Ice Cream Ireland

  Happy Patrick’s Day, everyone! I’m still astonished by the beautiful day we had here in Dingle, and the crowds around. This sun is good for the soul! Here’s the town band leading things off:

I’m off to try to enjoy the last of the beautiful day!

Technorati tags: St. Patrick, day, Dingle, Irish, Ireland

Bookmark to (click here):

Hide Sites

 Even though whiskey cream might strike some Irish people as more of a Christmas flavour, I find it a delicious ice cream flavour and thought it would be a good ice cream for St. Patrick’s Day.

It has a simple, clean taste, and I suggest and strong-flavoured whiskey (we use Kilbeggan). Although I’d never add food colouring to any of our ice creams, if you want to dye it green for the big day, work away…

If you’re wondering who that is in the photos, it’s Gary, our new Killarney shop manager, who was gracious enough to pose.

Murphys Irish Whiskey Ice Cream

Ingredients:

130g sugar 

5 egg yolks 

240 ml cream

200 ml milk 

45ml (3 tbsp) Irish whiskey 

What to do:

1. Beat the sugar and egg yolks together until thick and pale yellow. 
2. Bring the milk to a simmer. Remove from the heat.
3. Beat the milk into the eggs and sugar in a slow stream.
4. Pour the mixture back into pan and place over low heat. 
5. Stir continuously until the custard thickens (around 65C) and just coats the back of a spoon.
6. Allow the custard to cool.
7. Mix in the cream and the whiskey, beating for one minute.
8. Freeze using a domestic ice cream machine, or cover and place in the freezer.

6 Servings

Notes: 1. Make sure you add the liqueur when the mixture is cool, or the alcohol will evaporate.

2. To pasteurise the eggs, heat the custard to 73C and keep at that temperature for three minutes. Use a cooking thermometer, though, and keep stirring! If the custard goes any higher than 76C, the eggs will scramble. Immediately cover and place in the freezer until cool.

Technorati tags: whiskey, cream, Irish, ice cream, recipe, St. Patrick

Bookmark to (click here):

Hide Sites

 I have to admit that between getting the business ready for the season, adding the odd blog post, twittering away, and just simply trying to get through huge volumes of emails, I’ve been very bad about both keeping up with other people’s blogs and maintaining my links.

Today, however, I did a bit of blog spring cleaning, and I thought that with Patrick’s Day coming up, I’d share some of my favourite Irish food blogs:

The Beer Nut, Bibliocook, Cheap Eats, Daily Spud, English Mum, Good Mood Food Blog, Fairy Cake Heaven, Healthy Irishman, Italian Foodies, John McKenna, Look and Taste, Martin Dwyer, Messy Chef, Oliver Moore, Ruth’s Kitchen Experiments, Stuff Yer Bake, Ummera, Val’s Kitchen, Well Done Fillet, Wine: Bubble Brothers, Curious Wines, Sour Grapes and Robert Francis Wines.

Happy reading!

PS. I’m always delighted to link to Irish food blogs, so please leave a comment if you’re not in my links!

Bookmark to (click here):

Hide Sites

 Here’s a little bit of ice cream nonsense we made for your viewing pleasure. I hope you like it!

Technorati tags: YouTube, ice cream, baby, video

Bookmark to (click here):

Hide Sites

 With apologies to everyone who has given up chocolates for Lent, I must say that I’ve been in a bit of a chocolate haze today. Not only have I been making  chocolate hearts for Mother’s Day, but we’ve received our yearly Easter delivery from Benoit Lorge for the shops.

They look great as usual (and you should know that they are filled with his delicious truffles). He’s also added a chocolate bunny to go with his chocolate hen.

If you don’t know his chocolates, seek them out! They are fantastic.

Seeing them, I’m kind of inspired. Maybe we’ll make some ice cream Easter Eggs again this year…

Technorati tags: Lorge, Lent, chocolate, Easter

Bookmark to (click here):

Hide Sites

 It’s fantastic to see Kerry guesthouses doing so well on Tripadvisor. Of the top five hotels, based on guest ratings, four are in Kerry. Loch Lein Country House tops the list, followed by Killeen House – both are in Killarney. Heaton’s and Castlewood House also make the top five.

Of the top B & Bs and guesthouses,  Emlagh House in Dingle and Friars Glen in Killarney are in the top five.

Good to know that we’re still able to extend Kerry hospitality and have it appreciated!

Technorati tags: Killarney, hotel, guesthouse, Dingle, Kerry

Bookmark to (click here):

Hide Sites

 OK. I know a hot toddy sorbet is an odd concept, since a sorbet is hardly hot, but it is tasty, and I wanted to share it. We made this flavour for the Malton Hotel in Killarney, and it’s been quite popular in our shops as well. Warning: it packs an alchoholic punch!

Murphys Hot Toddy Sorbet

Ingredients:

• 340 gr sugar
• 500 ml spring water
• 100 ml whiskey (we used Kilbeggan)
• 75 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey (or more to taste).
• 2 cloves.

What to do:

1. Boil the water with the cloves, then remove from the heat.
2. Remove the cloves.
3. Stir in the honey and sugar, until completely dissolved.
4. Cover immediately and cool completely.
5. Stir in the whiskey and lemon juice.
6. Taste it to make sure you like it!
7. Freeze using a domestic ice cream machine, or cover and place in the freezer, stirring at 1 hr intervals to break up the ice.

Notes:

1. It’s hard to make sorbet without an ice cream machine. You will need to interrupt the freezing process and stir, or you will be left with a block of ice! The more times you do this, the better the consistency will be.

2. Since both honey and whiskey vary so much in flavour, make sure you taste this before you freeze it, and add a bit more if you wish…

Technorati tags: whiskey, hot toddy,  sorbet, ice cream, recipe

Bookmark to (click here):

Hide Sites

 Although the weather has turned colder again, there are definitely signs that the winter is behind us and things are looking up.

A crocus has popped up in my garden, the daffodils are abundant, and in the fields all around us are the cutest spring lambs.

Seeing the little creatures appear and bounce about always makes me happy. They show that life goes on and that summer is coming.

Maybe it’s because I have my own little one on the way, but I’m feeling a bit sentimental!

I don’t really know what this year will bring in Dingle, but I’m not pessimistic. Friends with guest houses have reported strong bookings from April on, and we haven’t seen any drop off in sales. 

It may well be that even in tougher times people still need to get away to somewhere special and hopefully cheer themselves up with ice cream!

Technorati tags: crocus, lamb, Dingle, Kerry

Bookmark to (click here):

Hide Sites