Chocolate Shenanigans Cupcakes!

Woo-hoo! Today is St. Patrick’s Day!!! And as per usual, the last post of my St. Patrick’s Day recipe run features a cupcake. So all you chocolate lovers, you must have the luck of the Irish because these Chocolate Shenanigans Cupcakes are clearly meant for you!

A moist chocolatey malted cake is topped with a decadent rich malted chocolate Irish Cream frosting which is then dusted with Malteser bits. Get out!!!

As I mentioned, I have always ended my St. Patrick’s Day run of recipes with a cupcake offering. Last year it was these decadent Five Farms Irish Cream Cupcakes! 

But there were many more of these tempting little treats over the years. Feast your eyes on these:

Baileys Tres Leches Cupcakes

Irish Whiskey, Ginger & Lime Cupcakes

Butterfly Cakes (aka Fairy Cakes) filled with Strawberry Jam & Topped with Baileys Whipped Cream

Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting

Malted Scáiltín Cupcakes

Chocolate Whiskey Dipped Irish Cupcakes

Phew! That is a lot of St. Patrick’s Day cupcakes! And there are even a few more to be found in my recipe library. If you can’t find a cupcake that appeals to you there, I think maybe you just don’t like cupcakes!

But to be honest, thoughts of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations are not likely to conjure up visions of cupcakes. I thinks pubs and pints are more likely what comes to mind. On our most recent trip to Ireland, we definitely darkened the door of quite a few pubs. Indeed one night we ended up in the oldest pub in Dublin, The Brazen Head, which dates all the way back to 1198! Keep in mind, this is not the oldest pub in Ireland. That honor goes to Sean’s Bar located in Athlone, which dates all the way back to 900 AD! But the Brazen Head is Dublin’s oldest. Brass filled and lantern lit, this lively pub oozes old world charm.

This was useful because our next stop was indeed Reykjavík!

Remember these?!!

Another notable pub we visited was Toners. This cozy, traditional pub is one of Dublin’s oldest, established 1734. It is said the W.B. Yeats would occasionally imbibe here. They boast a lovely beer garden out back for when the weather is good. We found it very friendly and welcoming.

But let me get back to these naughty Chocolate Shenanigan Cupcakes. I’m a sucker for anything malted and these cupcakes not only have a malted cake, but also have malted chocolate Irish Cream frosting as well as crushed and whole Maltesers on top. Maltesers, for the Americans out there, are malted milk balls, which of course, I adore. And they are frosted with not any old frosting, but Swiss Meringue frosting. Another favorite, with its light and silky texture, it puts regular or simple buttercream frosting to shame as far as I’m concerned.

So I guess I would say, you should have all of your shenanigans ready today. You can start with these Malted Chocolate Shenanigan Cupcakes, which are simply perfect for any St. Patrick’s Day shindig you might attend. But you should also have some shenanigans of your own lined up and ready to go. You know, for later in the evening. Can’t wait to hear what you get up to. I wish everyone a safe, healthy and happy holiday! Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Daiobh (Happy St. Patrick’s Day)!

• Servings: 18
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

recipe slightly adapted from: Pastry Love by Joanne Chang

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes:

• 210 grams (1 1/2 cups) malted milk powder
• 175 grams (1 1/4 cups) all purpose flour
• 60 grams (1/2 cup) Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted after measuring
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 200 grams ( 1 cup) sugar
• 2 large eggs ( about 100 grams) at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk (about 20 grams) at room temperature
• 110 grams (1/2 cup) vegetable oil (such as canola)
• 240 grams (1 cup) whole milk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla bean paste
• Malted Chocolate Irish Cream Frosting (recipe noted below)
• Vanilla Syrup (recipe noted below)
• maltesers candy, crushed for decorating-optional

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325° F and place a rack in the center of the oven. Line the bottoms of two regular cupcake pans with cupcake liners. Spray the sides lightly with pan spray or very lightly brush with vegetable oil. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together the malted milk powder, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the sugar, whole eggs and egg yolk on medium high speed until the mixture falls back onto itself in ribbons when you lift the whisk up. Turn the mixer to low and slowly drizzle in the oil. Turn off the mixer and add about one third of the flour mixture. Turn the mixer on to the lowest speed and mix just until most of the flour mixture has been incorporated into the eggs, about 10 seconds. Stop the mixer and use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and the whisk. Add about half the milk along with the vanilla and turn the mixer back onto the lowest speed. Gently combine until most of the milk is mixed into the batter. stop the mixer and again scrape the bowl and the whisk. Add half the remaining flour mixture; mix on low until it’s mostly mixed in, then stop and scrape. Add the rest of the milk and mix again on low util it is mostly mixed in. Remove the bowl from the mixer , add the last of the flour mixture, and gently fold by hand with a rubber spatula until all of it is incorporated into the batter. Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake tins.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pans midway through the baking time, until the cupcakes spring back when you poke them in the middle and a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean when you insert it into the middle of the cake. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let cool in the baking pans on a wire rack.

While the cupcakes are baking and cooling, make the frosting and vanilla syrup and set them aside.

Once the cupcakes are completely cool, remove them from the tins. Using a pastry brush, paint and soak the tops of the cupcakes with the vanilla syrup. 

Fit a pastry bag with a large round tip and fill it with the frosting. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. Sprinkle with Malteser bits and edible stars if you desire.

Vanilla Syrup

Ingredients:

• 120 grams (1/2 cup) water
• 100 grams (1/2 cup) sugar 
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar with the water and bring to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Let cool before using.

The syrup can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge indefinitely.

Malted Chocolate Irish Cream Frosting

Ingredients:

• 135 grams (2/3 cup) superfine sugar
• 2 large egg whites ( about 1/4 cup or 60 grams) at room temperature
• 455 grams (2 cups or 4 sticks) unsalted butter
• 420 grams(3 1/2 cups) confectioners sugar
• 105 grams (3/4 cup) malted milk powder
• 75 grams (3/4 cup) sifted dutch process cocoa powder
• 2 – 3 Tablespoons Five Farms Irish Cream (can substitute Baileys) 
• pinch of kosher salt

Directions:

In a medium metal of heatproof glass bowl, whisk together the superfine sugar and egg whites to make a thick slurry. Place the bowl over a small pot of simmering water, make sure the pot is small enough the the bowl sits above the water and not directly touching it, or you may end up with scrambled egg whites. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the mixture is hot to the touch, 6 to 8 minutes.

Pour the sugar-egg white mixture into a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on medium high for 4 to 6 minutes, until the mixture cools. Add the butter bit by bit and whip on medium until the butter is thoroughly incorporated. Add the confectioners’ sugar, malted milk powder, cocoa powder, Five Farms Irish Cream and salt and whip on medium until the frosting is smooth and satiny. 

The frosting can be store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Before using, let it sit out at room temperature for at least 6 hours or ideally overnight. Place the frosting in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix until it smooths out again. It will look broken (curdled and very lumpy, possibly even separated with some liquid seeping out) for a while until it warms up, but don’t panic – just keep beating it and be patient.

Enjoy!

Links for Helpful Kitchen Tools & Ingredients for Chocolate Shenanigans Cupcakes:

OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Food Scale

Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand Mixer

OXO Good Grips Medium Cookie Scoop

Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Bean Paste

Maltesers

Travel Planning Guide:

Getting there: Icelandair! We love Icelandair and have always had great experience with them. Icelandair flies to Dublin, Ireland. Take advantage of their Stopover program on your next flight to Europe.

Car Rental: New Way Car Hire – Love the all-inclusive pricing on these cars as well as the Dublin Airport pickup!

Accommodation: Number 31 – This luxurious hotel is half traditional Georgian townhouse and half modernist mews which are connected by a charming courtyard. The Georgian townhouse half is where we have always chosen to stay and we love the mildly eccentric jazz age flamboyance. The location of this decadent hideaway is also superb. It is steps from St. Stephen’s Green in the heart of the city. We would not dream of stying any where else and cannot wait to visit again!

Restaurants/ Cafés/ Bakeries/ Pubs:

Murphy’s Ice Cream – I LOVE Murphy’s Ice Cream! We used to only be able to get it when we visited Dingle, but now they have opened several shops and one is in Dublin, just steps off of Grafton Street! Their ice cream is made with fresh from the farm milk, lots of local cream, free range eggs, and organic sugar. No colourings, flavourings, or powdered milk. My favorite flavor, though it is so hard to choose because they are all so exquisite, is probably Brown Bread.

Xi’an Street Food – Modern Asian Cuisine with authentic & bold flavours from Xi’an region in China. Looking for late night takeaway while visiting Dublin, or a delicious meal anytime for that matter, this is the place.

The Brazen Head Pub – dates all the way back to 1198! Mind you the date of 1653 is what has been officially documented for this establishment. The current building dates to 1754. We visited on a Friday night and it was jammers. Pints were all we sampled, though we understand the pub grub here is definitely respectable.

Toners Pub-This cozy, traditional pub is one of Dublin’s oldest, established 1734. It is said the W.B. Yeats would occasionally imbibe here. They boast a lovely beer garden out back for when the weather is good. We found it very friendly and welcoming. Though laid back and relaxed when we visited, we understand that if there is a big sporting event going on, we understand the place can be absolutely mad!

Bar 1661 – Voted Ireland’s Bar of the Year in 2022! My favorite cocktail bar full stop! Not just in Ireland, but everywhere! Folks, if you are visiting Dublin and you like cocktails at all, this is an absolute must!!! The ambiance is in point, not to mention the historical significance as well as the absolute enthusiasm everyone there has for crafting exceptional cocktails! I will say, make sure you book a reservation. You do not want to miss this!

