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 & IThe 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!
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 & Ingredientsfor 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*
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!
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:
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!
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. And oh what a cupcake it is! Are ya’ll ready for this? Five Farms Irish Cream Cupcakes! These divine cupcakes are tender and moist and just bursting with Irish Cream flavor which is only intensified by the dreamy Irish Cream Swiss Meringue topping.
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 Baileys Tres Leches 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! Todays featured cupcake is made with Five Farms Irish Cream liqueur. Five Farms is a new discovery for me from my most recent trip to Ireland. I first mentioned it in my post about Irish Coffee Martini and it made another appearance in my Irish Coffee Truffles post. Here it is again! Clearly I’m obsessed.
Speaking of my most recent trip to Ireland, today I’m going to tell you all about our last few days of our visit, which were spent in Dublin.
Now I probably shouldn’t tell you this, because I don’t want the secret getting too far out. But I just can’t help myself because I am so excited about this boutique townhouse hotel. We absolutely love it and would not consider staying anywhere else when visiting Dublin – 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.
So much personality!
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!
The location of this decadent hideaway is also superb. It is steps from St. Stephen’s Green in the heart of the city. We have a lot of friends in Dublin and spent the days shopping, dining and visiting quite a few pubs!
All in all it was a fantastic visit and believe me, we won’t wait 10 years again to go back!
But let me get back to those featured cupcakes of the day – Five Farms Irish Cream Cupcakes!
As I mentioned, if you’ve been following along on my St. Patrick’s Day countdown this year, you are certainly familiar with Five Farms Irish Cream liqueur.
I swear to you I am not getting paid by them, I just really find it superior to the other Irish Creams out there. If you can’t find a bottle, I’m sure you’ll find a substitute, but trust me – you want a bottle of Five Farms!
These mini cupcakes may be small in size but really pack a punch as far as dreamy Irish Cream goodness goes. And since they’re so small, there’s no need to limit yourself to one! They are very easy to make and are sure to be a crowd pleaser. Perfect for any St. Patrick’s Day shindig you might attend. So what are you waiting for? Get baking! I wish everyone a safe, healthy and happy holiday! Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Daiobh (Happy St. Patrick’s Day)!
4oz (1/2 Cup) Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
200 grams (1 Cup) Granulated Sugar
2 Large Eggs, at room temperature
1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste
4oz (1/2 Cup) Sour Cream
4oz (1/2 Cup) Five Farms Irish Cream (I suppose you could substitute flavored non-alcoholic creamer if you didn’t want the booze – but seriously – What are you like?!!! Oh and of course if you can’t get Five Farms, poor you… we all know Baileys is a good substitute.)
For the frosting:
3 Large Egg Whites, at room temp.
112.5 grams (1/2 Cup + 1 Tablespoons) Granulated Sugar
7.5 oz (3/4 Cups + 3 Tablespoons) Unsalted Butter cubed, room temperature
3-5 Tablespoons Five Farms Irish Cream, adjust to your preference (Need I say that I used all 5…and they were rather generous Tablespoons)
Espresso powder to dust over the top (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F/ 180C and line a mini muffin tin with mini cupcake liners.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for 3-5 minutes, until the mixture is very light and fluffy.
Add the eggs and vanilla and mix for another 3 minutes. Mix in the sour cream for one minute. Gently fold in half of the flour mixture, mix until just combined. Add the Irish cream and once it is incorporated, mix in remaining flour until just combined. Scoop batter into cupcake liners so they are ⅔ full. A 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop works great here.
Bake for 10- 12 minutes until fully baked- check by pressing the top center lightly. If the cake springs back it’s done. Or you can use a toothpick inserted in the center – when it has no wet batter on it, the cupcakes are done.
Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting.
Place a small pot containing a little water on a burner over low heat until it reaches a simmer. Then place a larger heatproof bowl on top making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water- the steam from the simmering water will cook the mixture. Add the sugar and egg whites to the bowl and whisk until the mixture reaches about 150F/65C or until the sugar has dissolved and the texture has slightly thickened and its foamy. If you rub the mixture between your fingers you should not feel the sugar granules. This should take approximately 3 – 5 minutes.
Add the mixture to the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk on medium speed for 5-8 minutes until the mixture has cooled and appears thick and glossy.
Next, add the butter cubes one at a time, mixing until the butter is fully incorporated before adding the next cube. If the mixture starts to look a bit curdled don’t worry, just keep mixing. It will eventually come together and have a lush smooth texture.
Once you have a smooth buttercream add the Irish Cream to taste and mix again until fully incorporated.
Frost the cupcakes once they have cooled; using a pastry bag fitted with either a star or found tip. Garnish cupcakes with espresso powder.
Enjoy!
Links for Helpful Kitchen Tools & Ingredients for Irish Cream Cupcakes:
Drizly – Not sure if this will work for you as all states liquor laws are different, but if it does work in your state, Drizly will deliver alcohol right to your door! It is worth checking out. I have purchased the Five Farms Irish Cream as well as the West Cork Whiskey from Drizly.
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.
Cafe en Seine – Stunning restaurant/bar in the heart of Dublin’s City Center featuring gilded, Gatsby-esque decor.
Juanitos – self described as “soul food LA style” this fusion of Asian & Mexican cuisines really hit the spot!
Three Storey – As the name suggests, this stylish cafe, spritzeria and cocktail bar stretches over three floors of a traditional Georgian building which overlooks St. Stephen’s Green in the city center. Modern and very relaxed atmosphere. Fantastic Aperol Spritz!
r.i.o.t. – Definitely divey – this bar is located right on the Quays in the heart of Dublin city centre. Awesome place to people watch. Has full bar and house brand cocktails. Serves up Brooklyn style pizza.
P.Macs – Cozy quirky and retro gastropub with a shabby cool decor. Very relaxing atmosphere.
