gradually add the icing sugar and scrape down the sides from time to time.
When the sugar is all incorporated add the strawberry puree and vanilla. Beat until just mixed and smooth, but don’t over beat. If using add the food coloring and mix through.
Spread the buttercream on the cooled cupcakes and enjoy!
While these may not have the depth of flavor without the use of Wexford Strawberries, they are still delicious. Hubby ate two in no time at all! And since I don’t need the 14th of February to come around to celebrate hearts and all things LOVE, I decided to go with a very loving themed decor. Because I love Ireland so much!
Strawberry Fields Forever Love,
YDP
P.S. This is me, with the tri color flag through my heart!
It is heading towards a year now that I have had this blog going. Hard to believe! One of the key aspects starting out was to keep things balanced. Well, I have a lot of making up to do! As I said on my ABCs of YDP, I want to keep a balance of “naughty” and “nice” recipes. And if you do the numbers, I am weighing more heavily on the naughty than nice in the SWEETS section. I’m doing ok in the SAVORY aspect, just to give myself a little positive reinforcement.
So this recipe is to make amends! It is sugar free, dairy free and gluten free. But it is not free from fantastical flavors! It is simple to make and very creamy and delicious. You can jazz it up to your own tastes. I made this for the “CookreelTV” takeover of their snapchat account this past Thursday. I posted the recipes for the Raspberry Chicken and Rice Pilaf that were the main course, but I wanted to share this one on its own. Why? Just to highlight its specialness and to remind myself to bust out more of my “nice” (meaning good for you) dessert recipes.
Ingredients:
4 ripe bananas, peeled and wrapped in plastic wrap
handful of toasted pecans, crumbled
2 Tbsp maple syrup
½ cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp Sea salt (optional)
sprinkle cinnamon
Drizzle of Irish Highbank Organic Orchard Syrup
Instructions:
Freeze wrapped bananas over night. Alternatively you can slice them and place on a tray lined with parchment paper and freeze at least 3 hours.
Using a food processor fitted with a metal blade, blend frozen bananas, almond milk, vanilla, and 2 Tbsp maple syrup, until completely smooth.
Transfer to 4 bowls and garnish with pecans. Sprinkle each with the cinnamon and sea salt if using. Then drizzle with Highbank Organic Orchard syrup. If you have baked Apple Chips you can use as garnish as I have in the picture. Serve while singing the Banana Boat Song (aka Day-O)!
Because I like to do themed musical accompaniment when I do cooking tutorials, I chose a fruit theme for my Cookreel TV snapchat takeover. I started with Tutti Fruity from Little Richard and made a Carmen Miranda headdress with emojis, and played loads of other fun fruit tunes. I ended with the Banana Boat song to go along with this dessert.
I posted this snap on my own account (username blissbakery) before my Cookreel TV takeover so those watching my account got a glimpse of what my menu might entail!
But what I didn’t say was that I have met Harry Belefonte, the lovely man who made the song famous. He happened to be the grandfather of one of my students when I taught preschool in L.A. Each year we hosted an event and invited just the grandparents to spend the day with their grandchildren at the school. Being that it was L.A., we often had celebrities there. I must say of the many who attended over those years, Mr. Harry Belefonte was quite the gentleman. I really loved meeting him. And I adored teaching his little Maria who must be in university by now. Wow how time flies! Which is why we need to appreciate every DAY-O!
I’m sure you have all heard about how we should be getting our 5 a day fruit servings. But in our busy lives we might forget. Our breakfast is cereal and milk, lunch is a ham and cheese toasted sambo, and by dinner we think, ah sure what the heck let’s just have a chipper. For my non Irish friends that means going to a local take away and having fish and chips. But I have a plan for you to get your daily fruit serving in one fell swoop at dinner!
I had the wonderful fortune of being asked to do a “takeover” of CookReelTV’s Snapchat account yesterday. It will only be up for 24 hours but check them out (@cookreel) as they have great ongoing cooking tutorials. I did a menu that was quite fruity. I had some Aperol/Proseco/Orange Liquid Libations, and a couple of easy nibbles. One was a watermelon and feta cheese skewer sandwiched at the ends with a fresh mint leaf and a blueberry. Add a sprinkling of pepper and drizzle of balsamic vinegar and it is a fresh fruit explosion! I also demoed my Bacon Wrapped Dates stuffed with Goat’s Cheese, for which I have a simple but fun YouTube tutorial if you’d like a peak (click here). But instead of a Balsamic Reduction Sauce on the side, I drizzled Pomegranate Molasses on top for extra fruity flavor.
For the main course I did my fav Raspberry Chicken with a side of Rice Pilaf and Roasted Asparagus. Super easy and delish! Okay so I use a bit of butter and a touch of cream in the sauce, but other than that it is completely lovely and also gluten free! And I love my salads so I served a mixed leaf green salad with some fresh sliced nectarines and toasted pine nuts tossed with a light vinaigrette. So if you find you have ended your day with out some Fruitii-Tutti in your life, give this concept a whirl!
