You have to try this Italian dessert, it’s Baked Amaretti and Vin Santo Plums with Mascarpone Cream – outrageously good. It is from the recipe book ‘Falling Cloudberries’ by Tessa Kiros. With a really rich, full-bodied taste, it’s a winner if you’re looking to impress. I went all out and bought the ingredients from The [...]

This recipe comes courtesy of my sister Barbara, cake-maker extraordinaire. Barbara’s baking skills have her in high demand for family parties and functions; people regularly ask her for cakes as Christmas or wedding presents. Apricot Upside-down cake Ingredients 1oz butter 3oz brown sugar 1 tin of apricots, preferably in own juice such as Epicure, available [...]

I’ve always imagined that raspberries and strawberries fight when our backs are turned. Sure, by all means, put them together on a pavlova and they’ll appear very well behaved,  but leave the room for a few minutes and they’re at battle stations. I felt the need to take sides in this war, and sidled up [...]

I posted here last week about how overripe bananas are unpleasant to eat but fantastic for baking.  Readers weighed in with some excellent recipes and some handy tips for freezing bananas.  I will be trying and sharing some of these techniques shortly.  I also happened upon a really delicious recipe for banana and coconut bread [...]

I’ve recently become very appreciative of the simple banana, a fruit I neglected for years.  I don’t know what was wrong with me – there are few things nicer than a banana at the perfect stage of slight under-ripeness, with a tinge of green in the skin and firm pale yellow flesh.  They’re tasty, filling [...]

Yesterday I posted about an Easter Sunday dinner of baked rabbit, getting somewhat mixed reactions. Undeterred, I’m back. I promised a seasonal Easter dessert and here it is: Hot cross bun pudding. I love hot cross buns and they can be easily turned into a dessert.  I bought a pack of four in Dunnes the [...]

If all the pancake festivities – coupled with the absence of a Mardi Gras party on these shores – are making you want to soak yourself in booze, try Crepes Suzette. These are pancakes with a hot, sweet, orange liquer sauce, and they’re very easy to make. Simply make pancake batter according to Rercy’s instructions, [...]

It’s a Pancake Tuesday special here at CheapEats. Check back in throughout the day for more recipes and pancake antics. Pancakes are tricky little fellas. Too thick – they taste like an Italian shoe; too thin – they taste like communion. What is great about them, is they are the perfect vehicle for a variety [...]

Christmas is all about pushing the boat out.  Created exclusively for CheapEats readers by top chef Garth McColgan of FoodActive and Aldi, this deluxe dessert is a pudding fit for a king, a yuletide treat packed with all things deliciously decadent and guaranteed to end any Christmas dinner on a high note! Serves four.

Mince pies and pudding are the quintessential Christmas treat. Both share many of the same ingredients so making your own will save you money. Last year I made mince pies the easy way. I bought a jar of mince meat and filled some ready-made vole-au-vent cases and bunged them in the oven. They were tasty, [...]