Shops:
Fallon & Byrne – Four floors of foodie heaven! Located just steps off of Grafton Street, you’ll find a wine bar, a brasserie, a ballroom as well as a food hall. The food hall was our destination and it was chock full of tempting goodies, often from smaller artisan producers throughout Ireland, but also from beyond. This is where I purchased my Dillisk for those Twice Baked Colcannon Potatoes. There are fresh fish, meat and cheese counters as well as a deli counter for tempting take away.
Article – Contemporary, Independent Design and Homeware shop located in the Powercourt Townhouse in Dublin city center. The place to shop if you are looking to buy thoughtful quality gifts for anyone – maybe even yourself!
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!
So if I said “Jambon”, what would you think of? You might be thinking “That’s French for ham right?” You would be correct, but I’m not really talking about ham. Perhaps I should’ve said “Irish Jambon”. Ahhh! Now it might be getting clearer. The Irish Jambon is the much beloved, ubiquitous deli offering found in gas stations and convenience stores throughout the Emerald Isle. But what is it? It is puff pastry filled with béchamel sauce, cheese (usually Emmental) and diced ham. Kind of like a Danish pastry but with savory filling rather than fruit. So that is the technical definition. But what you need to know is they are comfort food at its finest!
I first read all about these little delights in that cookbook “Bake” by Graham Herterich that I told you about in the post from a couple of days ago – Malted Coffee, Chocolate & Pecan Brack. He had a recipe for jambons and claimed that they are “now as Irish as soda bread”. I was mystified. I had never once come across a Jambon anywhere at all while I was studying in Ireland. Seems like just the thing a student would’ve lived on. I felt very cheated and when quizzed about them, my Irish friends assure me that I should indeed feel that way. Not to date myself, but i turns out they didn’t actually become widespread and popular in Ireland until the late ’90’s. It’s fairly meteoric rise in popularity is a testament to how addictively good these little dickens are!
Previous to that, quick food on the go wasn’t really a thing in Ireland. However in the 90’s compact bakery ovens became available which allowed petrol stations, small supermarkets and convenience stores to offer “freshly baked” (usually from frozen Cuisine de France) hot items such as croissants, breakfast rolls and jambons from their deli counters.
These jambons were very portable, undeniably tasty and quite economical. I could not wait to taste one, but since I was no longer visiting Ireland by the time I discovered how deprived I’d been, I decided to make my own to tide me over until I could get back there!
My homemade versions are pretty easy to make. Although the authentic ones in Ireland usually use Emmentaler Cheese, I went with a mixture of Kerry Gold Irish Cheddar and Kerry Gold Blarney Cheese, which is a bit like Gouda.
And speaking of Blarney, Blarney Castle is one of the places I visited on my most recent trip to Ireland.
The Husband had never kissed the good old Blarney Stone. For anyone who knows him, I’m sure you’d find that hard to believe. He has already in firm possession of the “gift of gab” as they say. I was worried how even more eloquence for him would play out.
Nevertheless I considered it a must do, so off we went. For those of you who don’t know, the Blarney Stone is a block of limestone built into the battlements of Blarney Castle. Legend has it that if one kisses the stone, which is no easy task, they will be given great eloquence or the skill of flattery or beguiling talk. To get to this magical stone, you have to climb to the top of the castle,
lay down and lean over backwards from the parapets ledge. A bit nerve wracking to say the least!
But let me get back to the Irish Jambons. My homemade Jambons did not disappoint. Crispy crunchy puff pastry filled with a gooey, squidgy cheese sauce that is shot through with salty ham. Chock full of salt and carbs, I can see why they are considered a sure fire hangover cure. Now I’ve just got to get back to Ireland to get the real authentic jambon from a petrol station experience. I’ve been told Centras have the best there are to offer. Until then, these homemade ones will have you addicted and will be just the thing for your pre and post St. Patrick’s Day festivities!
recipe source: a combination of 2 from: Bake: Traditional Irish Baking with Modern Twists by Graham Herterich & National Dairy Council
Ingredients:
2 sheets puff pastry
2 red onions, sliced
splash extra virgin olive oil
1 sprig thyme
1 small sprinkling of brown sugar
25 grams butter
25 grams all purpose flour
250 ml milk
250 grams cheese, grated – I used a mixture of KerryGold Blarney Cheese which is Gouda like and KerryGold Irish Cheddar. Emmentaler would also be great! But you do you.
1 tsp mustard – I used Colemans, but again the choice is yours.
pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
freshly ground black pepper and sea salt to taste
200 grams ham, cubed
1 egg, beaten with a splash of milk
Directions:
For the caramelized onions:
Preheat the oven to 375 F.
Place the sliced onions, leaves from one sprig of thyme in a bowl. Sprinkle with brown sugar and then add a splash of olive oil. Stir to distribute the oil and sugar.
Slide the onion mixture into an ovenproof casserole. Cook for 30 minutes.
After the initial cook time, stir the onion mixture, cover the casserole and cook for an addition 15 – 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
For the Cheese Sauce:
Place the butter in a medium sized sauce pan and melt over low heat.
Slowly whisk in the flour, whisking constantly until a dough begins to form.
Slowly add the milk, whisking the entire time so that there are no lumps in the sauce.
Once all of the milk has been incorporated, add the grated cheese (reserving a bit to sprinkle over the tops of the jambons), the nutmeg and the mustard.
Mix well until you get a smooth, thick cheese sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the finely cubed ham to the sauce and stir.
Set the mixture aside and allow it to cool.
To assemble:
Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the pastry. Cut each sheet into 6 equal sized squares.
Place a scoop of the ham/cheese mixture into the center of each square. Place a bit of caramelized onion on top of the cheese.
Fold the four corners of the pastry to the center and pinch them together to seal the contents inside.
Brush the egg wash over the pastry. Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top, as well as a bit of flaky sea salt.
Repeat for the remaining pastry squares.