The Porterhouse -This large airy brewpub offers a wide selection of ales, lagers and stouts. It has a fun, folksy atmosphere and often you can catch some live music. They serve some tasty pub grub as well and some of the best chips I’ve had in Dublin.

The Old Storehouse – The Old Storehouse is a great venue, kind of like three different pubs all rolled into one. They’ve got the cozy, intimate snug area, the lively main bar and then Flaherty’s Pub downstairs for bands. They also have a lovely covered outside area.

Attractions:

The National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology – ( Ard-Mhúsaem na hÉireann – Seandálaíocht), often known as the “NMI”, located on Kildare Street in Dublin specialises in Irish and other antiquities dating from the Stone Age to the Late Middle Ages. The NMI’s collection contains artifacts from prehistoric Ireland including bog bodies, Iron and  Bronze Age objects such as axe-heads, swords and shields in bronze, silver and gold, with the earliest dated to c. 7000 BC. It holds the world’s most substantial collection of post-Roman era Irish medieval art. In addition, it houses a substantial collection of medieval metalwork, Viking artefacts including swords and coins, and classical objects from Ancient Egypt, Cyprus and the Roman World.

TradFest – TradFest is a joyful celebration of Irish identity through music. Each January, it showcases the best of established and emerging musical talent at a landmark festival which is rooted in the historic and atmospheric setting of Temple Bar, Dublin’s cultural quarter. Over 50 live music concerts take place in some of the best pubs in Temple Bar, as well as key historical landmarks in Dublin.

Dublin Castle – 13 Century castle. Today Irish Govenment and Conference Center.

Grafton Street – One of the principal shopping streets in the city center. Mostly pedestrianised and lined with many cafes, shops and street performers.

Temple Bar- Busy riverside neighborhood with many pubs, restaurants and quirky boutiques.

Guinness Storehouse – Learn about the history of Ireland’s most iconic beer over seven floors. Enjoy 360 degree views of the city from the Gravity Bar!

Five Farms Irish Cream Frozen Mochaccino

My oh my! Just look what I have for you today – Five Farms Irish Cream Frozen Mochaccino! Perfect for those times when you need to whip up a dessert that is not only delicious, but also a bit boozy! This decadent delight is rich, smooth & creamy & just brimming with the enticing flavor of Irish Cream liqueur.

Now I know that when most folks think of Irish Cream Liqueur, Baileys comes to mind. And that is great. If you can’t get ahold of a bottle of Five Farms, you should definitely make this dessert with Baileys. But ya’ll, if you can get a bottle of Five Farms you simply must! I told you all about Five Farms after Rascalcook introduced me to it on our trip to Ireland last year. I featured it in three of last years posts:

Irish Coffee Martini

Irish Coffee Truffles

Irish Coffee Cupcakes

Obsessed much? Yeah, I’m totally spoiled for it and diligently searched the area until I found a store that carried it. It is that good! Five Farms single batch Irish Cream liqueur is also produced in beautiful County Cork in the southern portion where the land meet the sea. The fresh cream used in this rich smooth liqueur is sourced entirely from 5 family owned farms. It is combined with premium triple distilled whiskey. In fact, there is a greater amount of Irish Whiskey in this product than most other brands of Irish Cream. This results in a warm sweet creamy taste in which the complexity of the whiskey shines through. I promise, you will not be disappointed.

Now this dreamy dessert is indeed of the frozen variety. Some folks might think they don’t want anything frozen in winter. First of all, good ole Punxsutawney Phil said it is Spring, so it’s not winter. But even if it were, frozen desserts are fantastic year round. I did mention that we visited Ireland at the end of January. Firmly winter. And do you know what one of the first shops I made a beeline for was? Murphy’s Ice Cream! Truth be told, we might have visited it several times. I LOVE Murphy’s Ice Cream! We used to only be able to get it when we visited Dingle, but now they have opened several shops and one is in Dublin, just steps off of Grafton Street! Their ice cream is made with fresh from the farm milk, lots of local cream, free range eggs, and organic sugar. No colourings, flavourings, or powdered milk. My favorite flavor, though it is so hard to choose because they are all so exquisite, is probably Brown Bread. Though this time round they had a chocolate whiskey that was fantastic. They also had an Irish Cream flavor, so the husband got one scoop of the whiskey and one of the Irish Cream.

Not that it was freezing cold in Ireland in January. The temps were anywhere from 40 F – 50 F. Late at night it might have dipped down into the 30’s. It did rain a bit, but never any torrential downpours. On one drizzly day we headed over to the National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology on Kildare Street to see all of the gold. The collection of prehistoric goldwork ranges in date between 2200 BC and 500 BC. Most are pieces of jewellery but the precise function of some is unknown. I have visited this museum many, many times and really love it. But I learned something new on this visit. Along with all of the Torcs and armbands, there were these round golden, often fairly decorated objects that had previously been identified as “boxes”. Turns out they are actually ear spools. So you know the folks you see nowadays that have ear stretchers or lobe gauges in their ears? Yup, you could’ve also seen those sported in the late bronze age (1000 – 500BC) Ireland. I had no idea.

This incredible museum also has exhibitions on Viking Ireland, The Treasury (think Ardagh Chalice) Kingship & Sacrifice (think Bog bodies) and much much more. You simply must devote some time to visit when in Dublin!

But wow! I did get off track there. Let me get back to today’s frozen delight – Five Farms Irish Cream Frozen Mochaccino! This dessert is very easy to make. Just plan ahead, because once it’s all whipped together, you need to let it chill in the freezer overnight or at least for eight hours. Oisín recommends placing it in the glasses you plan to serve it in before freezing. I just poured mine into a big freezer approved bowl and then used an ice cream scoop to place it into my serving glasses. It might be fun to freeze it in little 4 oz. Weck Jars as well. Not matter how you serve this tipsy treat up, folks will be delighted I assure you!

Five Farms Frozen Irish Cream Mochaccino

• Servings: six
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

recipe from: Irish Kitchen Cocktails: 60 Drinks You Can Make at Home with Everyday Equipment by Oisín Davis

Ingredients:

• 125 grams caster (superfine or baker’s ) sugar
• 120 ml (4 fl. oz.) strongly brewed coffee
• 200 grams dark chocolate, smashed into wee bits
• 100 ml (3 1/2 fl. oz.) Five Farms Single Batch Irish Cream Liqueur
• 375 ml (12 3/4 fl. oz) fresh cream
• white chocolate to garnish

Directions:

Place the sugar and coffee in a saucepan and slowly bring to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat. Add the chocolate and stir until it has melted. Then add the Five Farms Irish Cream. Using a hand blender, blitz it all up and then set it aside to cool.

Pour the cream into a medium-sized bowl and whip until it’s stiff. Fold it into the cooled chocolate mixture. Divide it among six martini glasses or small glasses. Cover the glasses with cling film, ensuring it touches the top of the chocolate mixture to prevent a skin forming. Freeze for at least eight hours or overnight.

Remove the glasses from the freezer about 15 minutes before you want to serve. Grate some white chocolate over the top to garnish and serve with a spoon.

Enjoy!

Useful links for Kitchen Tools & Ingredients for Five Farms Frozen Mochaccino

*Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase*

Breville Immersion Blender

Weck Jars

Five Farms Irish Cream – Five Farms single batch Irish Cream liqueur is also produced in beautiful County Cork in the southern portion where the land meet the sea. The fresh cream used in this rich smooth liqueur is sourced entirely from 5 family owned farms. It is combined with premium triple distilled whiskey. In fact, there is a greater amount of Irish Whiskey in this product than most other brands of Irish Cream. This results in a warm sweet creamy taste in which the complexity of the whiskey shines through.

Irish Kitchen Cocktails: 60 Drinks You Can Make at Home with Everyday Equipment by Oisín Davis -OMG! I love this book. So making craft cocktails at home can be a bit intimidating to say the least. Oisín Davis, who has years of experience in the hospitality/drinks industry, completely demystifies the process in his book. He shows you that you don’t need a ton of specialty bar equipment to make a superb cocktail. You can achieve outstanding result by using common kitchen supplies! He also does an amazing job of promoting some of the best distilleries on the planet, which call Ireland home!

Criostal Na Rinne – Like the champagne glasses I served the Mochaccino in? They are crystal glasses from the Tonn Collection at Criostal Na Rinne. Criostal na Rinne is a hand cut crystal studio workshop situated in Ireland’s Ancient East in the picturesque Irish-speaking area of An Rinn, the Waterford Gaeltacht. Eamonn Terry, a master craftsman glasscutter of over 50 years experience, started his career with Waterford Crystal before establishing Criostal na Rinne in 1987, producing Irish crystal of breathtaking quality and beauty. And you don’t have to go to Ireland to purchase, they ship to the US. I have ordered from them several times and the packages always arrive promptly and in perfect condition!

Travel Planning Guide:

Getting there: Icelandair! We love Icelandair and have always had great experience with them. Icelandair flies to Dublin, Ireland. Take advantage of their Stopover program on your next flight to Europe.

Car Rental: New Way Car Hire – Love the all-inclusive pricing on these cars as well as the Dublin Airport pickup!

Accommodation: Number 31 – This luxurious hotel is half traditional Georgian townhouse and half modernist mews which are connected by a charming courtyard. The Georgian townhouse half is where we have always chosen to stay and we love the mildly eccentric jazz age flamboyance. The location of this decadent hideaway is also superb. It is steps from St. Stephen’s Green in the heart of the city. We would not dream of stying any where else and cannot wait to visit again!

