Take a different approach to your festive desserts this year with these delicious options to suit every member of the family – from the oldest to the youngest
Start a new tradition with these gorgeous Christmas recipes from the award-winning The Irish Bakery by Cherie Denham that are a lovely alternative to a mince pie or Christmas pudding but equally enjoyable at any time of year.
These recipes were shared with us by Killadoon Milk, a family-run dairy farm in Celbridge, Co. Kildare that won Ireland’s Best Start-Up at the 2024 Blas na hÉireann Awards – as they pair perfectly with a chilled glass of creamy, fresh milk. This Friday, 20 December, the business is supporting the Children’s Health Foundation, and will donate 100% of sales of their award-winning whole milk and flavoured milk to Crumlin Children’s Hospital through the Children’s Health Foundation.
Traditional Christmas Mincemeat Bakewells
Makes 16
Ingredients:
For the Shortbread
155 g (5 ½) oz plain flour
30 g (1 oz) caster sugar
30 g (1 oz) fine semolina
¼ teaspoon baking powder
140 g (5 oz) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
30 g (1 oz) ground almonds
600g/1 lb 5oz traditional Christmas mincemeat
For the Bakewell Layer
170 g (6 oz) unsalted butter
170 g (6 oz) caster sugar
4 eggs plus 1 egg yolk, beaten
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
170 g (6 oz) ground almonds
3 tablespoons plain flour
30 g (1 oz) flaked almonds
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 160C (350F/Gas 4) and line a 23 x 23 cm (9 x 9 inch) baking tin with baking parchment.
- Combine the flour, sugar, semolina, baking powder, butter, vanilla extract and ground almonds into a food processor and pulse until the mixture comes together.
- Press this mixture evenly into the lined tin, prick all over with a fork and refrigerate for 20 minutes until firm.
- Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 20 minutes until a pale biscuit colour. Remove and set aside to cool.
- Once cooled, spread the mincemeat evenly all over the shortbread.
- For the frangipane later, cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and egg yolk gradually, then stir in the vanilla extract, ground almonds and flour.
- Spread over the mincemeat and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, scatter the flaked almonds over the top and return to the oven to bake for a further 15 minutes until golden brown.
- Leave to cool, then dust with icing sugar and slice into squares.
Clementine Biscuits
Crumbly, zesty and ridiculously easy to make, these soft and buttery biscuits are rolled in Demerara sugar for a satisfying crunch. They are perfect to have with a cup of tea, morning, noon or night.
Makes 28
Ingredients:
110 g (4 oz) cold unsalted butter, cubed
55 g (2 oz) caster sugar
140 g (5 oz) plain flour
55 g (2 oz) ground almonds
3 clementines, zested
Demerara sugar
Method:
- Combine all the ingredients, except the Demerara sugar, in a food processor and blend until it just comes together into a ball of dough.
- Pour some Demerara sugar onto a tray or plate.
- Scrape out the dough and shape into a long, thin log about 28 cm (11 inches) long, then roll in the Demerara sugar. Wrap in baking parchment and twist at each end to seal, then place in the refrigerator or freezer to chill.
- Preheat the oven to 160C (350F/Gas 4) and line two baking sheets with baking parchment.
- Once firm, slice the log of dough into 1 cm (½ inch) thick rounds and space well apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until crisp and golden.
- Remove from the oven and allow to firm up on the baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Killadoon Milk owes its superior taste and creamy texture to its Jersey-cross herd, renowned for producing rich, high-quality milk. This single-source dairy ensures that every drop comes exclusively from Killadoon’s herd, guaranteeing traceability, integrity, and unmatched freshness.
At the heart of Killadoon Milk’s passion for sustainability are its innovative vending machines, which redefine how milk is delivered to consumers. The business has established a network of these eco-friendly machines in retail stores which champion a reusable glass bottle system to eliminate single-use plastic and packaging waste. Customers simply purchase a reusable glass bottle from their bottle vending machine at a participating store (or bring their own reusable bottle), then fill it directly from the adjacent Killadoon Milk vending machine. This farm-to-vending model allows Killadoon Milk to travel within hours of milking straight from the farm to retail stores with minimal processing and transport, delivering unparalleled freshness. For more information, and to find your closest vending machine, visit killadoon.ie