Place the jambons on a parchment lined baking tray and bake for 20 minutes or until golden-brown.
Serve hot or room temperature.
Enjoy!
Links for Helpful Kitchen Tools & Ingredients for Jambons:
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 at the Book Depository. 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!
Activities:
Blarney Castle -Official site. You can book tickets here or when you arrive. The actual castle and stone are of course a big attraction, but the gardens are really lovely as well.
Shopping:
Blarney Woolen Mills – You can’t visit the castle without heading right across the street to do a bit of shopping at the flagship store of Blarney Woolen Mills. This store is HUGE and has everything. Not just sweaters, but china, crystal, homewares – you name it! It is housed in one of Ireland’s oldest and most authentic Irish Woolen Mills. This family owned business is not only brimful of the best Irish designers but also offers their wares at a good price.
Do I have any coffee lovers out there? I’m sure I do, so ya’ll are just gonna love this recipe – Malted Coffee, Chocolate & Pecan Brack! This delicious quick bread has a toasted malted flavor and is brimful with rich, coffee soaked fruit, nuts and with a bit of both dark chocolate thrown in for good measure.
This is my first time baking a coffee brack. I’ve done quite a few tea bracks in my day and I did couple of lovely Barmbracks, both yeasted and quick, a few years ago,
but never a coffee brack. In case you did not know, the word brack comes from the Irish word breac which means speckled or freckled. Bracks, which are kind of like a cross between bread and cake, are always shot through with fruit which gives it that speckled appearance. Most of the sweetness in the loaf comes from the fruit. Tea bracks are made with…well – tea if you didn’t guess. This one is made with…Coffee. I couldn’t wait to try it and was delighted with the results. The coffee flavor really shines through. So if you are a fan of coffee, you really must bake this quick and easy bread.
I found this recipe in a cookbook I got ahold of on my most recent trip to Ireland – Bake:Traditional Irish Baking with Modern Twists by Graham Herterich.
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. This Malted Coffee, Chocolate & Pecan Brack is a delightful twist on the very traditional tea brack mentioned above.
I have been telling you all about my most recent trek to Ireland. Yesterday I told you all about our stay in the luxurious Cliff House Hotel and showed you a bit from our stroll along the cliffs. Today I wanted to show you a bit of charming village of Ardmore. Ardmore, from the Irish Aird Mhór meaning great height, is a gorgeous seaside resort and fishing village. It is home to 430 people but the population swells in the summer months. We visited in October, so the beach traffic was gone and the town had settled into its sleepy, off-season laid back vibe. Ardmore is the oldest Christian settlement in Ireland and was founded by St. Declan in the 5th C. Not to steal any glory from St. Paddy, seeings how his day is coming up very soon, but Declan was in Ardmore before St. Patrick arrived on the emerald isle.
Ruins of 12th Century Cathedral and earlier 9th Century Oratory.
12th Century Round Tower.
Ogham Stone.
Relaxing at the fun & funky beach themed Urchin Pub
But let me get back to that scrumptious Malted Coffee, Chocolate & Pecan Brack.
It was so easy to make, the hardest thing about it was remembering to soak that fruit in the coffee overnight. And do actually give it that soak. The fruit plumps up wonderfully and becomes infused with coffee goodness. In making this I ended up only dirtying one bowl. Less clean up is always better than more! The brack is so moist and rich and actually improves with age. So you can get it done well before your St. Patrick’s day festivities kick off. Have a slice (or two) slathered with butter along with your tea or coffee to start the day. That jolt of caffeine will give you all the energy you need to hit the parades!
Malted Coffee, Chocolate & Pecan Brack
Servings: one loaf
Difficulty: very easy, but allow for overnight soak of fruit
recipe from: Bake: Traditional Irish Baking with Modern Twists by Graham Herterich.
Ingredients:
300 grams sultanas (yellow raisins)
50 grams pitted dates, roughly chopped
25 grams pecans, chopped, plus extra for sprinkling on top
300 grams almost cold coffee
125 grams light brown sugar
25 grams dark chocolate, chopped
1 medium egg, beaten
1 Tablespoon barley malt extract (You can ind this in health food shops, but if you can’t get it – substitute in 1 Tablespoon malted milk powder dissolved in 2 teaspoons cold water)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
225 grams self rising flour
Directions:
Place the sultanas, dates, pecans and coffee in a large bowl and leave to soak overnight at room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 180 C (356F). Line a 900 gram (2 lb – I used a 9X5x3″) loaf tin with non stick baking powder, or you can butter and flour the pan. Your choice.
Add the brown sugar, chocolate, egg, barley malt extract and vanilla to the fruit/coffee mixture and mix well. Gently mix in the flour being careful not to crush the fruit. Transfer to the prepared baking tin. Sprinkle with additional pecans. (optional)
Bake in the preheated oven for 60 -65 minutes. It is done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Allow to cool fully in the tin before cutting into slices.
Serve with butter or a soft creamy cheese like ricotta or mascarpone.
Enjoy!
Links for Helpful Kitchen Tools & Ingredients for Malted Coffee, Chocolate & Pecan Brack:
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!
The Urchin – Fun and funky beach inspired pub featuring a full bar and signature cocktails. Serving snacks, burgers and pizzas. We loved their Gubbeen pizza! Their chips were also perfectly crisp! In the summer months, Urchin Adventures offers all kinds of sea activities like kayaking and paddleboarding.
The Pantry at Cliff – serving tea, coffee, baked goods, sandwiches and artisan lite bites.
