The great Easter bake-off

Serves six to eight

Created by Donal Skehan

Move over dinner rolls; these savoury scones need to feature on your next dinner menu. They go perfectly with soups and stews or served simple with butter and red onion relish.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

500g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting

120g butter, chilled

1 tsp baking powder

125g Irish cheddar cheese, grated

2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

1 tsp English mustard powder, optional

250ml milk, plus extra for brushing

2 large free-range eggs

• 1 Preheat the oven to 220°C; dust a large baking sheet with flour. Set aside.
• 2 Combine the flour and baking powder in a large mixing bowl and, using your fingertips, rub in the butter until the mixture resembles rough breadcrumbs.
• 3 Add 100g of the cheese, 1 tbsp of thyme and the English mustard to the bowl and mix it through the crumbs.
• 4 In a measuring jug, whisk together the milk and egg until combined. Pour this into the crumb mixture (leaving about 1 tbsp of the mix in the jug) and mix through with a butter knife until a rough dough forms. Use your hands to push the dough together, making sure to include any mixture that’s stuck on the sides of the bowl.
• 5 Dust a clean work surface with a little flour, turn the dough out of the bowl and press into a round shape. With a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a thickness of 2.5cm.
• 6 Using a 7.5cm circular pastry cutter, cut out the scones and place on the baking sheet.
• 7 Press the trimmings together, roll out and repeat until you have used all the dough (otherwise, you can just cut them into squares).
• 8 Brush each scone with the reserved egg and milk mix, sprinkle with 25g of cheese and the remaining tablespoon of thyme to garnish.
• 9 Place in the oven on the middle shelf and bake for 12-14 minutes until they have risen and turned a lovely golden-brown colour on top.
• 10 Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving warm with butter.
Cauliflower, cheddar & walnut tartlets



Cauliflower, cheddar and walnut tart by Elke O'Mahony, Cork. \ Dora Kazmierak

Serves four

Created by Elke O’Mahony, Cork

This light cauliflower tart, with walnut pastry and delicious mature Hegarty cheddar, makes the perfect Easter dinner starter. Cauliflower and cheddar are a match made in heaven and the walnuts in the pastry add a unique layer of flavour.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Total time: 50 minutes

For the pastry:

250g plain flour

50g ground walnuts

150g butter

1 egg (lightly beaten)

1-3 tsp water

For the filling:

300g cauliflower (divided into small florets)

100g mature cheddar (grated)

100ml cream

1 egg

1-2 tsp Dijon Mustard

salt

1 tbsp toasted walnuts (roughly chopped



• 1 For the pastry, add the flour and ground walnuts into a large bowl with the salt. Crumble the butter into the flour and rub until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg and 1 tsp of water. With a knife, cut through the mix to incorporate the egg and water until the mixture comes together. If it looks too dry, add a bit more water (be careful not to add too much). Bring the mix together with your hands until smooth. Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.
• 2 Preheat the oven to 160°C.
• 3 Steam the cauliflower until just tender. Set aside.
• 4 Line four individual tartlet tins with the rolled-out pastry (or press the dough in with your fingers). Divide the grated cheese between the tartlets, leaving some for topping. Arrange the florets of cauliflower on top of the cheese. In a small jug, mix the cream, egg and mustard. Add a pinch of salt. Pour over the cauliflower, making sure not to overflow. Sprinkle remaining cheddar over the tartlets and place in the oven. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the pastry is cooked through. Sprinkle the chopped roasted walnuts over the top. Serve warm.
Blue cheese, kale and pecan tartlets



Blue cheese, kale and pecan tartlets by Hanna Mathe, Waterford. \ Dora Kazmierak

Serves eight

Created by Hanna Mathe, Waterford

This is a delightful dish that provides an explosion of flavour with every bite. Not only is it visually pleasing; it has the perfect balance of sweet, bitter, sour and savoury. The cheese, pecans and pear are a wonderful combination of flavours, made complete by the crunchy texture of the kale.