Restaurants/ Cafés/ Bakeries/ Pubs:

Murphy’s Ice Cream – I LOVE Murphy’s Ice Cream! We used to only be able to get it when we visited Dingle, but now they have opened several shops and one is in Dublin, just steps off of Grafton Street! Their ice cream is made with fresh from the farm milk, lots of local cream, free range eggs, and organic sugar. No colourings, flavourings, or powdered milk. My favorite flavor, though it is so hard to choose because they are all so exquisite, is probably Brown Bread.

Xi’an Street Food – Modern Asian Cuisine with authentic & bold flavours from Xi’an region in China. Looking for late night takeaway while visiting Dublin, or a delicious meal anytime for that matter, this is the place.

Bar 1661 – Voted Ireland’s Bar of the Year in 2022! My favorite cocktail bar full stop! Not just in Ireland, but everywhere! Folks, if you are visiting Dublin and you like cocktails at all, this is an absolute must!!! The ambiance is in point, not to mention the historical significance as well as the absolute enthusiasm everyone there has for crafting exceptional cocktails! I will say, make sure you book a reservation. You do not want to miss this!

The Porterhouse -This large airy brewpub offers a wide selection of ales, lagers and stouts. It has a fun, folksy atmosphere and often you can catch some live music. They serve some tasty pub grub as well and some of the best chips I’ve had in Dublin.

The Old Storehouse – The Old Storehouse is a great venue, kind of like three different pubs all rolled into one. They’ve got the cozy, intimate snug area, the lively main bar and then Flaherty’s Pub downstairs for bands. They also have a lovely covered outside area.

Attractions:

The National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology – ( Ard-Mhúsaem na hÉireann – Seandálaíocht), often known as the “NMI”, located on Kildare Street in Dublin specialises in Irish and other antiquities dating from the Stone Age to the Late Middle Ages. The NMI’s collection contains artifacts from prehistoric Ireland including bog bodies, Iron and  Bronze Age objects such as axe-heads, swords and shields in bronze, silver and gold, with the earliest dated to c. 7000 BC. It holds the world’s most substantial collection of post-Roman era Irish medieval art. In addition, it houses a substantial collection of medieval metalwork, Viking artefacts including swords and coins, and classical objects from Ancient Egypt, Cyprus and the Roman World.

TradFest – TradFest is a joyful celebration of Irish identity through music. Each January, it showcases the best of established and emerging musical talent at a landmark festival which is rooted in the historic and atmospheric setting of Temple Bar, Dublin’s cultural quarter. Over 50 live music concerts take place in some of the best pubs in Temple Bar, as well as key historical landmarks in Dublin.

Dublin Castle – 13 Century castle. Today Irish Govenment and Conference Center.

Grafton Street – One of the principal shopping streets in the city center. Mostly pedestrianised and lined with many cafes, shops and street performers.

Temple Bar- Busy riverside neighborhood with many pubs, restaurants and quirky boutiques.

Guinness Storehouse – Learn about the history of Ireland’s most iconic beer over seven floors. Enjoy 360 degree views of the city from the Gravity Bar!

The Spicebag/ “Mala Spiosrach”

Here we go folks, day five of my countdown to St. Patrick’s Day. And today I am really excited to host a guest blogger who can give you all the info on what is happening food wise in Dublin on/just after the big day! Without further ado I’m going to turn it over to Rascalcook!

An important part of any culture is what it eats after it gets completely ossified (Wasted) on a night out. What do people search for when their brains cease to function, but before they are haunted by the fear (pained by a headache and crippling anxiety about anything they said to people last night). The 2am feed after the feed of pints is vital to the making, or breaking, of a sesh (social event involving drinking). 

There are lots of contenders for the best food on the sesh. The kebab is always a strong fighter, and eating an entire pizza that has enough oil on the surface to fund Norwegian pensions, is only ever possible when you’re toasted. Above all of these though, there is the Spicebag. The combination of Protein, Carbs and Spicy Umami flavours cannot be topped. Since its inception in the bleak days of Post Celtic Tiger Ireland (After the 2008 financial crash), The Spicebag has taken over. 

There is mythology around the Spicebag. Fancy chefs say it’s akin to Szechuan stir fried potatoes, whereas the national broadcaster says it’s from a takeaway in Southwest Dublin. And at least a half dozen different places claim to be the first people to actually call it a Spicebag. I first had it in college when my usual Salt and Chilli Chips had an option to add chicken, though I didn’t see it called The Spicebag till I moved to Dublin.

A Spicebag you might get at a Dublin Takeaway

The Spicebag is a sample of a new Ireland, where people actually like flavour, and where the classic image of Irish food being boiled for hours and served grey is blasted away by enough chilli to make you sweat a little, but not so much you can’t inhale the whole thing. The quality of a Spicebag has started the careers of dozens of Dublin food micro influencers and shaped countless conversations in the pub about where to go for food. 

At its core, it’s Chips, Chicken, some peppers and onions, and a spice blend. You toss everything together in a pan, and serve with the sauce of your choice, though generally curry sauce is the key condiment. That being said, I’ve seen it with baby potatoes, I’ve seen it with scampi and tofu, I’ve had it served with hot honey and garlic dip, it’s a wonderfully versatile dish that’s also easy to make at home.

• Servings: 1 -2 Depending on the night you've had
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

recipe from: Rascalcook

*All of this is designed to scale, so I’m giving you weights. But i’m really doing things like having a 4-2-1 ratio in The Spicebag ingredients. When I say 2 grams/5 grams, I mean a teaspoon or a 1/2 teaspoon. At the end of the day, once you have added the spice mix to the combination of carbs and protein, you will have the spirit of The Spicebag

Ingredients:

For the Spicebag:

• 600 grams or roughly 4 – 5 medium sized spuds
• 300 grams sliced chicken
• 1 egg
• 50 ml water
• 30 grams all purpose flour
• 30 grams potato flour
• 100 grams bell pepper, roughly 1 pepper
• 50 grams, or one medium sized red onion
• 3 -4 cloves of garlic

For the Spice Mix:

• 10 grams salt
• 5 grams sugar
• 5 grams MSG

Powders: (This is basically a 5 Spice Blend with white pepper)

• 2 grams cinnamon
• 2 grams Star Anise
• 2 grams Szechuan Pepper
• 2 grams white pepper
• 2 gram
• 2 grams clove
• 2 grams Fennel

• Whole Herbs for Crushing:
• 5 grams Szechuan Pepper
• 2 grams Coriander Seed
• 5 grams Whole or Crushed Chili (Birds Eye if you can)
• 5 grams Korean Chilli Flake (Can be replaced with other flakes of your choice)
• 2 grams Black Pepper

Directions:

First you need to prep the spice mix. Our spice mix is in two parts, the powder which is basically just a 5 spice powder and then the whole herbs. You want to use a spice grinder, blender or mortar and pestle to break up the whole herbs. Don’t completely powder them, you just want to be able to see that there’s flakes of chili in the mix. Add the whole herbs to the powdered spices and then add in the sugar, salt and MSG.

Now you should prep your potatoes. I used 600 grams of Roosters, or four to five medium sized spuds. I’m making a pretty basic set of fries, so I slice them into chunky fries, rest them in some salted water for an hour at least. The next step is to parboil them for about 5 minutes to get them mostly cooked. After parboiling, it is good to let them cool. You have the option of doing this the day beforehand. Another option if you have a deep fryer, is to just cook them at a low temperature and then chill them. (If you don’t want to make fries, you could just cube up the potatoes and toss them in 2 Tablespoon of neutral oil and a teaspoon of the spice mix before cooking them in the oven until golden and crispy. Baby potatoes also work really well for this at home.

Prep your chicken. For this recipe, I’m using about 300 grams of chicken, which I will mix with two teaspoons of the spice mix. Slice the chicken into half inch or so wide strips. Mix one egg with 50 ml of water and mix it around your chicken strips. Then add roughly 60 grams of a 50/50 mix of potato and all purpose flour to the bowl. This is a very light batter. I prefer my chicken with crunchy bits, but not fully coated. If you want crunchier, more heavily coated chicken, just thicken the batter to your taste. Set bowl aside to rest awhile.

For the Veg; Thinly slice one medium red onion and three or four cloves of garlic. Slice one bell pepper into thin strips, roughly the same size as you have sliced the chicken pieces and potatoes.

Finish your chicken and potatoes right before you want to serve your Spicebag. If you are deep-frying your potatoes, cook them until they are crispy and golden brown, then very lightly salt them once they are done (You should always salt your fries straight away, even though we will be hitting them with more salty stuff later).

For the Chicken: You can deep-fry, air fry, pan fry or even oven bake at medium high until crispy and deep golden. The pieces should be small enough that once they’re cooked properly on the outside, they will be cooked through as well.

Now it is time to build our Spicebag. If you have a wok, now is the time to use it. Otherwise, grab your biggest pan so that you have space to move the ingredients around in it. Heat 2 Tablespoon of neutral oil at medium high temperature. Add the onions and garlic to flash fry for about 15 seconds and then throw in the peppers. At this point, add about one teaspoon of the spice mix, stir to combine. Add the chicken and potatoes, as well as two more teaspoons of the spice mix. Toss together for long enough that the spices start to get fragrant. Add more spice mix to taste. Serve onto a plate.

Notes:

For serving: You can eat this with or without a side sauce. If you want it with a sauce, I recommend making a packet of curry sauce to get that classic takeaway vibe. The Japanese blocks of curry mix are pretty much as close as you can get flavor wise. But you can also use any sauce you like. I’ve had it with hot honey, gochujang mayo and a classic lemon and garlic mayo.

You can also add fresh sliced chilies and green onion at ten end to brighten the dish, though keep in mind that more chili = more heat.

If it is too hot, you can reduce the amount of chili in the spice mix, but in order to keep the peppery flavor, you should add more black pepper.

Enjoy!