Shopping:
Criostal Na Rinne – Criostal Na Rinne is 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 glass cutter, established the business in1987, producing Irish crystal of breathtaking quality and beauty. We purchased a couple of pieces on our trip and are now totally obsessed with it, which is strange because we never really cared for crystal before. It was always a bit much for us, a bit old-fashioned with all of its thousands of cuts. But this crystal is different. Gorgeous in its simplicity, it is sleek and modern. Each collection named with an Irish word reflecting nature and the environment. You can tour the workshop, which we did and were lucky enough to have met Eamonn. He was absolutely charming and spent a lot of time chatting with us. We have ordered several more pieces since we arrived back in the States and shipping has been quick and easy. You may have noticed it (champagne glass and whiskey tumbler from the Tonn – Irish for “wave” Collection) in the pictures of the Irish Coffee Truffles that I posted yesterday. Highly recommended!
It’s day 3 of my St. Patrick’s Day run up of recipes and have I got a winner for you today – Irish Coffee Truffles! These little dickens are rich, creamy and boozy with a zing of espresso. Perfect not only to get that St. Patrick’s Day party started, but also to keep it going or even as a perfect compliment to your nightcap!
Now there’s only a few ingredients needed to create these lovely little indulgences, so you want to make sure you use those of the best quality. And for the booze, I have some recommendations. I told you all about them in my first post of this year’s St. Patrick’s Day countdown – The Irish Coffee Martini. These tipples are new discoveries for me from our most recent trip to Ireland in October 2022 and I am absolutely wild about both of them! I strongly recommend that you get ahold of some West Cork Irish Whiskey as well as some Five Farms Irish Cream.
On our most recent trip to Ireland I was thrilled to be able to stay in the luxurious 5 Star Cliff House Hotel which is located in the charming fishing village of Ardmore in County Waterford. We have been dying to stay here for years so this was quite a treat! This small boutique hotel seems to defy gravity as it clings to the cliffs above the sea. Full advantage is taken of this birds eye location with nearly the entire sea facing side of the hotel consisting of floor to ceiling (sometimes spanning multiple floors) windows looking out over Ardmore Bay.
View from our Bedroom balcony towards the villageView from our living room balcony looking out over Ardmore Bay
Indeed every room boasts a seaview and either a balcony or terrace. The decor is sleek, modern and bright featuring stacked stone walls and gorgeous tweed throws on the beds.
The bathrooms are huge! The semi transparent wall between the bathroom and bedroom allows the natural light to stream in.
There are cozy fireplaces in both the bedroom and living room of the suites.
You can enjoy their abundant, cooked to order breakfast in their lovely restaurant while gazing out over the sea or enjoy a lazy relaxing start to the day as we did and have it delivered to your room.
The infinity pool at the spa seems to flow out into the sea. There is also an outside jacuzzi. We indulged in massages, facials and a very relaxing peat soak in outside bathtubs while gazing over the sea and wild cliffs.
The Cliff Walk is located steps away from the entrance to the hotel. This 4 km walk features beautiful seascapes and breathtaking views from Ardmore Head and Rams Head. It starts with Temple Dysert, the 10th C ruins of a monastery originally founded by St. Declan as well as his curative well.
We passed the wreck of the Samson which hit the cliffs in 1987.
And stopped to drink the curative waters from Fr. O’Donnell’s curative spring. With Covid still lurking about, we figured we should have all the help we could get!
But let me get back to today’s tasty treat – Irish CoffeeTruffles!
Made with rich dark chocolate, Irish Cream, Irish Whiskey and espresso, how could they be otherwise than divine! These truffles are easy to make, albeit the rolling of them can get a bit messy. But it is definitely worth it. I made the ganache one day and left in the fridge overnight and then on the following day, I rolled and coated the truffles. I used chopped pistachios, a combo of confectioners sugar, espresso powder and cocoa and then just plain pistachio flour, for those who maybe didn’t like the toothy vibe that the pistachio pieces provided.
I’m not sure which was my favorite. But that is the fun thing with these truffles, you can do you! Love coconut – do that! I have also dipped these truffles in chocolate coating before which is also a lot of fun. Folks at your St. Patrick’s Day festivities will be undoubtedly smitten with these indulgent boozy bites!
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate, best quality such as Ghiradelli, chopped
Cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-processed), confectioners’ sugar, espresso powder, finely chopped pistachios, pistachio flour or unsweetened shredded coconut, for coating*
Directions:
In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the heavy cream, Five Farms Irish Cream, West Cork Irish Whiskey, espresso powder, butter and salt. Microwave on high power until the mixture comes to a boil, 70 to 80 seconds. Watch that it doesn’t boil over. Add the chocolate and let sit for about 30 seconds to melt. Using a whisk, stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is glossy and smooth. Refrigerate until completely firm, about 3 hours or overnight (to speed this chilling process up, pour the mixture into a wide, shallow bowl or pie plate).
Place your coating(s) on a plate. Remove the chilled truffle mixture from the refrigerator. If you’ve had the mixture in the fridge for longer than 3 hours, you may need to let it sit out at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes so it’s malleable enough to work with.
Using a small spoon, scoop out about 2 teaspoons of the chocolate mixture. Dust your fingertips with the cocoa powder or the confectioners’ sugar/cocoa mixture. Use your fingertips to shape into a rough ball. Quickly and gently roll in your palms to form into a smooth ball, then roll in your topping of choice. (If the chocolate starts to melt from the warmth of your palms, drop the truffle into the cocoa or confectioners’ sugar/cocoa mixture and lightly coat, then continue rolling. You may need to wash your hands in cold water from time to time.) Place the truffles in a single layer on a plate or in a storage container, cover, and refrigerate. Remove from the refrigerator about 10 minutes before serving (keep in mind that they’ll get too soft if left out at room temperature for too long). The truffles will keep for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator. They can also be frozen for up to two months.
*For my toppings I used rough chopped pistachios, pistachio flour and a mixture of 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon espresso powder and 1 Tablespoon Dutch Process Cocoa.
Enjoy!
Links for Helpful Kitchen Tools & Ingredients for Irish Cream Truffles:
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:
The Cliff House Hotel – Luxurious 5 star boutique hotel in the picturesque fishing village of Ardmore. Boasts Michelin starred fine dining and amazing spa!
