Hi everyone and apologies for not keeping my blog up to date as much as I'd like to,but I promise things will improve.
As those of you know that follow Fiona Egan Cloughan Farm and Cookery School on  twitter,facebook and instagram, this year we were so delighted and proud to be associated with the wonderful Tullamore Show.We sponsored the cheesecake class in the cookery section which as always see's a very large and high standard of entries from all over the country.
But stepping away from all things delicious for the moment, I would wholeheartedly like to congratulate the wonderful committee and team of up to 500 volunteers who give so much of their time to make this one of the best agricultural shows in the country,which by the way takes place on the 2nd Sunday of august each year..You have made over the last 25 years,an enormous contribution to your community,and for all those very proud prize winners and entrants throughout the show in all sections,from all corners of Ireland,this very fine platform would not be possible without  the enormous generosity of you guys.In particular I would like to say a big thank you to the committee vice chairperson and head of of the cookery section  Brenda Kiernan,you are always improving and keeping up to date in what ever the newest trends are in cake & bake making, but your never without a smile on your face and a generics gratatueed to everybody for all their efforts.
Now getting back to all things cheesecake ,and keeping the buzz of Tullamore going for as long as I can here at our cookery school, I'm going to share with you a yummy Summer Fruits Cheesecake recipe which I make quite often for customers or whenever I am entertaining in our own home.But this dessert of course would make a very welcomed present when visiting friends or loved ones.Its quite simple to make and truly delicious to eat,and as some of you know from one of my previsions blogs I am not a fan of heavy cheesecakes so this one is sure to please those of you with similar  pallets as myself.

Fiona

Summer Fruits Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Base

300g digestive biscuits

120g butter melted

Filling:

225g full fat philadelphia creamcheese

125g sugar 

1 pint of fresh cream

5 leaves of gelatine

250g frozen or fresh mixed berries (strawberries,raspberries,tayberries,blackcurrents)

Topping

150g frozen or fresh mixed berries ( strawberries,raspberries,tayberries,blackcurrents)

1 leaves of gelatine

2 tabsp sugar

1 tabsp cold water. 

Method:

First of all you will need a 9"/23cm spring form tin.
If your using frozen fruits allow sufficient time for them to defrost..
To get started add the digestive biscuit to a plastic bowl,breaking up the biscuits roughly with your hands as you do so.. Using a bottle or a jam jar,start pounding the biscuits so you archive a course crumb.Add the melted butter to the basin and mix well until everything is combined.Turn the biscuit out into the base of the cheesecake tin and press down gently with the back of a dessertspoon making sure that the surface is nice and level and that you have an even depth all over.Refrigerate while preparing your filling.

Put the mixed fruits into a high sided jug and using a hand held blender,puree until slightly course.Place the leaves of gelatine into a shallow dish a cover fully with cold water to soften for about 10 min's .Place the creamcheese into a bowl along with the sugar and beat with a hand held electric mixer only stopping once to scrape down the sides of your bowl,continue beating until everything is nice and smooth.Add the fresh cream and beat ever so lightly until you have very soft peeks.Remember you don't want to over beat at this stage because you still have more ingredients to add.Squeeze the gelatine and remove the excess water from the dish,add the gelatine back into the dish along with a tablespoon of cold water.Microwave for 5-8 seconds until dissolved.Whisk in the melted galatine into the creamcheese mixture and  finally fold in the mixed berry puree.Pour the filling on top of the biscuit base and chill overnight. 

For your topping, place the leaves of gelatin into a shallow dish a cover fully with cold water to soften for about 10 min's.Puree the fruits in a high sided jug along with the sugar and water.Next squeeze the gelatine and remove the excess water from the dish,add the gelatine back into the dish along with a tablespoon of cold water.Microwave for 5-8 seconds until dissolved.Whisk in the melted galatine into the puree fruit.Remove your cheesecake from the fridge and spread the topping evenly and carefully over the surface of your cheesecake with the back of a teaspoon..

Return the cheesecake to the fridge for about an hour or two until set.Once set run a sharp knife around the inside of the tin to loosen the cheesecake and remove from the tin.Carefully slide onto a cake stand or platter.Decorate with a few berries such as strawberries,blueberries,raspberries etc and a little bit of fresh mint.I don't recommend pipping fresh cream on top,but rather serve it on the side of the dessert plate.I just think it takes away from the look of your cheesecake and remember you eat with your eyes.

Enjoy!!

      

 

 

 WHEATEN & LEMON SCONES

Here is our recipe for wheaten & lemon scones.These are wonderful with cream cheese & smoked Salmon,or delicious baked ham & chutney.Or just simply with some cheese & tomato and a dollop of mayo.And of course a homemade bowl of soup.The list is endless.