Prep time: 45 mins

Total time: 180 mins

For the pastry:

200g plain flour

pinch of sugar

100g butter, chilled & cubed

35ml of cold water

For the custard:

1 whole egg

1 egg yolk

1 tbsp caster sugar

150ml cream

For the filling:

150g kale, roughly chopped and washed

1 tsp coconut oil

1 tsp butter

75g pecans, roughly chopped

1 small pear, cubed

100g Cashel Blue cheese, cubed

maple syrup, to taste



• 1 Make the pastry: add the flour, pinch of sugar and cubed butter into a food processor and process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• 2 Gradually add the cold water until the dough just comes together.
• 3 Remove from food processor, wrap dough in cling film and chill in fridge for 15 minutes.
• 4 Remove dough from the fridge. On a floured surface, begin “ridging” the pastry disc; holding rolling pin in both hands, loosely tap over the entire surface of the pastry once or twice, turning it at a 90° angle and repeating the same process until it has at least doubled in size.
• 5 Once doubled in size, using short, quick strokes of the rolling pin, roll the pastry out to a thickness of 3mm, turning it while rolling (if the pastry is cracking around the edges, seal the cracks with your fingertips). Ensure pastry isn’t overworked.
• 6 Carefully cut and fit the pastry into the tartlet tins. Lift overhanging pastry up a little, encouraging the pastry inside to fit snugly.
• 7 Using a piece of overhanging pastry, push the pastry in the tin well into the corners. Using a rolling pin, cut through the pastry and remove overhanging bits from the tin.
• 8 Cover the tartlets with pieces of parchment, fill with baking weights or dried beans and chill the pastry for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
• 9 Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6 and blind bake pastry for 20 minutes.
• 10 Reduce oven temperature to 180°C/gas mark 4, remove baking beans from pastry by carefully lifting the parchment and bake for a further 10-15 minutes (to create a protective layer between pastry and wet filling, brush the bottoms of the tartlets with egg white). Remove from the oven and cool.
• 11 Make the custard: whisk the egg, yolk and 1 tbsp sugar together. Heat the cream by bringing to a simmer, remove from heat and, using an electric mixer add slowly to the egg mixture.
• 12 Return the custard to the stove and on low heat (should be between 75-85°C), using a wooden spoon, stir continuously until it coats the back of the spoon and dragging your finger along the spoon the trail remains intact. Ensure low heat so custard doesn’t curdle.
• 13 Sauté the kale in the teaspoon of butter and coconut oil and set aside to cool.
• 14 When all your ingredients have cooled, begin filling the tart case by starting with a layer of crumbled blue cheese on the bottom, followed by kale, pear and pecans and more cheese. Repeat process until all fillings are used.
• 15 Pour custard over the tart evenly and drizzle with maple syrup to taste.
• 16 Bake in a 180°C oven for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the custard has set and the pecans have toasted. Cover the tartlets with tinfoil 20-25 minutes into baking and return to oven. Remove from the oven and cool.
Orange pistachio yoghurt cake



Orange pistachio yoghurt cake by Clodagh McKenna. \ Dora Kazmierak

Serves six to eight

Created by Clodagh McKenna

This is one of my favourite cakes at this time of the year. It’s a much-needed burst of sunshine. It’s deliciously light and moist, due to the natural Irish yogurt. You can make a gluten free version by simply using gluten free breadcrumbs. You can substitute the pistachios with hazelnuts, but toast the hazelnuts before you add them to the cake - it enhances their flavour. It will last for one week, but I’m not sure you will have any left to test me on that!

Prep time: 25 minutes

Total time: 1 hour 25 minutes

For the cake:

50g stale white breadcrumbs

100g ground almonds

100g pistachios

1 tsp baking powder

4 eggs

150g caster sugar

125ml sunflower or vegetable oil

200ml natural Irish yoghurt

zest of 1 orange

zest of 1 lemon

For the citrus syrup:

juice of 1 orange

juice of 1 lemon

75g caster sugar

1 star anise

1 cinnamon stick

To serve:

50g roughly chopped pistachios

zest of 1 orange

Natural Irish yoghurt

Orange slices (optional)