Oh ya’ll! I have a confession to make…I love bread. No – I mean I LOOOVE bread. I love to bake it and I especially love to eat it! (South Beach be damned!!!) And I really love traditional Irish Brown Bread and Soda Bread. Can.not.get.enough! But this Orange-Cranberry Soda Bread with White Chocolate has quite possibly risen above any soda bread I’ve had the pleasure of scarfing down.
Now I visited Ireland back in October of last year and I assure you I was eating all of the bread that came my way. Yesterday I told you about the lovely town of Trim. Today, I’ve got to tell you all about our visit to Brú na Bóinne, translated Valley of the Boyne, a short drive away from Trim. This World Heritage Site, located in a bend of the River Boyne, is over 5,000 years old. Older than the pyramids! It is most famous for the spectacular Megalithic Passage Graves of Knowth, Newgrange and Dowth. These ceremonial structures are among the most important neolithic sites in the world and contain the largest selection of Neolithic art in Western Europe.
I had visited when I was in college, but now there is a fantastic interpretive center in which you can learn about Neolithic culture and the monuments before boarding a shuttle bus for a tour. Knowth has an unrivaled collection of megalithic art.
You can actually go inside Newgrange! You walk down a narrow passage way (good thing I went down this passage way on the second day of our visit. By the end of the holiday, after all the bread and pints, I may not have been able to squeeze down it!) and into the burial chamber, which has the original waterproof corbelled roof. Each year on December 21st (Winter Solstice) a single shaft of light from the rising sun enters the roof box above the door and travels down the passage way to light up the chamber. Truly extraordinary! Make sure you book tickets when you visit.
But let me get back to today’s featured recipe: Orange-Cranberry Soda Bread with White Chocolate.
Now, I know this is not traditional Irish Soda Bread, but whoo howdy, this bread would likely stop St. Patrick in his tracks!
It is sweet, shot through with white chocolate chips, orange zest and tangy cranberries, yet it’s not too sweet. It is hearty, with a little tooth from that Irish style flour, but still has a tender crumb.
2 Tablespoons melted butter to brush over the top of loaf before baking
White sparkling sugar (optional)
Directions:
Place the rack in the middle position in your oven and preheat to 400F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
In a medium microwave-safe bowl, stir together the cranberries and orange juice. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 1 minute, stirring once halfway through. Stir again, then set aside until cooled to room temperature. In a liquid measuring cup, stir together the orange zest and buttermilk.
In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, the baking soda and salt. Add the cooled cranberries and the white chocolate; toss until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Make a well in the middle of the mixture and pour in the buttermilk. Using a silicone spatula, fold the buttermilk into the flour mixture until a rough, shaggy dough forms; it’s fine if the dough still shows some dry, floury patches.
Lightly flour the counter and turn the dough out onto it, then flour the top of the dough as well. This is a sticky dough!Using your hands and a metal bench scraper, gently and lightly fold the dough a few times just until cohesive; do not knead it. Flour your hands and using a light touch, shape the dough into a ball as best you can. With a bench scraper, loosen it from the counter, transfer it to the prepared baking sheet.
Cut a cross, about 3/4″ deep into the top of the bread. Paint the entire top of the loaf with melted butter. Sprinkle with sparkling sugar if desired.
Bake until the bread is a deep golden brown, about 35 -40 minutes. It should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet set upon a wire rack. Afterwards transfer bread to the rack to cool completely. Try your best to wait 1 whole hour before slicing!
Enjoy!
Useful links for Kitchen Tools & Ingredients for Orange Cranberry Soda Bread with White Chocolate:
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!
Activities:
Brú na Bóinne Visitor Center – All access to Newgrange and Knowth is by guided tour only, with tours beginning at the visitor center. Make sure to book in advance as tickets do often sell out! I highly recommend visiting. It was truly extraordinary!
All right folks…let’s get this party started! Let the countdown to St. Patrick’s Day 2023 begin! And what better way to kick things off than with this caffeinated, boozy delight of a cocktail – the Irish Coffee Martini!
This boozy libation with an added kick of caffeine is easy to make. Just throw some cold brew coffee, quality Irish Whiskey and Irish Cream Liqueur with a bit of simple syrup and ice into a shaker and well…give it a good shaking! Voila! You’ve turned your favorite hot beverage into a irresistible adult coffee cooler!
Now while we are at it – I do have some suggestions for which quality Irish Whiskey and Irish Cream you use. These are new discoveries for me from our most recent trip to Ireland in October 2022 and I am absolutely wild about both of them!
Before this most recent trip in October, we had not visited Ireland since 2012. So we were long overdue! Our first stop after flying into Dublin and renting a car was the gorgeous town of Trim in County Meath. This charming town, situated on the River Boyne, is one of the best preserved medieval towns and is only a 40 minute drive from Dublin airport. Great place to shake off your jet lag after an overnight flight from the States. The town dates back to the 5th Century. In fact, St. Patrick is said to have founded a monastery there. It was taken over by the English in the 12th Century. That is when Hugh de Lacy began work on Trim Castle, which is the largest Norman Castle in Ireland. We were delighted to have stayed at the lovely Trim Castle Hotel in one of their plush Heritage Rooms. Our room boasted a balcony which looked out on the Castle.
Although Trim may be smaller in population, it certainly does not lack in things to do, like touring the above mentioned castle and strolling along their river walk. A great base for touring Meath it is very close to all the Bru na Boinne valley has to offer (more on that in a later post) and has plenty of restaurants and bars to ease your transatlantic recovery.
1st Pint, but not to be the last by any means, of the trip!
