Monthly Archives

March 2015

Sweet Snacks

Irish Apple Crumble Cake

I found this recipe in a number of places listed as “Irish Apple Crumble Cake” though I don’t see anything tremendously Irish about it (just seems like a normal apple coffee cake like cake), but it looked yummy so I decided to make it on the spur of the moment, really.

I should know better by now than to bake something when I am not in a baking mood (and in an overall very cranky mood) and just to make something “for the sake of a holiday”, especially one that I have no real connection to. This was actually the third thing that I attempted to make this morning. The first two were utter failures. They might have been somewhat more “Irish-y” (in that they involved green and shamrocks and the like — ok, more Plastic Paddy maybe [grin] ), but one didn’t even make it to the baking stage and the other fell apart … well, let’s not go into the details. At any rate, I was frustrated and so even this isn’t a success in my mind. Baking is definitely a frame of mind. And tomorrow is another day.
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Dinner

Steak and Stout Stew (aka Guinness Stew)

Here is a variation on my usual beef stew recipe, this time using some Guinness as some of the braising liquid. I usually use red wine (or even coffee), but thought that since it was St. Patrick’s Day-ish (and I had a bottle of stout available), I would use that instead. Adds a nice bitterness to it. Note that you should not use Guinness Extra Stout (just the draught) otherwise it will be too bitter. Also, in addition to my usual potatoes and carrots, I had a few parsnips from the winter market, so I used them too.
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Desserts, Sweet Snacks

Apple Blossom Tart, with Honey Almond Custard

Today is Pie Day. Or rather, Pi Day (3.14.15), at least in the US date format. Some years, I have made a whole slew of pies, but this year, this is my solo one. It’s lovely. It’s harder to put together than one would think, as a lot of the “flowers” want to unroll again. But it’s well worth it.
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