Hi. I’m Xander. I’ve been working in and around the Irish food and drink industry since I was a child working in the Milk Market in Limerick with my mom. I mostly cook for pleasure these days, but when Lea asked about a favourite part of Irish food to share in advance of Paddy’s day, I knew I had to help spread the word of The Spicebag. If you like this you can find me on instagram as @Rascalcook where I post photos of food and projects I’m working on.

Travel Planning Guide:

Getting there: Icelandair! We love Icelandair and have always had great experience with them. Icelandair flies to Dublin, Ireland. Take advantage of their Stopover program on your next flight to Europe.

Car Rental: New Way Car Hire – Love the all-inclusive pricing on these cars as well as the Dublin Airport pickup!

Accommodation: Number 31 – This luxurious hotel is half traditional Georgian townhouse and half modernist mews which are connected by a charming courtyard. The Georgian townhouse half is where we have always chosen to stay and we love the mildly eccentric jazz age flamboyance. The location of this decadent hideaway is also superb. It is steps from St. Stephen’s Green in the heart of the city. We would not dream of stying any where else and cannot wait to visit again!

Restaurants/ Cafés/ Bakeries/ Pubs:

Xi’an Street Food – Modern Asian Cuisine with authentic & bold flavours from Xi’an region in China. Looking for late night takeaway while visiting Dublin, or a delicious meal anytime for that matter, this is the place. And watch them prepare their version of the Spicebag in this video.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Xian Street Food (@xianstreetfood)

Bar 1661 – Voted Ireland’s Bar of the Year in 2022! My favorite cocktail bar full stop! Not just in Ireland, but everywhere! Folks, if you are visiting Dublin and you like cocktails at all, this is an absolute must!!! The ambiance is in point, not to mention the historical significance as well as the absolute enthusiasm everyone there has for crafting exceptional cocktails! I will say, make sure you book a reservation. You do not want to miss this!

The Porterhouse -This large airy brewpub offers a wide selection of ales, lagers and stouts. It has a fun, folksy atmosphere and often you can catch some live music. They serve some tasty pub grub as well and some of the best chips I’ve had in Dublin.

The Old Storehouse – The Old Storehouse is a great venue, kind of like three different pubs all rolled into one. They’ve got the cozy, intimate snug area, the lively main bar and then Flaherty’s Pub downstairs for bands. They also have a lovely covered outside area.

Attractions:

TradFest – TradFest is a joyful celebration of Irish identity through music. Each January, it showcases the best of established and emerging musical talent at a landmark festival which is rooted in the historic and atmospheric setting of Temple Bar, Dublin’s cultural quarter. Over 50 live music concerts take place in some of the best pubs in Temple Bar, as well as key historical landmarks in Dublin.

Dublin Castle – 13 Century castle. Today Irish Govenment and Conference Center.

Grafton Street – One of the principal shopping streets in the city center. Mostly pedestrianised and lined with many cafes, shops and street performers.

Temple Bar- Busy riverside neighborhood with many pubs, restaurants and quirky boutiques.

Guinness Storehouse – Learn about the history of Ireland’s most iconic beer over seven floors. Enjoy 360 degree views of the city from the Gravity Bar!

Guinness Braised Short Ribs

Alrighty friends, here we go on day four of our countdown to St. Patrick’s Day 2024! What I’ve got for you today is some classic comfort food at its finest – Guinness Braised Short Ribs. These rich, juicy ribs are slow braised for hours along with some delicious veg in that magic elixir – Guinness Stout. After a couple of hours, your patience will have paid off because these ribs will be juicy, fall off the bone tender. Seriously, they practically melt in your mouth. Served over some creamy mashed potatoes with lashings of the sauce for a hearty, warm you to your core feast!

This dish comes together so easily. Just chop some veg, sear the ribs, sweat the veg and then add in the Guinness. That’s it for the work. Then you just leave it simmering away on the stove top and let that Guinness work its magic. I served these ribs over creamy mashed potatoes, though polenta would also be tasty. Such a great winter warmer.

And speaking of winter, I did mention that we are just back from an awesome January get away to Ireland. I know folks might think January is not a good time for a visit, but I’m telling you that is not true. One great thing is that there are fewer crowds as well as off season prices. That’s awesome right. But I also want to let you know that TradFest takes place in Dublin every January. TradFest is a joyful celebration of Irish identity through music. Each January, it showcases the best of established and emerging musical talent at a landmark festival which is rooted in the historic and atmospheric setting of Temple Bar, Dublin’s cultural quarter. Experience live trad music sessions in some of the best live music pubs and venues in Dublin. And I have to say, even if you are a bit short on cash and can’t afford a ticket to one of the bigger shows, you can check out the Smithwick’s Sessions. These are free and unticketed shows in the best pubs and cosiest lounges of Temple Bar. The Husband and I were lucky enough to catch Ispíní na hÉireann (the Sausages of Ireland) at The Old Storehouse. The Old Storehouse is a great venue, kind of like three different pubs all rolled into one. They’ve got the cozy, intimate snug area, the lively main bar and then Flaherty’s Pub downstairs for bands. They also have a lovely covered outside area.

But let me take a moment to tell you about those Sausages. Ispíní na hÉireann are raucous and somewhat irreverent, their music music is a combination of original songs as well as reimagined covers and tunes, all influenced by the Irish musical tradition.

So if you are into Irish Traditional Music or just live music in general, you should check this out! But let me get back to those melt-in-your-mouth Guinness Braised Short Ribs.

The first time I served this dish (oh yes, the Husband and I had leftovers) I was all fancy and served one rib perched atop a mini mountain of mashed potatoes. After capturing the photos, I promptly removed the ribs from the pan, got rid of the bones and shredded the meat, which I then stirred back into that lovely sauce. We’re still serving it over the mashed potatoes, but it is a bit easier to work with now. So what are you waiting for, make up a big pot of this amazing winter warmer today!

• Servings: 4 - 6
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 4 ounces diced pancetta
• 3 pounds Beef Short Ribs, bone-in
• 2 tablespoons Butter, unsalted
• 1 whole Onion, diced
• 2 whole Carrots, medium dice
• 16 ounce package Baby Bella Mushrooms, sliced
• 5 cloves Garlic, minced
• 10 ounce can of Petite Diced Tomatoes
• 2 cans (14.9 Oz. Size) Guinness Stout
• 4 – 5 sprigs of thyme, leaves only
• Kosher Salt and Black Pepper, to season
• 2 tablespoons Cornmeal
• Parsley to garnish
• Mashed potatoes – for serving

Directions:

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large dutch oven. Add the pancetta to the pan and fry until crisp. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.

Season the ribs on both sides with salt and pepper. Brown ribs on all sides, working in batches. Remove to platter and set aside.

Add two tablespoons butter to pan. Once melted, add the onion, carrots and mushrooms to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute or so. Then add the tin of diced tomatoes, as well as the two cans of Guinness Stout. Sprinkle in the thyme leaves, stir and bring to a low simmer. Nestle the browned ribs into the pan, reduce the heat to low and cook for approximately 2 1/2 – 3 hours.

Once again, remove the ribs from the pan to a serving platter. Place 2 Tablespoons cornmeal in a small dish and stir in some of the cooking liquid until you have a loose paste. Slowly stir this cornmeal mixture back into the pan and continue to cook until the sauce has thickened. Return the ribs to the pan.

To serve: Place one short rib on a portion of mashed potatoes. Ladle sauce over the top and garnish with some fresh parsley as well as the crispy reserved pancetta.

Enjoy!

***Hold up! Don’t go away just yet. I need to remind you that tomorrow Dublin based Rascalcook will be taking over the blog to tell you how to make an essential dish that simply everybody will be scarfing down come the wee hours of St. Patrick’s Day, after a night of consuming innumerable celebratory pints. You don’t want to miss this one!!!***

Links for Helpful Kitchen Tools & Ingredients for Guinness Braised Short Ribs:

*Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase*

Le Creuset Dutch Oven – I use a 9 oz. pan for this recipe

Potato Ricer – for the most creamy, perfect consistency mashed potatoes a potato ricer is essential!

Zipstrip Herb Stripper – make quick work of those thyme leaves

Crafty Celts – Love the utensils in the pics above? You can get a set for yourself at Crafty Celts where you will find handcrafted historically inspired bronze and silver jewelry, as well as gorgeous silverware. You might recognize some of their jewelry as it was featured in the Vikings television show.

Travel Planning Guide:

Getting there: Icelandair! We love Icelandair and have always had great experience with them. Icelandair flies to Dublin, Ireland. Take advantage of their Stopover program on your next flight to Europe.

Car Rental: New Way Car Hire – Love the all-inclusive pricing on these cars as well as the Dublin Airport pickup!

Accommodation: Number 31 – This luxurious hotel is half traditional Georgian townhouse and half modernist mews which are connected by a charming courtyard. The Georgian townhouse half is where we have always chosen to stay and we love the mildly eccentric jazz age flamboyance. The location of this decadent hideaway is also superb. It is steps from St. Stephen’s Green in the heart of the city. We would not dream of stying any where else and cannot wait to visit again!

Restaurants/ Cafés/ Bakeries/ Pubs:

Bar 1661 – Voted Ireland’s Bar of the Year in 2022! My favorite cocktail bar full stop! Not just in Ireland, but everywhere! Folks, if you are visiting Dublin and you like cocktails at all, this is an absolute must!!! The ambiance is in point, not to mention the historical significance as well as the absolute enthusiasm everyone there has for crafting exceptional cocktails! I will say, make sure you book a reservation. You do not want to miss this!

The Porterhouse -This large airy brewpub offers a wide selection of ales, lagers and stouts. It has a fun, folksy atmosphere and often you can catch some live music. They serve some tasty pub grub as well and some of the best chips I’ve had in Dublin.