But let me get back to those Irish Whiskey and Irish Cream recommendations. The Husband and I have a handful of godchildren in Ireland and I have them to thank for introducing us to these delightful tipples. I strongly recommend that you get ahold of some West Cork Irish Whiskey as well as some Five Farms Irish Cream. They were my go to’s for this Martini and you will see them again in other recipes to come this year. Both of these products hail from County Cork which is the largest and southernmost county in Ireland. This county has it all from lush fields of green, to mountains to rugged coastlines. And the fiercely independent folk there have a reputation for challenging authority. Cork is often called the “Rebel County” or “The People’s Republic of Cork”
West Cork Distillers, who craft smooth triple distilled, non-chill filtered whiskey, have the largest wholly Irish owned distillery in the country. Situated in Skibbereen they source the best local ingredients to craft their products. I am using their Bourbon Cask matured whiskey here, but they also offer whiskey matured in various other casks. 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 know all you hear this time of year is Jamesons and Baileys, and they are very good. But maybe you should branch out a bit this year and try something new.
This Irish Coffee Martini is gonna give you just the right combination of caffeine jolt and boozy smooth and mellow. Guaranteed to be a hit at any St. Patrick’s Day festivity. What are ya waiting for? Get shaking!
Coffee bean or even better, chocolate covered coffee bean to garnish (optional, but very nice!)
Directions:
Chill your martini glasses by filling with ice and a small amount of water. Leave this in the glass while you are preparing the cocktail. Once you are ready to serve, pour the ice water mixture out and dry the glass.
Mix together the espresso powder and sugar on a small plate.
Run some simple syrup around the rim of your martini glass. Then, swirl in the espresso powder-sugar mixture. Set aside.
In a cocktail shaker, add the cold-brew coffee, West Cork Irish Whiskey, Five Farms Irish Cream, simple syrup and ice. Pop on the top and shake vigorously for about 15 to 30 seconds.
Strain into prepared martini glasses.
Enjoy!
*Feel free to use store bought or home made simple syrup. To make at home you simply (ha ha ha…) bring 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar to a high simmer on the stove in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once the mixture simmers and the sugar dissolves, remove from heat. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This can be done well in advance and will keep for several weeks. Easy peasy!
Links for Helpful Kitchen Tools & Ingredients for Irish Coffee Martini:
Drizly – Not sure if this will work for you as all states liquor laws are different, but if it does work in your state, Drizly will deliver alcohol right to your door! It is worth checking out.
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!
Trim, Ireland
Accommodation:Trim Castle Hotel – Contemporary Luxury Accommodation in the heart of Ancient Ireland! This fantastic, family owned hotel boast 68 relaxing modern rooms. We stayed in their Heritage Room which offered a spectacular view of Trim Castle. This hotel has a very comfortable atmosphere and has a cafe, bar and restaurant on site. It offers parking as well, but if you’d rather not rent a car but wish to get out of Dublin, the hotel offers transfer to and from Dublin Airport. We can’t wait to visit again!
Pubs & Restaurants:
Sally Roger’s Pub: Friendly folks and great atmosphere! Besides the cozy interior, this pub also has a large outside balcony over the River Boyne with a great view of the old bridge. This bridge was built in 1393 and is one of the country’s oldest complete and unaltered working bridges.
Wau Asian Cuisine: I know you might be thinking, why are you eating Chinese in Ireland? Well we knew there would be plenty of amazing Irish dishes to come in this trip and sometimes you are just craving Chinese, no matter where you might be! So this is where we landed and we are so glad we did! Located right above Sally Roger Pub, we got take-away from Wau Asian which was really delicious! Their tasty tofu is homemade. I highly recommend a tofu dish. And if you want to add a bit of “Irishness’ to your dinner, get chips to go with your main dish instead of the usual rice! Yup…it’s a thing.
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 Thursday March 17th! And this year it’s going to be just a wee bit extra. I was fortunate enough to visit Ireland between last St. Patrick’s and this. Hadn’t been there in ten years, so a visit was well past due! So not only will I be sharing a bunch of delicious recipes, but I will also share a travel pic or two as well as some travel recommendations just to inspire you all the more. So make sure you tune in daily!
My First View of Ireland in 10 years!
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 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! 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:
Is your mouth watering yet? Quite the galleries of goodies if I do say so myself. And there are many more recipes to be found on my blog as well as seven new ones starting tomorrow! Along with some lovely pictures of the Emerald Isle and my travel recommendations. Don’t miss out!
So wow! Just look at this amazing layered treat! What we’ve got here is Vínarterta, which translates from Icelandic to “Vienna Cake”. This cake boasts multiple thin layers of cardamom flavored shortbread alternating with spiced dried plum jam and is topped with a dusting of confectioner’s sugar.
I’m going to not only share this wonderful recipe with you today, but also continue to tell you all about that trip to the South Coast of Iceland that the Husband and I took with our parents back in September 2018. I told you all about visiting the Golden Circle, Seljalandfoss, Skogafoss, Dyrholaey & Vik as well as our stay at the luxurious Hótel Rangá in my previous post. Today I’ll tell you all about the big adventure we had on day four of our holiday. And I’m also delighted to tell you all about one of our absolute favorite places to stay while exploring the South Coast – The Garage Studio Apartments.
Gorgeous spot huh? But let me tell you about our adventure first. So what was our big adventure? We went on a private Super Jeep day tour of Þórsmörk with Midgard Adventures. Þórsmörk which translates to Thor’s Valley is a stunning nature reserve located in the Southern Highlands of Iceland between the mountain glaciers of Tindfjallajökull, the world famous Eyjafjallajökull, and Mýrdalsjökull. This lush valley has so much to offer – dramatic volcanic landscapes,
breathtaking mountain views,
lush valley scenery
and amazing hiking opportunities.