Raspberry Chicken
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, flattened
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup onion, chopped
4 tbsp raspberry vinegar
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp canned crushed tomatoes (called Passata in this part of the world)
1 cup fresh raspberries, plus more for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
Flat leaf parsley, chopped
Preparation
1. Melt butter in the skillet. Season chicken breasts with a bit of salt and pepper and cook for about 3 minutes per side or until lightly browned. Remove from skillet and keep warm.
2. Add the onions to the skillet and cook covered over low heat until tender (about 15 minutes)
3. Add the vinegar to the skillet with the onions and raise the heat cooking uncovered (stirring occasionally) until vinegar is reduced to a syrupy spoonful.
4. Whisk in the chicken stock, cream and crushed tomatoes and simmer for 1 minute. Return the chicken breasts to the skillet and gently simmer in the sauce basting often. Cook until the chicken is done and sauce is reduced and thickened (about 5 minutes).
5. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Add the raspberries to the sauce and cook over low heat for 1 minute. Do not stir the berries with the spoon, just swirl them in the sauce.
6. Serve the chicken on a plate with the sauce along with the rice pilaf (recipe below) and a nice green veg like roasted asparagus. Garnish with flat leaf parsley.
Rice Pilaf
Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp butter
1 medium yellow onion, minced
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
2 cups of chicken broth
3/4 cup basmati rice
1/4 cup spaghetti sticks, broken into 1-1 1/2 in pieces (I used gluten free spaghetti)
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
Preparation
Heat oil and butter together in a large skillet. Add onions and cook 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one minute, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper. Add rice and spaghetti, stirring to combine with garlic and onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes until rice and pasta begin to lightly brown. Stir in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Once the liquid is boiling, turn heat down to simmer and cover, cooking for 15-20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Add a pinch of salt and pepper if needed. Fluff the cooked rice mixture and add chopped parsley.
Sorry for the dark photo (which I took once I got back to my own snapchat account) but it was 10 pm by the time I was finished!
To finish things off nice and fruity-licious, I also did an easy sugar, dairy and gluten free Banana Boat Dessert. I’ll post that recipe separately. But it is delicious and nutritious. Plus it is a great way to get rid of ripe bananas that doesn’t consist of putting on the oven for a banana bread. I love my baking but it is hot as blazes here in London and so nice to have a sweet treat option that cools you down a bit!
Thanks again to CookReelTV for the opportunity to share some great recipes, even if I did so with some bad singing and dancing. But sure we had fun over here! Maybe not my doggie Stella though! You can watch me on Snapchat (my username is blissbakery) for more food adventures. All done with LOVE of course!
Fruity LOVE,
YDP
P.S. The top photo was taken by my daughter @inherchucks and the Raspberry Chicken is slightly adapted from the Silver Palate Cookbook
Even though it is hot as blazes in London, I still want sugary treats. I have a major sweet tooth. While most people are eating ice-cream this time of year, I’m more of a cake, cookie, brownie person. But because I don’t want to fire up the oven during Woman Crush Wednesday (I learned my lesson last week when it got over 31 degrees), this week’s honoree is literally going to save the day! Enter the gorgeous gourmet gal from Ireland, the fab chef Sharon Hearne Smith. I nearly met Sharon a couple of years ago at the Ballymaloe Lit Fest. She was there promoting her book the No Bake Baking Book. I did meet the wonderful Donal Skehan who took the photos for the book, and they are scrumptious looking!
I’ve been wanting to do a Woman Crush Wednesday for Sharon for some time, and this week the stars aligned. She is an accomplished chef and cookery book writer, with book number two out now. The No Cook Cookbook, which I am eager to check out as well, is perfect for quick eats and when the weather is just too hot to cook. But for today, I couldn’t resist a bit of sweetness and the chance to make Sharon’s Chocolate, Date and Peanut Butter bars! Yum!
Ingredients:
Sunflower oil, for greasing
350g (12.6 oz) pitted Medjool dates
100g (3.5 oz) dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids), roughly chopped
75g (2.6 oz or 3/4 cup) rolled oats, I like to use Flahavan’s Organic Porridge Oats
3 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
Edible gold glitter dust, to decorate, optional
Instructions:
Grease the tin with oil and line with parchment paper, leaving 5cm excess hanging over the edges to help with lifting out later.
Blend the dates in a food processor to give a fairly smooth paste. Add the chocolate, oats and peanut butter. Blitz everything together until you have a chunky paste.
Spread the mixture out in the lined tin, levelling the surface with the back of a spoon. Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for about 2 hours until set.
Lift out of the tin and peel the paper down from the sides. Brush the edible glitter dust (if using) all over the surface. Cut the slab into quarters and then each piece into four fingers. These will keep for up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge. For extra naughtiness, dip the bars in melted dark, milk or white chocolate and leave to set.