The Old Storehouse – The Old Storehouse is a great venue, kind of like three different pubs all rolled into one. They’ve got the cozy, intimate snug area, the lively main bar and then Flaherty’s Pub downstairs for bands. They also have a lovely covered outside area.

Attractions:

TradFest – TradFest is a joyful celebration of Irish identity through music. Each January, it showcases the best of established and emerging musical talent at a landmark festival which is rooted in the historic and atmospheric setting of Temple Bar, Dublin’s cultural quarter. Over 50 live music concerts take place in some of the best pubs in Temple Bar, as well as key historical landmarks in Dublin.

Dublin Castle – 13 Century castle. Today Irish Govenment and Conference Center.

Grafton Street – One of the principal shopping streets in the city center. Mostly pedestrianised and lined with many cafes, shops and street performers.

Temple Bar- Busy riverside neighborhood with many pubs, restaurants and quirky boutiques.

Guinness Storehouse – Learn about the history of Ireland’s most iconic beer over seven floors. Enjoy 360 degree views of the city from the Gravity Bar!

Tomato & Irish Gin Soup with Cheddar Cheese Straws

Oh yes! You read that correctly…Tomato & Gin soup! This tipsy tomato soup is just a bowl of creamy, dreamy comfort food at its finest! It comes together quickly with pantry staples for the most part, but it tastes like you’ve been crafting it for the better part of the day! Fresh tomatoes, a generous glug of Drumshando Gunpowder Irish Gin and sweet cream are the stars of the show.

Tomato soup & grilled cheese sandwich is one of the Husband’s favorite meals. And don’t you know it, Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin is also high up on his list of favorites. So yeah, this soup is a match made in heaven for him.

Oh and then there are those tasty little Cheddar Cheese Straws, which are standing in for the classic grilled cheese sandwich here. They are quite simply perfection and also come together very quickly. Just use store bought puff pastry, stuff it with freshly grated Irish Cheddar Cheese (I used Dubliner), brush a bit of egg wash over the top, season, twist and then bake. These pillowy, butter cheesy little straws with all their nooks and crannies are perfect for mopping up every last bit of that gorgeous tomato gin soup. Not to mention, they are great for nibbling alongside a bit of wine or pint of beer. Just the combo to brighten up a chilly winter day

Speaking of which, I did mention to you that we just got back from our most recent trip to Ireland. We were in Dublin at the end of January. I am aware that January might not be the most popular time to visit Ireland, but we thought it was great. A little rain never stops us, and as I have mentioned, cold doesn’t bother us either. Not that it was terribly cold in Dublin. The temps hovered right around 40 – 50F for most of the time. And we found a bit of gentle rain to be cozy to tell you the truth. We once again stayed the incomparable Number 31! This luxurious hotel is half traditional Georgian townhouse and half modernist mews which are connected by a charming courtyard.

The Georgian townhouse half is where we have always chosen to stay and we love the mildly eccentric jazz age flamboyance. We love this wallpaper!

The Husband & I

The Husband and I after a few too many pints!

And the award winning, legendary breakfast never disappoints. They serve an amazing homemade Cranberry-orange Nut Loaf that is to die for. I attempted to get the recipe, but wasn’t able to wheedle it out of them. You’ll just have to go try it for yourselves! Hands down this is one of the best breakfasts I’ve had anywhere – full stop!

Irish Cheddar Omelet with rashers & potato cake!

But there I go, getting side tracked again. Back to this Tomato & Irish Gin Soup! This recipe comes from The Raglan Road Cookbook by Kevin Dundon. This is a great cookbook, chock full of contemporary as well as traditional Irish recipes with a smattering of fun stories and interesting Irish trivia and quotes. One of my favorites from WB Yeats: “Being Irish, he had an abiding sense of tragedy, which sustained him through temporary periods of joy”. I’m thinking a big pot of this soup and a handful of cheese straws should be enough to bring on one of those joyful periods for you. Treat yourself to this amazing winter warmer today!

Tomato & Irish Gin Soup

• Servings: 4-6
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

recipe from: The Raglan Road Cookbook by Kevin Dundon

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 kg (2lb 4 oz.) plum tomatoes, halved
• 60 ml ( generous 2 fl. oz.)Irish gin
• 700 ml (3 cups) vegetable stock
• 1 pinch light brown sugar, optional
• 225 ml (8 fl. oz.) cream
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Tablespoon herb oil to garnish, optional

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high hear. Add the garlic and onion and sauté for a few minutes until golden. Add the tomatoes and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or so until well heated through and just beginning to break down. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the gin into the pan and continue to stir occasionally until the gin reduces by half. Stir in the stock and allow it to reduce by half, stirring occasionally.

Blitz with a hand blender until you reach a smooth purée consistency. Season to taste and add the sugar if you wish.

To serve, add the cream to the soup and allow it to warm through. Check the seasoning again and then ladle into warmed serving bowls. Garnish each bowl with a drizzle of herb oil if desired.

Irish Cheddar Cheese Straws

Ingredients:

• 175 grams (6 oz.) sheet of ready rolled puff pastry, thawed if frozen
• all-purpose flour for dusting
• 55 grams (2 oz.) Irish cheddar, finely grated
• 1 egg yolk beaten with 2 tsp water, for egg wash
• flaky sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Place the puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface and sprinkle over the cheddar in an even layer. Fold the pastry in half width ways to completely enclose the cheese layer. Roll the pastry out to its original size, dusting the surface with flour as needed. Brush all over with the egg wash and place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to rest.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Remove the chilled cheese pastry and cut it into 4 inch lengths, each 1/2″ wide. Twist the ends in opposite directions. Arrange the twisted strips on the baking sheet and sprinkle with flaky sea salt and pepper if desired.

Bake for 10 minutes or until crisp and golden brown, then transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool.

Enjoy!

Links for Helpful Kitchen Tools & Ingredients for Tomato & Irish Gin Soup with Cheddar Cheese Straws:

*Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase*

Breville Immersion Blender

Oxo Box Grater

Pastry/Ravioli wheel

Travel Planning Guide:

Getting there: Icelandair! We love Icelandair and have always had great experience with them. Icelandair flies to Dublin, Ireland. Take advantage of their Stopover program on your next flight to Europe.

Car Rental: New Way Car Hire – Love the all-inclusive pricing on these cars as well as the Dublin Airport pickup!

Accommodation: Number 31 – This luxurious hotel is half traditional Georgian townhouse and half modernist mews which are connected by a charming courtyard. The Georgian townhouse half is where we have always chosen to stay and we love the mildly eccentric jazz age flamboyance. The location of this decadent hideaway is also superb. It is steps from St. Stephen’s Green in the heart of the city. We would not dream of stying any where else and cannot wait to visit again!

Restaurants/ Cafés/ Bakeries/ Pubs:

Bar 1661 – Voted Ireland’s Bar of the Year in 2022! My favorite cocktail bar full stop! Not just in Ireland, but everywhere! Folks, if you are visiting Dublin and you like cocktails at all, this is an absolute must!!! The ambiance is in point, not to mention the historical significance as well as the absolute enthusiasm everyone there has for crafting exceptional cocktails! I will say, make sure you book a reservation. You do not want to miss this!

Attractions:

Dublin Castle – 13 Century castle. Today Irish Govenment and Conference Center.

Grafton Street – One of the principal shopping streets in the city center. Mostly pedestrianised and lined with many cafes, shops and street performers.

Temple Bar- Busy riverside neighborhood with many pubs, restaurants and quirky boutiques.

Guinness Storehouse – Learn about the history of Ireland’s most iconic beer over seven floors. Enjoy 360 degree views of the city from the Gravity Bar!

Tayto Chocolate Chip Cookies

And here we go ya’ll. Day two of my 2024 Countdown to St. Patrick’s Day! What I’ve got on deck for you today is Tayto Chocolate Chip Cookies! So I’m sure you’re thinking “how is this different from the average, run of the mill chocolate chip?” as well as “what is a Tayto?”. These scrumptious little chocolate chips are different from any other you might have come across because they have a surprise ingredient. Yup there is a bag of Tayto Cheese & Onion crisps (potato chips) crumbled up in them. Light and chocolatey, with an extra bit of crunch from the savory crumbled crisps, these particularly Irish chocolate chip cookies are quite crave worthy!

The iconic Tayto Crisps have been a favorite in Ireland for generations. Their original crisp factory was founded in 1954 in Dublin by a man known as Joe “Spud” Murphy. He is credited with having invented the worlds very first seasoned crisp, and yes Cheese & Onion was their first flavor variety on offer. Indeed, Tayto’s Cheese & Onion crisps are reported to be the number one snack that expats miss the most after moving abroad.

Believe me, I have eaten a fair few packets of these crisps in my day. I gotta say, I love potatoes, in pretty much all of their incarnations. Crisped, baked, fried, mashed…you get it. I particularly love french fries (chips in Ireland). In fact, I’m told that one of my first words was “fry fry”, clearly a testament to my enduring love. And yes, I prefer my french fries to be thick cut. Not those skinny McDonalds variety, but more like proper Irish Chips. I swear to you the potatoes in Ireland simply taste better than any available in the States – sorry Idaho! On our most recent visit, the Husband and I were delighted with the chips we ordered at The Porterhouse in Temple Bar. Crisp on the outside with a gorgeous soft center, splashed with lashings of malt vinegar and salt, they were absolute perfection!

We might have had one or two of these while visiting the Porterhouse as well…

But I digress. Let me get back to today’s cookies featuring Tayto Cheese & Onion crisps! I found this recipe in Graham Herterich’s book Bake: Traditional Irish Baking with Modern Twists. I love this cookbook.