The Husband and I had visited it twice before and knew Þórsmörk is not to be missed. We really wanted the parents to be able to experience it. The thing is though, in order to enter Þórsmörk, you really must have a 4X4 vehicle as you will need to go onto the “F” roads and make several river crossings. And those “F roads” (not sure what the “F” stands for in F roads, but after having been on them, I can think of a possibility…) in the reserve are pretty rough. To be honest, even if you have rented a 4X4 vehicle, you really need to be experienced with this type of driving. And I should also mention that most rental car insurance will not cover you driving through rivers. River crossings can be quite tricky, so if you make a mistake and end up in too deep of a section the river, thus damaging your vehicle in the process, you could potentially be liable to your rental company for thousands of dollars.
This poor bus required the aid of a tractor once it became stuck trying to cross the river.
Besides the financial burden, folks have actually died trying to cross these potentially dangerous rivers. The solution here is to hire a knowledgeable, experienced local guide. We whole heartedly recommend Midgard Adventures.
The Husband and I have been out on adventures with Midgard previously. In 2012 we went out with them in December to experience the winter wonderland of Þórsmörk.
We were back with them in December 2013 on a private tour of Jökulsárlón.
Each time our adventure with them has been one of the highlights of our trip! And they didn’t let us down this time. The itinerary that they came up with for the Parent’s Day Tour was perfect. Not only did our charming and knowledgeable Midgard guide expertly navigate Þórsmörk, but he also took us to visit a nearby black sand beach
as well as a couple of stunning, lesser known waterfalls.
The parents were thrilled with the experience of crossing rivers, rough volcanic terrain and black sand beaches in the Super Jeep. And our guide knew how much the Husband and I enjoyed hiking, so he had planned ahead and dropped us off for a small hike over a mountain while he drove our parents around for some sightseeing and then met up with us on the other side. A win for everyone!
What an absolutely superb day. Everyone enjoyed themselves immensely! Take a look at this video for all of the river crossings, gorgeous scenery, hiking, blueberry picking and other live action!
After such an exciting day, we were so happy to come back to one of our absolute favorite places to stay on the South Coast – The Garage Studio Apartments. The Husband and I had stayed there previously in 2017 and we were so glad to be back! These lovely modern rustic apartments have been crafted from a former old garage that is located on a family farm belonging to Anna & Siggi. This picturesque homestead is nestled right up to the foot of the mountain topped by the Eyjafjallajökull glacier, under which the famous air traffic interrupting volcano resides.
Siggi’s family has been living on this land for over 200 years. Now Anna & Siggi are operating a “gentleman’s farm” on the site as well as managing several apartments. Located exactly between the two famous waterfalls Skógafoss and Seljalandfoss, these exceptional apartments are the perfect central location for taking in all the South Coast of Iceland has to offer. The setting is nothing less than magical.
You are surrounded by the most idyllic scenery – green hills, a private waterfall, a view overlooking the ocean, fields full of Icelandic horses and sheep,
chickens, a dog (Felix) who never tires of playing fetch
and a cat, who wouldn’t reveal their name, but was friendly nevertheless,Anna was also such an amazing host, so friendly, warm and welcoming. Her spacious apartments are stylishly decorated, sparklingly clean and filled with thoughtful little touches. And as if all of that was not enough, she served us scrumptious freshly home-baked desserts every day! Hospitality like this is hard to find!
And the Northern Lights even decided to put on a bit of a show for us to make our stay at the Garage even more delightful.
Want to see more of the Garage as well as those Northern Lights? Take a peek at this video:
But let me get back to telling you about this Vínarterta – today’s featured recipe.
Although the name translates to Vienna Cake, it likely did not arrive in Iceland straight from Vienna, but rather came by way of Denmark. This grand looking cake was often served on special occasions, such as Christmas. One of the wonderful things about this cake is not only is it delicious, but it also gets better with age. So you can make this up days and days before you actually plan to serve it. You just keep it wrapped in foil stored in a cool place.
This cake reached the height of its popularity in the late 19th to early 20th century. Back in the day, the thin layers of this cake could be easily baked in the more primitive ovens of the time or even on the stove top. And when some Icelanders emigrated to parts of Canada and the Northern United States, they brought this recipe with them. Though now a days, it is slightly different in some ways from the original, such as in North America you will often find versions with more layers and with a frosting on top. They have for the most part stayed true to the filling, whereas in present day Iceland, you are likely to find other types of filling such as rhubarb or strawberry jams.
I baked this Vínartera using Hartshorn or Baker’s Ammonia (Ammonium Carbonate) for the leavener. You will encounter this ingredient in many older, traditional Scandinavian cookie recipes. You can substitute baking powder for it, though the cookie will not have the same crispy texture that it will get from using Hartshorn. I gotta tell you though, man is that ammonia smell strong! It is thankfully completely gone once the cookies/cake is baked, but let me just say, you will not be tempted to nibble the batter before it goes in the oven!
The original recipe did not call for any Vodka whatsoever, but I liked the idea of a celebration cake being just a bit boozy. And I do know that good Vodka doesn’t really have much of a taste. But somehow it just makes me feel better knowing that it is there. I splurged and added a few glugs of Reyka Vodka to thin my jam just a bit as well as soak the prunes. You can virtuously soak the prunes in plain water if you are a teetotaler.
Oh, and I guess that brings me to the dreaded “P” word. You might have noticed that I don’t call it “spiced prune filling”. No. No prunes are in this treat. Just some dried plums. I don’t know why folks freak out when they hear prune, but they do. So yeah. Spiced dried plums are what is in this scrumptious Vínarterta – and believe me you are going to love it!
confectioner’s sugar (for sprinkling over the top – optional)
Directions:
Prepare the filling:
The night before you plan to make the filling, place the pitted prunes in a bowl and cover with vodka or warm water. Leave them to plump up overnight. (optional)
Place the prunes, sugar and spices in a saucepan and add 1 cup of water. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until it comes to a boil. Continue to cook until the prunes are soft and the syrup has thickened, about 20 minutes. Let the mixture cool slightly. Place it into the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Set aside.