 I always use odlums flour as its lovely and creamy and trust me,I'd never let branded flour inside the door..Also,champion milk avonmore,Connacht gold and cuinneog are all wonderful buttersmilks for all your baking and cooking needs.They maybe a few cent extra,but in mind they make all the difference.And isn't it wonderful to be supporting Irish..These are the small businesses and co-op's that support and sponsor all our local charities and sports clubs in our community along with many more small Irish businesses and retailers..If you don't use them you lose them..And you know the old saying "Penny wise and pound foolish"...
Now back to my scones..I hope you all enjoy making them and don't forget to send me in your photos...
Happy Baking Everybody
Fiona

Lemon and Mango Cheesecake

Cheesecake and I,or I and cheesecake,which ever way you choose to say it, at the best of times we don't get along.Whether its baked,or set,a slice would not be my preferred choice from a menu, as I often find it a little heavy and hard to digest after a meal,or even just with a cup of coffee.In my mind,a cheesecake should be lighter than light,silky but yet have a mild and distinctive flavour.In 2009 Neven McGuire gave me a lovely gift of his latest cookery book called "Food from the Sun". In it I came across this beautiful citrus and fresh recipe which most certainly ticks all the boxes for me,and I very much hope you also enjoy as its quick and simple to make,but oh so tasty.I have changed some of the original recipe ever so slightly,but it still has the same great taste.These ingredients I am giving you will make a 9in(23cm) cheesecake which will serve approximately 12-14 people,but i often make one by reducing the ingredients in half and using a 6-7in tin which will quite comfortably serve 8 adults.I also find that its best to make any set cheesecake late the evening before,or early in the day you intend to serve it.Any longer than this it just some how tends to loose its lovely lightness.

Ingredients   
75g(3oz) butter melted
250g(9oz) crushed ginger-nut biscuits.
I like to crush the biscuits in a flat bottom
plastic bowl using a bottle as it does not dust
or crumb them as much as a blender does. 

 Filling
4 gelatine leaves
175ml(6fl oz) milk
1tsp of a good quality vanilla essence
175g(6oz) caster or granulated sugar
500g(9oz) of full fat Philadelphia cream cheese
finely grated rind and juice of 2 lemons
150ml (5fl oz) thick Greek yoghurt

For the Fruit Topping

2 gelatine leaves
400g can of mango slices
drained or 2 large mangoes
peeled and sliced or I use
frozen mangoes slices.

Raspberry Coulis

200g/7oz fresh or frozen raspberries
50g/2oz caster sugar

Method

Melt the butter in a saucepan and add to your bowl of crushed biscuits.Mix well and add to a 9in loose bottomed,spring-form cake tin.Press down the biscuits gently with the back of a spoon and makesure the base is level.Pop into your fridge to chill while you get on with the filling.

For your filling,soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 10 minutes.Add the milk and vanilla to a saucepan and heat over a median heat but do not allow to boil.Squeeze out excess water and add the gelatine into the milk followed by the sugar whisking until everything is dissolved.Allow to cool a little.
In another bowl add the cream cheese,rind & juice of your lemons and the Greek yoghurt.Beat with an electric hand held mixer on a slow speed until everything is smooth,then slowly add the milk a little at a time until all is incorporated.Pour on top of the set biscuit base and refrigerate for at least an hour.

For the topping,soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 10 minutes.Place the mangoes in a large jug and using a hand healed  food processor,blend until smooth.Squeeze the gelatine and remove the excess water from the bowl,add the gelatine back into the bowl along with a tablespoon of cold water.Microwave for 5 seconds until dissolved.Whisk  the gelatine into the mango puree and pour over the cheesecake,spreading evenly with the back of a spoon.Chill for another 2-3 hours until set.

For the raspberry coulis,(allow fruit to defrost if using frozen) pop the fruit and sugar into a jug and using a hand healed food processor,blend until smooth.Press through a fine sieve into a bowl to remove the seeds.Cover and chill until needed.This is also delicious with ice-cream if you have any left over.

To serve,run a sharp knife around the inside of the tin to loosen the cheesecake,and remove onto a pretty plate or cake stand.Present to your guests at the dinner table.Drizzle some raspberry coulis on your serving plates and place a slice of your delicious cheesecake on top.Prosenting food this way is very important,as it makes your guests feel very welcome,and of course,I'm sure,you'll have  lots of compliments going your way too.

Your guests will be asking for more.YUM

 

  

     
 

Hello readers and followers , my name is Fiona Egan. I live  at Cloughan Farm, Abbeyshrule, Co Longford with my wonderful husband Michael Farrell.I run a very busy catering and cookery school here at our lovely home and farm. From as far back as I can remember, I have always enjoyed cooking and baking but most of all entertaining..

 I believe strongly in producing and eating pure & honest, healthy food. How our food is produced is just as important to me as what we eat. Supporting local producers is the success for local communities. Remember if you don’t use them you loss them. On my blog I will be posting delicious recipes from time to time plus what's happening in our garden and farm, and I'm sure I'll have a few surprises from what ever life throws at me along the way.I will also be chatting and sharing my conversation with you,from people who inspire me in my life.
So I am really looking forward on getting started and would love to here from you,what ever the question or funny story is.


Fiona..