Since I didn’t have the edible glitter dust I dipped in melted dark chocolate and sprinkled cocoa nibs on top
These couldn’t be easier to make and if you are a peanut butter fanatic like I am you will be over the moon! I didn’t happen to have edible gold glitter on hand, but that didn’t matter. They will sparkle and shine on their own merit. In fact these won’t last long enough around here to miss out on the bit of bling!
Besides being an amazing chef, Sharon is a food stylist and has worked with many popular chefs such as Jamie Oliver and some of my Woman Crush Wednesday honorees (such as Ina Garten and Lorraine Pascale). And if that wasn’t enough creativity flowing, Sharon is an amazing crafter as well! From floral head crowns , to home DIY projects such as trimming her kitchen shelves in lace, she just has a lovely feminine vintage style that I adore! I get the feeling that another home and lifestyle book might be on the cards next for this super talented lady. And let’s not forget that television show, fingers crossed, we all really want to see that become a reality!
Besides being a wife and mommy of two little girls, Sharon is the Irish grocery store SuperValu’s Good Food Karma Project ambassador. The hope is to get Irish people back in the kitchen cooking from scratch at least one more meal per week. A healthier nation is a happier nation after all! And because Sharon has a lifelong passion for cooking, there is no better person for the job to instill that enthusiasm than this Wexford born foodie.
Thanks Sharon for being the wonderful role model you are and sharing your love of food with us. Whether through your own recipes or helping other chefs achieve the perfect photos, you are a mover and a shaker in the culinary world. You are simply the best!
It is summer, and of course one would expect some heat and sun. But when you live in L.A. it is hot and sunny 24/7/365! Okay, maybe that is an exaggeration but it is true that there aren’t normal seasonal delineations. Hence a decade goes by and you wonder what the heck just happened? Living in Dublin for 7 years I am able to recall each year in more detail as the weather has punctuated these memories. Ironically, summers in Dublin can often be colder and rainier than other months. Who could forget the great quote from the book Marley and Me when they are traveling in Ireland, “It is July and I can see my breath” ?
Well this year being in London for summer I must say that it is a scorcher! Hot as blazes as I like to exclaim. Not that the actual temperature reflects it but it sure feels hot, heavy and still. Quite draining of energy even for our doggie Stella. While most people are at their peak weight and fitness in the summer because they are wearing skimpier clothing, I feel like I am at my heaviest. But when it is super hot who feels like working out? And the saying, “move more, eat less” for a better figure doesn’t help when you feel like a beached whale gasping for a cool drink.
I also think that my body may be like some sort of wood that expands in heat, and then will contract again in the cold! So thank God for all the cool, blousy sun dresses I still have from my days living in Southern California! They are coming in handy for me now! As are many of my salad recipes. That is all I am craving at the moment. And all this heat has kept my oven temporary off limits and my fresh fruit and veg rotation plentiful. Here is a new salad concept that I literally threw together in a snap. All the bits and pieces are tossed together and the best part is the salad holds well the next day, unlike many leafy green salads. I shared it on my Snapchat (username blissbakery) hence another reason I call it Salad in a Snap. But if you wanted to be more specific it is an Asparagus Salad.
Ingredients:
2 Bunches Asparagus, cooked and cut into pieces (you can grill, roast or steam the asparagus but make sure they aren’t over cooked, they need to have a bit of crunch to them)
2 Ears Fresh Corn, cooked and cut off the cob
1 Avocado (or more if you like), peeled, pitted and sliced
*1 Punnet of Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half
2 Spring Onions, sliced
Fresh Parsley, 1 big handful, chopped
Fresh Basil, several leaves, torn
Pine Nuts, 1 handful, toasted
Mixed Seeds, 2 Tbsp, toasted
Hard Goat’s Cheese, grated
Olive Oil
Sherry Vinegar
Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper
*I used Orange Rapture tomatoes
Toss first 10 ingredients in a large bowl (hold back a bit of avocado, basil, pine nuts, seeds and cheese to sprinkle on top for garnish)
Drizzle with oil and vinegar to taste
Season with salt and pepper to taste
Garish top with extra avocado, basil leaves, sprinkle of cheese, pine nuts and seeds, and some grated cheese.
Hubby and I ate this as a main course salad as it was quite tasty and filling. All the textures and flavors just work so well together. But certainly you could add some grilled shrimp or cooked chicken if you needed protein in it. This would also be nice as a side dish for a BBQ or steak dinner. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
Burning up LOVE,
YDP
P.S. True and funny story, in L.A. the weather report is the same day in and day out, hot and sunny. So news broadcasting companies got wise. They started employing ex Playboy Bunnies as Weather Girls. I won’t say meteorologist as I don’t think they actually majored in that field in university. But with their tight clothing, mountainous chests, and big blonde hair the viewership increased! And with catchy names like “Suzie Storm” or “Rebecca Rains” it only added to the authenticity! However, in order to protect the innocent I haven’t revealed their real stage names, just similar in style. LOL!