Visually it is gorgeous, but it doesn’t rely on looks alone. This book is chock full of fantastic recipes. Graham Herterich, better known in Ireland as the Cupcake Bloke, initially trained as a chef and then went on to open The Bakery in Rialto Dublin. In this, his first cookbook, he offers a traditional recipe followed by a modern twist on that recipe. Last year I shared his Malted Coffee Chocolate & Pecan Brack.

And also my take on his Irish Jambons.

Tayto Chocolate Chip Cookies are his modern twist on regular chocolate chips. Now I must admit, although I love Tayto’s and I do enjoy a good chocolate chip cookie, I was not sure how I would feel about mixing a cheese & onion flavor into a cookie. But hey, you never know, so I went for it and liked them much better than I thought I would. The cookie was very light and airy, but with a wonderful crispy texture from the crumbled crisps. And while I could taste the onion flavor a bit, it was not at all overpowering and gave the cookie a less sweet and more savory profile. Cheese & Onion crisps in a chocolate chip cookie definitely works! Who knew? Apparently Graham Herterich.

• Servings: 28 - 30 cookies or 12 big monster cookies
• Print

recipe from: Bake: Traditional Irish Baking with Modern Twists by Graham Herterich

Ingredients:

• 160 grams butter, softened
• 80 grams light brown sugar
• 80 grams caster (superfine) sugar
• 1 medium egg, beaten
• 1 Tablespoon milk
• 225 grams all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (bread soda)
• 200 grams chocolate chips ( I used a blend of milk and dark chocolate chips, just as Graham Herterich recommended, but you do you.)
• 1 bag of roughly crushed Tayto Cheese & Onion crisps ( potato chips if you are from the states. If you can’t get Tayto, you could substitute in your favorite brand)

Directions:

Cream the butter and sugars together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and set on medium. Keep mixing until they are pale in color and light and fluffy, about 5 – 6 minutes.

Add the egg and milk and continue mixing for approximately 30 seconds. Add the flour and baking soda a mix for another 30 seconds.

Add the chocolate chips and mix until they are just evenly incorporated.

Add the crushed potato chips.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Scoop cookies using a medium sized cookie scoop – approximately 2 Tablespoons, placing the dough right next to each other. Flatten the dough slightly. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours. Allowing the dough to to sit for 24 hours lets the starch and proteins in the flour begin to break down, which leads to a more even bake. I should mention here that Graham’s recipe calls for making really large cookies. He advises that you divide the dough in 12 portions. These are some monster cookies. If this sounds like the cookie you’d like to make, do as he advocates. Place six of these big boys on each baking tray and bake for the 15 – 18 minutes recommended.

On baking day, preheat the oven to 320 degrees F (160 degrees C fan) and turn on the convection fan. Line two baking trays with parchment. Divide the dough balls equally among the trays.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 -18 minutes. The cookies should be slightly brown and the edges and still soft in the center.

Allow to cool on the baking tray for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Links for Helpful Kitchen Tools & Ingredients for Tayto Chocolate Chip Cookies:

*Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase*

Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand Mixer

Oxo Good Grips Stainless Steel Food Scale

OXO Good Grips Medium Cookie Scoop

Tayto Cheese and Onion Crisps (Chips)- A national institution in Ireland!

Bake: Traditional Irish Baking with Modern Twists by Graham Herterich – It does not appear that this book is available on Amazon, but you can get it here or when you go and visit Ireland. I love this cookbook! Visually it is gorgeous, but it doesn’t rely on looks alone. This book is chock full of fantastic recipes. Graham Herterich, better known in Ireland as the Cupcake Bloke, initially trained as a chef and then went on to open The Bakery in Rialto Dublin. In this, his first cookbook, he offers a traditional recipe followed by a modern twist on that recipe. It also contains a brief history of Irish baking as well as a guide to baking essentials and lesser known ingredients.

Travel Planning Guide:

Getting there: Icelandair! We love Icelandair and have always had great experience with them. Icelandair flies to Dublin, Ireland. Take advantage of their Stopover program on your next flight to Europe.

Car Rental: New Way Car Hire – Love the all-inclusive pricing on these cars as well as the Dublin Airport pickup!

Accommodation: Number 31 – This luxurious hotel is half traditional Georgian townhouse and half modernist mews which are connected by a charming courtyard. The Georgian townhouse half is where we have always chosen to stay and we love the mildly eccentric jazz age flamboyance. The location of this decadent hideaway is also superb. It is steps from St. Stephen’s Green in the heart of the city. We would not dream of stying any where else and cannot wait to visit again!

Restaurants/ Cafés/ Bakeries/ Pubs:

Bar 1661 – Voted Ireland’s Bar of the Year in 2022! My favorite cocktail bar full stop! Not just in Ireland, but everywhere! Folks, if you are visiting Dublin and you like cocktails at all, this is an absolute must!!! The ambiance is in point, not to mention the historical significance as well as the absolute enthusiasm everyone there has for crafting exceptional cocktails! I will say, make sure you book a reservation. You do not want to miss this!

The Porterhouse -This large airy brewpub offers a wide selection of ales, lagers and stouts. It has a fun, folksy atmosphere and often you can catch some live music. They serve some tasty pub grub as well and some of the best chips I’ve had in Dublin.

Attractions:

Dublin Castle – 13 Century castle. Today Irish Govenment and Conference Center.

Grafton Street – One of the principal shopping streets in the city center. Mostly pedestrianised and lined with many cafes, shops and street performers.

Temple Bar- Busy riverside neighborhood with many pubs, restaurants and quirky boutiques.

Guinness Storehouse – Learn about the history of Ireland’s most iconic beer over seven floors. Enjoy 360 degree views of the city from the Gravity Bar!

Belfast Coffee

Alrighty! Here we go folks. First day of the 2024 St. Patrick’s Day recipe count down! And what better way to kick things off than with this caffeinated, boozy delight of a cocktail – The Belfast Coffee! Now I know some of you might be thinking… “Oh right. An Irish Coffee. We get it.” I understand how you might think that…but ya’ll….This libation is so much more than just an Irish Coffee! (Not that there’s anything wrong with an Irish Coffee mind you. Just saying…this is soooo much better!) But let’s not let me get ahead of myself. So, as I mentioned, the Husband and I were off to Ireland again in late January of this year. We were very lucky in that we had planned to meet up with RascalCook and he introduced us to Bar 1661, where we had the pleasure of experiencing this exquisite Belfast Coffee. To be honest, it is a unique twist on the Irish Coffee. Instead of Irish Whiskey, Poitín is substituted and instead of hot coffee, the choice is cold brew.

A fluffy, lightly whipped cream is floated on top, accompanied with a lovely garnish of freshly grated nutmeg. One sip and I swear you’ll be hooked!

Now, I’m thinking one or two of you might be thinking, “Poitín?” Oh ya’ll… let me tell ya all about it! Poitín is an Irish word that can be translated to “small pots” which is in what this spirit was traditionally distilled. It has also been called “Irish Moonshine” by some, or perhaps that “Old Mountain Dew” by others. In 1661, poitín was banned in Ireland. This ban was not lifted until 1997! Fast forward to today, and Bar 1661, whose menu proudly boasts “Staunchly Irish & Fiercely Independent”, celebrate Poitín’s place in the modern canon of Irish drinks. This phenomenal cocktail bar deservedly won Bar of the Year in 2022 from Hospitality Ireland. Indeed, I can honestly say this is the best cocktail bar I have ever been to, anywhere…full stop! While they celebrate all Irish drinks, 60% of their drinks feature poitín. We imbibed on what a fair few might say are far too many of their elixirs. I dunno, seemed like the right amount to us. We delighted in:

The Paperwork:

The Golden Moment:

As well as a flight of amazing Poitíns that Bar 1661 has on offer:

Having been completely initiated into the world of poitín, once I arrived back here in the States, I began the difficult process of trying to source a bottle of it for myself. Luckily I was able to find some of the authentic stuff in this Mad March Hare Poitín. This delightful tipple is distilled in West Cork from malted barley. Check out their website for fantastic cocktail recipes and without a doubt, score a bottle for yourself!

And if you’re visiting Dublin, Bar 1661 is an absolute must!

• Servings: one cocktail
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

recipe from: Irish Kitchen Cocktails: 60 Drinks You Can Make at Home with Everyday Equipment by Oisín Davis

Ingredients:

• ice cubes
• 60 ml (2 fl. oz.) cold brew coffee
• 30 ml (1 fl. oz.) Poitín ( I used Mad March Hare Irish Poitín)
• 15 ml (1 Tablespoon) Demerara sugar syrup (recipe below)
• 1 Tablespoon lightly whipped cream
• freshly grated nutmeg to garnish

Directions:

Chill your glass of choice with some ice.

Pour the coffee, poitín and Demerara sugar syrup in a 500 ml Kilner jar or a 17 oz shaker and fill it with ice. Stir with a tablespoon for 20 seconds.

Remove the ice from the glass. Open the Kilner jar and using the lid, strain the liquid into the chilled glass.

Holding a spoon upside down over the top of the glass, slowly pour the cream onto the back of the spoon. The cream’s fall will be cushioned by the spoon so that the cream sits on top of the coffee and doesn’t sink. Fill the glass to the brim with the cream. Grate fresh nutmeg on top to garnish.

Demerara Sugar Syrup

• 200 grams Demerara Sugar
• 100 ml (3 1/2 fl. oz.) boiling water

Directions:

Place the sugar in the boiling water. Once it has dissolved and the liquid is clear, store it in a jar in the refrigerator. It will keep for one week.

Enjoy!