If you would like to thin the jam a bit as well as add a bit of “cheer” to it, add a glug or two of vodka and stir to combine. (optional)
Prepare the shortbread:
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baker’s ammonia and cardamom.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Add the flour mixture and the milk and continue to mix until a smooth dough forms. The dough should be soft and just shy of sticky. Shape the dough into a ball and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Divide the dough into five equal parts. On a floured work surface, roll each part out into a thin disc about 9″ in diameter. Arrange the circles on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 12 minutes, or until they are just beginning to brown at the edges.
Assembly:
While the layers are still warm, sandwich them with the spiced dried plum filling, leaving the top of the top layer of the cake bare.
Allow cake to cool completely and then wrap in foil. The cake will keep for weeks in a cool place and will improve with age.
Sprinkle top of cake with confectioner’s sugar just prior to serving.
Enjoy!
Links for Helpful Kitchen Tools & Ingredients for Vínarterta:
Covid-19 Information: Please make sure you familiarize yourself with all of the Icelandic Government’s travel requirements BEFORE you head out. All of the official information can be found here.
I Heart Reykjavik– An invaluable resource for all things Iceland! I Heart Reykjavik is a small, family run company that offers you personalized service. Planning a holiday can certainly be stressful which has become even more so with rapidly changing safety requirements due to Covid 19. I Heart Reykjavik is keeping up to date with all of the government guidelines and can provide guidance here. Additionally, they can help you plan a fantastic vacation to Iceland in a couple of ways. You can browse and book tours directly on their website. The advantage here is that I Heart Reykjavik has vetted all of the companies on their carefully curated list. Often they have even gone out on the tours and you can read a review of their experience on their blog. Their recommendations can save you a ton of time pouring over tours and reviews online and let you know which company you can best trust with your money . Another advantage is that if you book all of your tours through them and then a unforeseen change due to the weather or some sort of thing, I Heart Reykjavik can suggest changes to your itinerary and assist you with rebooking. And speaking of itineraries, if you are the type of person who likes to plan out everything yourself, I Heart Reykjavik can still be of assistance. They offer an Itinerary Review service, where they can take a look at your upcoming plans and make sure everything makes sense – such as if you have allowed enough travel time. They can give you feedback concerning accommodation and alert you if there is a must see in the area you are visiting which has not found it’s way into your plans. They are truly an invaluable resource!
Getting There: Icelandair! We love Icelandair and have always had great experience with them. Take advantage of their Stopover program on your next flight to Europe.
Car Rental: Blue Car Rental: We ALWAYS rent our car from Blue Car Rental. Friendly Icelandic company, well maintained, newer, quality vehicles – they’ve never let us down and at this point we have rented from them on six different visits and have had excellent experiences every time. The price they quote on their website has all of the insurance included so there are no surprizes when you show up at their rental desk. Highly recommend!
Accommodation: The Garage – Studio Apartments – One of our favorite places to stay in Iceland! Located on the South Coast of Iceland, between Seljalandfoss & Skógafoss waterfalls. This picturesque homestead is nestled right up to the foot of the mountain topped by the Eyjafjallajökull glacier, under which the famous air traffic interrupting volcano resides. These lovely modern rustic apartments were originally built from a former old garage that is located on a family farm belonging to Anna & Siggi. Since they built the original apartments, they have expanded and built a few more in a previous cow shed and most recently have remodeled a Haytower. These cozy apartments are studios, some of which are standard and some slightly bigger with a pull out sofa bed to accommodate extra guests. The Haytower is the biggest unit and is a full one bedroom apartment. You can book with The Garage here.(booking.com)
Tour Companies:
Midgard Adventure: I highly recommend you book a tour with Midgard. Midgard is a local family run business located in Hvolsvöllur. They offer single day and multiday tours which can be either private and shared. The shared tours are always with a small group. No massive bus tours here, just thoughtful personal service.They are skilled at helping you plan your whole itinerary as well should you desire and being locals they have first hand knowledge of the area as well as the hidden gems off the beaten path. As I have mentioned we have enjoyed four different tours with them, and on each occasion it has ended up being one of the highlights of our trip. Consistent excellence is hard to find! They are a pleasure to deal with from the first email until your action packed day has come to an end. Everyone I have ever met there is friendly, helpful and professional. And I should mention that Midgard now has a Basecamp. They can offer both hotel as well as hostel style accommodation in their beautiful facility which also boasts a restaurant, bar, and roof top hot tub and sauna. The Husband and I haven’t had the pleasure of staying with them yet, but we did grab a delicious breakfast in their restaurant before heading out for our adventure. We are planning a Highlands Adventure, which we will of course be booking with Midgard, so we will let you know!
Restaurants:
Gamla Fjósið (The Old Cow House) – Located just off of Route 1, about 2 km away from the Garage Apartments. Cozy family run restaurant featuring delicious comfort food prepared with locally sourced (often from their own farm) fresh ingredients. Delicious homemade bread, jams and ice cream.
Midgard Basecamp – The Restaurant at Midgard Basecamp has it all! Serving food based on their Icelandic heritage, they offer everything from pasture raised lamb, to fresh caught fish, to juicy burgers. And if you are a vegetarian or vegan there are plenty of delicious offerings to choose from as well. Check out their wonderful Breakfast Buffet and come back in the evening for a great dinner. They also carry a good selection of the locally crafted brews.
Misc:
The Reykjavik Grapevine: A witty English language Icelandic magazine. Great read whether or not you’re planning a visit! And if you are planning a visit make sure to check out their annual “Best of” edition where they give you a curated list of the best of everything to be found in the country!
Icelandic Meteorologic Office – Great for checking the weather before you go and essential while you are visiting – especially if you are visiting in the Winter! They also have an app you can have on your phone which I definitely recommend. The weather in Iceland can change suddenly. Be prepared!
Posted by liadh1 
Lea & Jay 