Fionn Downhill

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Irish Tea Brack Recipe

Irish Tea Brack Growing up in Ireland one of my many favorite foods was fruit cake. At Halloween we had a fruit cake called barm brack with a ring in. The ring was meant to tell the finder that they would one day marry. At 7 years old I never had any doubt that I was going to marry a prince anyway. This tea Brack made with tea is popular all year round it is delicious. After a visit to Ireland this summer I committed to mastering this delicious...

Scotch Egg’s Recipe with Air Fryer option

Scotch Eggs are one of those classic English picnic and buffet staples—savory, satisfying, and just plain delicious any time of year. When I moved to the U.S., I quickly realized I wasn’t going to find any pre-made ones like you would back in the UK. So, I dug up a recipe from Delia Smith years ago and started making my own. Over time, I’ve tweaked and perfected it into my Scotch Egg recipe. Whenever I make these for guests, they’re...

Mini custard APPLE tarts with walnuts (no added sugar)

Mini Sugar Free Apple Tarts In England and Ireland apples are as popular in Fall as pumpkin spice.  Apples play a big role at Halloween.  Bobbing for apples was our #1 sport on Halloween.   As a kid growing up in the West of Ireland, we waited every fall for the apple man to arrive.  He sold cooking or crab apples which were incredible for baking with.  I have never seen these apples in the US and the closest I can...

Irish Boxty (Potato Pancakes)

“Boxty on the griddle, boxty on the pan if you don’t eat Irish Boxty you will never be a man” (Or so the rhyme went when I was a child) Irish Boxty is a simple and delicious potato pancake made from raw pureed or finely grated potatoes. Boxty was a food staple in the West of Ireland when I was growing up. Once known as the poor man’s bread it has now come into its own as a gourmet dish and has been adapted by Chef’s as an...

Pumpkin Spice Scone with Spiced Apple Glaze.

Scones are one of my all-time favorite treats to bake. I adore traditional fruit scones, and I love making special holiday versions too. Some of my seasonal scones are such big hits that I get requests for them all year round! For this fall version, I’ve embraced America’s pumpkin obsession to create a new addition to my scone lineup. I’ve stuck close to the traditional English method because I prefer the lighter, less dense texture it...

Downton Abbey Tea Party

Now that we have covered the basics, here is how to do your own Downton Abbey Tea Party.  Dine like the Dowager with elegance and style. When I watched Downtown Abbey I had serious tea set envy. Let’s start with six people. Royal Dalton tea set Table supplies 6 cups and saucers 6 small teaspoons.  Place one spoon on each saucer. Milk and sugar bowl – I prefer whole-fat milk for tea. It is a much creamier taste six sandwich plates...

Great British Baking Show Signature Chocolate Cake

I was recently asked to bake a chocolate cake for our friends birthday. I got the idea to make the GBBS signature choclate cake. I used a vanilla sponge as I did not want to overlaod on the chocolate. Not a problem for me the more chocolate the better. However, not everybody likes the intense chocolate cake ( I do not know what is wrong with them!) I used butter cream frosting and even if I say so myself I think I nailed it . The cake was a...

Irish Style Shepherds Pie

Have you ever wondered how to make an authentic Shepherd’s pie?  Now is your chance to delight your family with this heartwarming comfort food.  The secret is in the sauces.  You can freeze leftovers (that is if there are any!).   If you want to make a larger batch and freeze a portion for another day it is best to leave the potato off and freeze the meat sauce by itself then defrost and add the mashed potato on day...

Traditional English Scones

 Recipe Makes about 8 scones 40grams of spreadable butter (1.4 ozs) 8 Ozs self-rising flour (225g) 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar Pinch of salt 110 ml of milk (1/2 Cup) A little lemon juice Dash of vanilla 2 Ozs of raisins 1 tsp of baking powder Method Heat the oven to 425F Add the lemon juice and the vanilla to the milk.  This will curdle the milk slightly help the scones to rise and give a nice flavor to the scones Add the baking...

Hearty Vegetable Soup

Recipe 4 carrots 2 parsnips 2 medium yellow turnip (ruttabago) Bok Choi 1 head 4 sticks Celery 2 yellow Squash or any squash Red and Green pepper 2 courgettes 1 large sliced onion 4 potatoes 3 liters of organic vegetable stock 2 Ozs of butter Salt and pepper ½ teaspoon of turmeric to enhance the rich yellow color Method.  Clean and prepare the vegetables.  Melt the butter and sauté the vegetables in the butter until they are...