Homemade Apple Turnovers (and a steep learning curve)

It began last week. I started thinking about apple turnovers. You know, the puff pastry, icing sugar-dredged, appley confection to be found in any self-respecting bakery in Ireland. You bite in, the pastry flakes everywhere. Someone makes you laugh mid-bite, you exhale rapidly out your nose sending icing sugar and flaky pastry flying onto your [...]

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Blondies: where have you been all my life?

I’ve never made blondies before. To be honest, I’d never really thought much about them. Aren’t brownies better, anyway? Turns out that brownies are great and all, but blondies are just a whole different animal. Imagine, if you will, a big, thick, chewy cookie. There’s never enough of the chewy part before you get to [...]

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Roasted Butternut Squash & Parsnip Soup

It is not easy to take a good photo of soup.  The lighting (here, the coffee room in college) and quality of camera (not DSLR) play a big part in making soup look appetizing.  I need a better camera! But what this soup lacks in photogenic qualities, it makes up in the taste department Almost [...]

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Snazzy Pizza Rolls

I find working with yeast a little bit daunting. I’m always afraid something is going to go terribly wrong. Is this yeast too old? Did I knead it enough? Is the dough the correct consistency? How do you know? It’s a minefield out there. Recently, we have made pizza a weekly thing. Usually Saturday – make [...]

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Creamy Halloumi and Tagliatelle

I first tasted this dish about 5 years ago when I moved back to Galway after spending a year studying in Scotland. The flatmates in my new house used to cook dinners together quite regularly, and this was one of the veggie favourites. I had never encountered halloumi cheese before then – a solid cheese [...]

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Nigella’s Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake

I love chocolate cake. Recently, though, I have had a few very disappointing slices of chocolate cake in certain cafes around town. For such a popular cake choice, it seems to be difficult to get right. I’ve had slices that were dry, dull, disappointing. I was in need of a proper slice of chocolate cake. [...]

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