Links for Helpful Kitchen Tools & Ingredients for Belfast Coffee:

*Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase*

Irish Kitchen Cocktails: 60 Drinks You Can Make at Home with Everyday Equipment by Oisín Davis – OMG! I love this book. So making craft cocktails at home can be a bit intimidating to say the least. Oisín Davis, who has years of experience in the hospitality/drinks industry, completely demystifies the process in his book. He shows you that you don’t need a ton of specialty bar equipment to make a superb cocktail. You can achieve outstanding result by using common kitchen supplies! He also does an amazing job of promoting some of the best distilleries on the planet, which call Ireland home!

Mad March Hare Irish Poitín

Oxo Cocktail Shaker

Oxo Measuring Cups -7 Piece Nesting Measuring Set. I absolutely love this set and it is very useful!

Travel Planning Guide:

Getting there: Icelandair! We love Icelandair and have always had great experience with them. Icelandair flies to Dublin, Ireland. Take advantage of their Stopover program on your next flight to Europe.

Car Rental: New Way Car Hire – Love the all-inclusive pricing on these cars as well as the Dublin Airport pickup!

Accommodation: Number 31 – This luxurious hotel is half traditional Georgian townhouse and half modernist mews which are connected by a charming courtyard. The Georgian townhouse half is where we have always chosen to stay and we love the mildly eccentric jazz age flamboyance. The location of this decadent hideaway is also superb. It is steps from St. Stephen’s Green in the heart of the city. We would not dream of stying any where else and cannot wait to visit again!

Restaurants/ Cafés/ Bakeries/ Pubs:

Bar 1661 – Voted Ireland’s Bar of the Year in 2022! My favorite cocktail bar full stop! Not just in Ireland, but everywhere! Folks, if you are visiting Dublin and you like cocktails at all, this is an absolute must!!! The ambiance is in point, not to mention the historical significance as well as the absolute enthusiasm everyone there has for crafting exceptional cocktails! I will say, make sure you book a reservation. You do not want to miss this!

Attractions:

Dublin Castle – 13 Century castle. Today Irish Govenment and Conference Center.

Grafton Street – One of the principal shopping streets in the city center. Mostly pedestrianised and lined with many cafes, shops and street performers.

Temple Bar- Busy riverside neighborhood with many pubs, restaurants and quirky boutiques.

Guinness Storehouse – Learn about the history of Ireland’s most iconic beer over seven floors. Enjoy 360 degree views of the city from the Gravity Bar!

St. Patrick’s Day 2024 Recipe Count Down!

Oh my goodness ya’ll…St. Patrick’s Day is only 7 days away. Tomorrow I will be starting my annual St. Patrick’s Day blog-a-thon. Yup, I’ll be sharing one lovely Irish-y recipe everyday with you, right up to the big day Sunday March 17th! Last year, St. Patrick’s Day 2023, I had a wee bit extra to offer because I had recently visited Ireland. It had been 10 years which is way too long. Well I remedied that! I was just over again for a visit in January 2024. The husband and I had a blast! We stayed in Dublin the entire time this go round.

I will have some fun, updated recommendations for you in this countdown! And….(insert drumroll) for the first time ever, I will be hosting a guest blogger. Straight from Dublin, Rascal Cook will be stopping by with a recipe that is an absolute essential for everyone who is celebrating the big day this year!

Believe me, you don’t want to miss out, so make sure to stay tuned every day right up until Sunday March 17th!!!

Now I think managing to publish one recipe daily for six days straight is a pretty impressive feat. But, a few years ago I was completely mad and used to start on March 1st and do a new recipe each day until March 17th. That is why you can find well over 100 delicious St. Patrick’s Day recipes on my blog. If you’d like to take a peek at my past St. Patrick’s Day posts, you can click Runcible Eat/Recipes up at the top navigation bar and scroll down to the St. Patrick’s Day category. That’s where you’ll find them all! And stay tuned here for my latest additions this year. Today I thought I might inspire you with some of my favorite St. Patrick’s Day dishes from years past. I’d like to first remind you of the dishes on deck last year in case you missed them:

Irish Coffee Martini

Orange-Cranberry Soda Bread with White Chocolate

Irish Coffee Truffles

Malted Coffee, Chocolate & Pecan Brack

Colcannon Twice Baked Potatoes

Irish Jambons

Irish Cream Cupcakes

And here are some drool worthy mains from years ago:

Guinness Beef Stew

Irish Stew

Smithwick’s Beef & Cheddar Pies

Chicken Skink

Guinness Braised Beef Short Rib Sandwiches on Waterford Blaa

Crockpot Corned Beef & Cabbage Soup

Dublin Coddle

Vegetarian Cottage Pie

I wouldn’t want to forget the sides:

Sticky Carrots with an Irish Whiskey & Ginger Glaze

Champ (Brúitín in Irish)

Or maybe your shindig calls for some finger foods:

Paddy’s Day Corned Beef & Cabbage Potstickers

Corned Beef & Irish Cheddar Potato Nests with Spicy Horseradish Cream & Guinness Mustard

Irish Potato Bites

I’ve made so many decadent desserts over the years. Let me tempt you with a few:

Baileys Bite Sized Cheesecakes

Baileys & Coffee Pots de Crème with Baileys Whipped Cream Topping

Guinness Pretzel Truffles

Guinness Chocolate Chip Cookies

Bailey’s Irish Cream & Pistachio Fudge

Brownie Tart with Irish Whiskey Meringue

And last but not least, bring on the cocktails!

Black Velvet

Guinness Punch

Irish Whiskey Marmalade Cocktail

Scáiltín (Milk Punch)

Is your mouth watering yet? Quite the galleries of goodies if I do say so myself. And this is barely scratching the surface of all the epic St. Patrick’s Day recipes to be found on my blog as well as seven new ones starting tomorrow! Along with some lovely pictures, my travel recommendations and the must have recipe of what all the folks in Ireland will be feasting on/ detoxifying with after their St. Patrick’s Day festivities . Don’t miss out! I’ll see you tomorrow!

Chocolate Nutella Cookies

Have ya’ll put enough distance between yourselves and the Christmas Cookie explosion that I am sure you experienced back in December? Do you think you could lay eyes on another cookie yet? Hopefully it is not too soon because you are not going to want to miss out on these scrumptious Chocolate Nutella Cookies. These little gems not only have a chewy brownie like base with a crisp edge but are also filled with a creamy luscious Nutella topping. A sprinkling of hazelnuts give them an irresistible little crunch. Reminiscent of a chocolate lava cake, these little devils will shoot to the top of your favorite cookie rankings!

So I gotta ask….are there any Nutella fans out there? Cause let me tell you I love me some Nutella! I actually didn’t even know it existed until I was living in Ireland and my friend Theresa had a jar. I watched with amazement as she spread it over her toast. I was like “What! You can eat chocolate on toast!” I had no idea it was a thing. Yup, love at first bite.

It is not by chance that I’m blogging a recipe which features Nutella today. Today February 5th is World Nutella Day. This celebration of all things Nutella was started in 2007 by Sara at Ms. Adventures in Italy and Michelle at Bleeding Espresso as a day to celebrate, get creative with and most importantly, to EAT Nutella.

A couple of years ago, the founders have transferred Nutella Day to Ferrero the company who owns that most beloved spread. Take a peek at their Facebook page and see how folks are celebrating the day! I love Nutella so I usually try to participate with a Nutella laden recipe every year. One of my favorite Nutella creations was this Nutella, Double Chocolate & Banana Tart which was quite stunning if I do say so myself.

Last year I whipped up a batch of these Fudgy Nutella Brownies:

just look at these delicious Homemade Banana Toaster Tarts drizzled with Nutella

And how do you like this big ole Malted Nutella & Biscoff Brownie Torte 

Then there was this gorgeous Nutella Star Bread:

And some amazing Nutella Chocolate Chip Babka:

And I don’t want to forget these irresistible Salted Peanut Butter & Nutella Sandwich Cookies – sweet salty bliss I tell you!

But let me get back to today’s tasty treat – these Chocolate Nutella Cookies! Decadent, crispy, chewy, chocolaty, sweet and salty bliss!

Not only are they delicious, but they are sooo easy. I used a stand mixer, to whip these up, but you could get away with doing it by hand. They come together quickly, so you could be serving ’em up in no time flat! So what are you waiting for, bake up a batch today!

• Servings: 16 - 20
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

recipe by: Genevieve Ko via New York Times Cooking

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces/113 grams bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• ¼ teaspoon fine salt
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• ⅓ cup/78 grams granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup/34 grams all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup/110 grams Nutella or your favorite chocolate hazelnut spread
• ¼ cup/35 grams roasted and skinned hazelnuts, chopped
• flaky sea salt for sprinkling over the top (optional-yeah, maybe not…I do love salty sweet)

Directions:

Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water, stirring until smooth. Stir in the salt, remove from the heat.

Whisk the egg and sugar in a large bowl by hand or using a stand or an electric mixer until pale yellow and foamy, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk in the vanilla. Add the chocolate mixture and stir gently with a spatula until all the streaks are shades of brown

Add the flour and stir gently until no traces of flour remain. Drop tablespoons of dough onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet in rounds, spacing 2 inches apart. I used a small cookie scoop. If the tops are rounded, gently press them flat. ( I actually waited until the cookie dough was chilled to flatten the top. It was much easier.) Refrigerate until stiffened, at least 15 minutes and up to overnight.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the top of each cookie.

Using a pastry bag or resealable plastic bag with a ½-inch hole cut in a corner, or a teaspoon measuring spoon, pipe or drop dollops of chocolate-hazelnut spread on top of the dough, leaving a border of dough uncovered. Sprinkle the tops with hazelnuts.