• 1 Preheat the oven to 190°C.
• 2 Grease a 20.5cm round and 5cm deep tin, then lightly dust with flour. Set aside.
• 3 In a large bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, almonds, pistachios and baking powder.
• 4 In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with the caster sugar. Continue to whisk while pouring in the sunflower or vegetable oil, followed by the natural Irish yoghurt.
• 5 Stir the liquid ingredients, pour into the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the orange and lemon zest. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and into the pre-heated oven.
• 6 Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the cake is golden brown. To ensure cake is done, insert a skewer into the centre – if it’s ready, the skewer should come out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before turning out onto a plate.
• 7 Meanwhile, make the citrus syrup. Put all of the ingredients into a saucepan and bring gently to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved completely. Simmer for 10 minutes or until thick. While the cake is still warm, pierce it several times with a skewer, then spoon the hot syrup over the cake, allowing it to run into the holes.
• 8 Leave to cool. Spoon any excess syrup back over the cake every now and then until it is all soaked up.
• 9 Sprinkle chopped pistachios on top, and the zest of one orange and orange slices. Serve with natural Irish yoghurt.
Honey & ricotta cheesecake



Honey and ricotta cheesecake by Donal Skehan.

Serves 10 to 12

Created by Donal Skehan

You can switch out the gingernut biscuits for regular digestive biscuits or graham crackers here, but the gingernuts are worth seeking out as they add spice and sweetness to this cheesecake.

Prep time: 25 minutes

Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes

300g gingernut biscuits, blitzed to a fine crumb

150g butter, melted

500g ricotta cheese

250g mascarpone

100ml cream

100ml honey

4 eggs, beaten

zest and juice of 1 lemon

50g plain flour, sifted

3 figs, to serve

25g toasted flaked almonds



• 1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 20cm springform cake tin with parchment paper on the base and sides, set aside on a baking tray.
• 2 Combine the biscuit crumbs and butter until completely mixed through. Press this mixture into the base of the cake tin. Place in the oven to bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.
• 3 In a mixing bowl, whisk together the ricotta, mascarpone, cream and all but one tablespoon of honey, until smooth and creamy. Whisk in the eggs one at a time until completely incorporated, followed by the lemon and flour.
• 4 Pour the filling over the biscuit crumb base and smooth over the top with a spatula.
• 5 Place the cheesecake in the oven and bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Turn off the heat and allow to cool in the oven with the door slightly ajar.
• 6 Once cooled, serve by cutting the figs in half, placing on top of the cheesecake, drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of honey and sprinkle with the flaked almonds.
Croque monsieur galette



Croque monsieur galette by the NDC.

Serves eight to 10

Created by National Dairy Council

This savoury French-inspired tart combines everything we love about the classic croque monsieur sandwich – sharply flavoured cheese, salty ham and a creamy bechamel sauce. Serve as a light lunch with salad, or as a knockout starter for your Easter dinner.

Prep time: 25 minutes

Total time: 55 minutes

150ml whole milk

200g grated gruyere cheese

2 tsp cornflour

pinch of white pepper

1 tsp salt

500g block all-butter puff pastry

1-2 tbsp Dijon mustard

200g thickly sliced ham, fat trimmed

1 egg, beaten with a pinch of salt



• 1 Heat the milk in a large pan until just simmering. Gradually stir in the cheese until melted. Mix the cornflour with 1 tbsp water then add to the pan and bubble up gently until thickened. Season with salt and white pepper, then pour into a clingfilm-lined, round 18cm solid cake tin or baking dish. Put in the fridge for 2 hours or until completely chilled.
• 2 Make the galette: preheat the oven to 220°C. Halve the pastry and roll into two 23cm circles. Put one piece on a baking sheet and spread over the mustard in an 18cm circle. Lay the ham on the mustard.
• 3 Flip the set cheese out of its tin, remove the clingfilm and sit it on the ham. Brush the border of the pastry with egg then drape the second piece of pastry on top. Press around the cheese and ham, eliminating any air.
• 4 Trim the edges then crimp to seal. Brush all over with some egg then chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.
• 5 Take the galette out and use the back of a knife to score a border 1½cm in from the edge, then score lines from the centre to the border to create a pattern. Glaze with egg again.
• 6 Bake for 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 180°C and cook for 20 minutes or until puffed and golden.
• 7 Cool for 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.