Recipe: Irish Desserts (7) - suggestions for Irish wedding desser table

Irish Chocolate Cake
The "Irishness" of this lovely chocolate cake is thanks not only to the wonderful liqueur used in the filling, but also to a certain, very Irish, ingredient in the cake mixture itself, which contributes to its moistness.

Sponge:
175g/ 6oz self-raising flour
1/2tsp salt
50g/ 2oz dark chocolate
110g/ 4oz butter
175g/ 6oz caster sugar
80g/ 3oz cooked mashed potato
2 eggs, beaten
4tbsp milk

Filling:
110g/ 4oz dark chocolate
125ml/ 4fl oz double cream
50g/ 2oz icing sugar
3tbsp Irish cream liqueur

Preheat oven to gas mark 5/ 190 C/ 375 F, and grease and line two 20cm/ 8 inch cake tins. Sift flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Melt chocolate in a bowl placed over a saucepan of hot water. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy, then beat in the chocolate and mashed potato. Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a little flour with each addition. Fold in the rest of the flour and stir in the milk.

Divide mixture between cake tins and bake for 25-30 minutes or until top is firm but springy to the touch. Remove from oven and after a few minutes, turn out on a cooling rack. While the cake is cooling, make the filling. Melt the chocolate as before, stir in the other ingredients and mix well. Use the filling to sandwich the sponge layers together and coat the top and sides of the cake.
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Rhubarb Fool
A fruit fool is a simple and delicious dessert, rich and creamy - but not overly so.

6-8 plump sticks of rhubarb
4oz/ 25g/ 1/2cup sugar
small knob of butter
250ml/ 1/2pt/ 1 cup whipping cream
serves 4

Cut the rhubarb into chunks and sweat with the sugar and butter over a low heat until cooked but not mushy. Liquidise or pass through a food mill. When cold, fold into stiffly-whipped cream. Allow to set in the fridge and serve with Lady finger or Boudoir biscuits.

Apple or gooseberry fool is made in exactly the same way, except that in the case of gooseberries the pur e should be sieved to remove pips. It may be necessary to adjust sugar to taste.

Source: Appletree Press title; A Little Irish Cookbook.
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Lemon and Vanilla Curd Cake
Curds were once an important part of the Irish diet, and were also useful for paying the rent. Recipes for this delicately flavoured cheesecake are found in several eighteenth century"receipt" books.

175g/ 6oz sweet shortcrust pastry

Filling:
40g/ 11/2oz butter
50g/2oz vanilla flavoured sugar (or caster sugar plus essence)
2 egg yolks
1tbsp (heaped) plain flour
rind and juice of 1/2 lemon
225g/ 8oz cottage cheese

Topping:
1tbsp flour
1tbsp sugar
1tbsp butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
caster sugar to dust

Preheat oven to gas mark 4/ 180 C/ 350 F, warm a baking sheet and grease a loose-bottomed flan tin. Roll out the shortcrust pastry until thin, then line the flan tin with the dough, trimming off any excess. Chill pastry case in the fridge. Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy, then beat in the egg yolks, flour, lemon rind, lemon juice and sieved cottage cheese. Mix well, then spoon into the pastry case.

Mix topping ingredients together and spread on top of the curd filling. Place the flan tin on the warmed baking sheet and bake for approximately 1 hour or until the top is lightly browned and slightly firm. Dust with caster sugar and serve cool but not chilled.
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Kerry Apple Cake
This cake does not keep very well, but that is not usually a problem, as you can be sure it will disappear very quickly! It is best eaten warm with cream or Greek-style yoghurt, and is also perfect with cheese.

175g/ 6oz butter
175g/ 6oz caster sugar
2 eggs, beaten
225g/ 8oz self-raising flour
2 medium cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1tsp lemon rind
2tbsp demerara sugar
pinch cinnamon
pinch nutmeg

Preheat oven to gas mark 4/ 180 C/ 350 F, and grease and line a 900g/ 2lb loaf tin. Cream butter and sugar. Gradually add eggs and flour. Stir in apples and lemon rind. Pour into the tin and sprinkle with sugar and spices. Bake for 1- 1 1/2 hours.
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Amaretto Irish Cream Cheesecake

1 1/2 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
1/2 cup blanched whole almonds, roasted and finely chopped
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tbl Amaretto
24 oz cream cheese
1 cup sugar
4 x eggs
1/3 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup blanched whole almonds, toasted and ground
1/4 cup Irish cream liqueur
1 x -1/2 c sour cream
1 tbl sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Combine first four ingredients. Firmly press mixture evenly on bottom of lightly greased 10-inch springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, then cool. Beat softened cream cheese at high speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add one cups sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in whipping cream and next 3 ingredients.

Pour into pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Turn oven off and leave cheesecake in oven for 30 minutes. Combine sour cream and next 2 ingredients. Stir and spoon over cake. Sprinkle 1/4 cup almonds around the edge. Bake at 500 degrees for 5 minutes. Cool; chill.

Makes 12 servings.
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Apple and Barley Pudding (Irish)

4 tbl Pearl barley
1 1/2 lb Eating apples*
2 oz Sugar
3/4 tbl Double cream
1 lt Water

* Peeled, cored and sliced. Put the barley in the water and bring to the boil. Add the sliced apples and continue cooking gently until the barley and apples are soft. Press through a sieve, or put through the blender, and put back in the saucepan.

Add the sugar and lemon juice and bring to the boil again. Remove from the heat, allow to cool, and then chill. Serve cool with the cream stirred in.
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Bailey'S Irish Cream Bars

For Cake:
1 pkt Yellow cake mix, Moist Deluxe
3 x Eggs
2/3 cup Bailey's Irish Cream
1/3 cup Oil

For Swirl:
1 can Cream cheese frosting, Vanilla Creamy
1 pkt White chocolate chips
1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream

Preheat oven to 350 . Prepare a jelly roll pan (about 15" x 10" x1"). Mix cake mix with eggs, Irish Cream and oil.

Set aside 1/2 cup of prepared cake batter for swirl. Pour cake batter into prepared pan.

In a small bowl, blend all swirl ingredients. Drop large spoonfuls of this mixture over the cake batter. Swirl with a fork to make a marble effect.

Bake 25 - 30 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.