Bake until the cookie dough looks crackled and just dry, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on the sheets and enjoy warm or at room temperature. These cookies taste best on the day they’re baked, but will keep for up to 2 days in an airtight container at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Useful links for Kitchen Tools & Ingredients for Chocolate Nutella Cookies:

*Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase*

Oxo Good Grips Stainless Steel Food Scale

Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand Mixer

Small Cookie Scoop – I used this King Arthur Baking scoop, but you could try this one

Faux Laminated Maple Brioche Buns

Will you just look at these decadent little spirals of ultra-buttery, maple kissed goodness! These Maple Brioche Buns are show stopper without a doubt. The faux laminating technique gives this brioche lovely, flaky, pillowy soft layers without having to go through all that it usually takes to laminate dough. Easier to make, but big on taste and texture. Count me in!

Today is February 1st. This particular day lies half way between Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. It is St. Brigid’s Day. Brigid is one of Ireland’s three patron saints along with St. Colmcille and St. Patrick. Ireland marks her Feast Day with a permanent Bank Holiday on the first Monday in February, which is February 5th this year. Hooray! Who doesn’t like more holidays?!! According to Irish hagiography, Brigid was an early Christian nun & abbess who preformed many miracles. She also shares the name with an important Celtic goddess who is associated with the festival of Imbolc which was celebrated at this time as well, which suggests that the early church might have adopted the legends of the goddess and transformed them into the Christian persona. Interesting huh? I don’t know how many of you folks out there remembered to put a scarf out last night. You see on St. Brigid’s Eve you should always place a scarf or other piece of fabric outside.

When Brigid passes over the land that night she will bless it. You then can fetch it back inside the next day and thanks to Brigid, it has the power to protect and heal headaches, sore throats and fevers throughout the coming year! What with all the Covid still lurking around, I wasn’t going to take any chances. My little scarf was frozen solid this morning, but is happily thawing away now, freshly imbued with healing powers. As I mentioned, today marks the festival of Imbolc as well as Candlemas, both of which are associated with fertility, fire, purification and weather divination. And speaking of weather divination, tomorrow my favourite varmint, Punxsutawney Phil, will be stepping out of his burrow at Gobbler’s Knob and letting everyone know if there will be 6 more weeks of winter or if instead Spring is on the way.

One extraordinary rodent!

I don’t know if good ole Phil will see his shadow tomorrow or not. I must admit, I’m kind of hoping he predicts more winter. I love winter. In fact, I might have some plans to head out to an even colder destination here soon, so even if Spring is on its way here, I’ll get my snow fix regardless! So this is quite an auspicious time of year! I’m very happy to be marking another event today as well. February 1st just happens to be the 12th year anniversary of  the my cooking blog! Yup… Twelve years ago today I posted my first recipe. It was for Cream Tea Scones with Currants.

I’ve managed to do an anniversary post nearly every year since. Pretty impressive considering how slack I can be! Last year I shared this amazing Cranberry Orange Filled Wool Roll Bread.

And the year before, I featured this Cranberry focused dish – exquisite Cranberry Chiffon Pie!

And a couple of years ago I was all about this rich & creamy Ground Beef Chili with Chocolate & Peanut Butter. Get. out!

And the year before, I posted about these scrumptious Morning Buns!

One of my favorite recipes that I shared with you on an anniversary was: Model Bakery’s English Muffins:

Then there were those decadent  Banana Rum Muffins:

That jaw-dropping, over the top Crack Pie:

And who can forget that magical “caviar of the South” – Pasture’s Pimento Cheese. Keep this one in mind for the Super Bowl!

But let me get back to today’s recipe – Faux Laminated Maple Brioche Buns!

Now I’m not going to lie to you. Although making this faux laminated dough is easier than making authentic laminated dough, this recipe still does take a bit of time. You make the brioche dough the night before and after it has rested in the fridge, the next day you get to rolling it out, painting it with melted butter, sprinkling it with maple sugar, folding it and then putting it back in the fridge. You have to do this process 4 times before you can shape the buns. I would advise you to watch Erin McDowell do it in this video before you give it a whirl:

But let me assure you, although this recipe is a bit fiddly, you will absolutely swoon over these ultra-buttery, maple-y brioche delights! As you devour them, you won’t be able to resist unraveling each bun into scrumptious little ribbons.

Bake up a batch as soon as you can! You won’t regret it.

• Servings: 16
• Difficulty: moderate - need to start dough one day before baking, involves multiple rounds of rolling, folding & chilling dough. allow time
• Print

recipe from: King Arthur Baking

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• 5 1/4 cups (630 grams) Unbleached Bread Flour
• 1/2 cup (99 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon (18 grams) table salt
• 1 tablespoon (9 grams) instant yeast
• 5 large eggs, lightly beaten*
• 1 cup (227 grams) milk, whole preferred
• 28 tablespoons (396 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature (seriously! make sure it is room temperature or it will take much longer than 10 minutes to incorporate.)

*Be sure to use large (not extra-large) eggs; the weight should be no more than 250g, otherwise, the dough will be too soft.

For Assembly:

• 12 tablespoons (170 grams) unsalted butter, melted
•  1/8 teaspoon natural maple flavor
• 3/4 cup (117 grams) maple sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• 1/4 cup maple syrup, to brush over buns once out of the oven

Directions:

The day before baking, make the brioche dough: Start by weighing your flour or measuring it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix the flour, sugar, and salt on low speed to combine. Add the yeast and mix to combine, 10 to 15 seconds more. Add the eggs and milk and mix for about 4 minutes on low speed. The dough should form a sticky, shaggy ball around the hook. 

Increase the speed to medium and slowly add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, being careful to incorporate each addition before adding the next; the entire process should take 8 to 10 minutes. As you go, scrape the bowl down once or twice to make sure everything is homogenous. Once all the butter is incorporated, continue to mix the dough until it’s smooth and uniform, 1 minute more. The dough will be quite soft.

Grease a large bowl with nonstick spray. Scoop the soft dough into the bowl, cover tightly, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 18 hours. (The dough will not rise much, if at all, during this time.) 

The next day, assemble the buns: On a generously floured surface, gently pat then roll out the dough into a rectangle about 1/2″-thick and 20″ x 12″ in size (no need to be precise). The dough will still be quite soft at this point and may crack as you roll; it won’t have the strength of typical brioche dough; that’s OK. Melt butter and then 1/8 teaspoon of natural maple flavor to it. Mix to combine. Brush the surface of the dough with about 3 tablespoons (roughly 42g) of the melted butter mixture and sprinkle about 2 tablespoons (roughly 20g) of the maple sugar evenly over the ­­top. 

To do a 4-fold (book fold): Position the dough so that one of the long sides is facing you. Using a bowl scraper or bench knife to help lift the fragile dough, fold the left edge over toward the center, about 3/4 of the way over the dough. Then repeat on the right side, folding the other edge 1/4 of the way over the dough so that it meets the other section. The dough will now look like an open book with an off-center spine. Use your tool to help fold the dough in half, with the larger side covering the smaller side. Wrap the dough tightly and refrigerate it for 10 to 15 minutes, which will help the butter solidify. The dough will become smoother and stronger with each additional fold.

To do a 3-fold (letter fold): Roll out the dough again to a rectangle about 1/2″-thick and 20″ x 12″ in size. (It’s OK if the dough cracks or still feels sticky at this point; use additional flour and a bit of patience to continue with the folding process.) Brush the surface of the dough with another 3 tablespoons (42g) of the melted butter and sprinkle another 2 tablespoons (20g) of the maple sugar on top. Position the dough so that one of the long sides is facing you. Use the bowl scraper or bench knife to fold the left edge of the dough 1/3 of the way over the dough. Do the same with the right edge, resting it on top of the piece you just folded over, as if you were folding a business letter. You will now have 3 layers of dough. Wrap the dough tightly and refrigerate it for 10 to 15 minutes. 

Repeat steps 4 and 5 to complete another 4-fold, chilling the dough and using additional flour as necessary if it feels soft or sticky. 

Repeat step 6 to complete another 3-fold. 

Lightly grease 16 muffin cups with nonstick spray.

To shape the rolls: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 1/2″-thick rectangle about 12″ x 20″ in size. Cut the dough lengthwise into 16 strips that are 20″ long and 1/2″ to 3/4″ wide. (The dough can also be cut widthwise into 16 strips that are 12″ long and about 1 1/4″ wide.) Tightly roll each strip up into a spiral and place it, spiral side up, in the prepared muffin pan. The spiral will be squished tightly into the prepared pan. 

Cover the pan with greased plastic wrap or your favorite reusable wrap, and let the buns rise until they appear puffy, 30 to 45 minutes. While they proof, preheat the oven to 375°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds. 

Sprinkle the brioche buns with the remaining maple sugar. Bake for 25 to 33 minutes, rotating the pans from front to back and top to bottom at the halfway mark, until the buns are evenly golden brown all over and the internal temperature reads 190°F on a digital thermometer. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan before unmolding. Paint a slick of maple syrup over the top of each bun and then leave to cool entirely on wire rack.

Enjoy!

Storage information: Store brioche buns, covered at room temperature, for up to 2 days. Reheat on a parchment- or foil-lined baking sheet at 350°F, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes. 

Useful links for Kitchen Tools & Ingredients for Faux Laminated Maple Brioche Buns:

*The links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase*

Oxo Good Grips Stainless Steel Food Scale

Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand Mixer

Lavatools Javelin Pro Instant Read Thermometer

6 Quart Dough Rising Bucket

Dough Rolling Mat

Wilton 12 – well Cupcake/Muffin Pan

Norpro Ravioli/Pastry Wheel

Pastry Brush

Oxo Multipurpose Scraper– Bench Knife

Natural Maple Flavor