If your weekend was anything like ours in the Constant household, there was NO time for baking, but I have got hold of some fabulous recipes from Kerrygold, that I will still be trying out this week as they are great for Spring time feasts.
Who says that a Lamb feast with Hot Cross Bun bread and butter pudding to follow is just for Easter Sunday? Not forgetting the Shortbread biscuits in the shapes of bunnies and chicks to help celebrate the start of Spring!
Roast Stuffed Leg of Lamb
This Spring, try this delicious boned leg of lamb, stuffed with a tasty leek and herb mixture.
Ingredients:
- 75g (3oz) Kerrygold butter
- 3 tbsp capers, drained and chopped
- 2 anchovy fillets, drained and chopped
- ½ bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
- 2 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 1 leg of lamb, boned and rolled (get your butcher to do this)
- 3 long, thin leeks, halved horizontally
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan oven 160°C, Gas Mark 4
- Mix together the Kerrygold butter, capers, anchovies, parsley, rosemary, thyme and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
- Open out the boned leg of lamb on a work surface, fat side down. Spread the butter mixture over the meat, then lay the halved leeks to run along the middle of the lamb.
- Roll the lamb back up and tie with string, or use butcher’s elastic bands (ask for a few when you buy the meat).
- Place the lamb in a roasting tin and roast for 1 ½ hours or until cooked to your liking, basting from time to time.
- Remove the lamb from the oven and cover with a sheet of foil. Leave to rest for at least 30 minutes before carving.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 ½ hours, plus 30 minutes to rest
Serves 6
Approximate cost per portion: £3.77
Calories per serving 432 / Fat per serving 18g
Top tip: Why not try cooking this recipe with Kerrygold Lighter Unsalted butter and save 2.4g fat/20 calories per portion. This recipe was made using Kerrygold block butter, for more delicious recipes visit http://www.facebook.com/KerrygoldUK
Hot Cross Bun Butter Pudding
Enjoy the fantastic flavour of this luxury bread and butter pudding for a Spring treat.
Calories per serving 552 / Fat per serving 31g
Ingredients:
- 50g (2oz) Kerrygold butter, plus extra for greasing
- 3 hot cross buns, split in half
- 50g (2oz) dates, roughly chopped
- 50g (2oz) dark chocolate, roughly chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 45g (1 ½ oz) caster sugar
- 200ml (1/3 pint) whole Jersey milk
- 200ml (1/3 pint) single cream
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange
Method:
- Use a little Kerrygold butter to grease a 1.2 litre (2 pint) baking dish.
- Spread the remaining butter over the split hot cross buns, then cut these pieces in half. Arrange them in the baking dish, buttered sides up. Sprinkle the dates and chocolate on top.
- Whisk the eggs and sugar together, then beat in the milk and cream.
- Pour the mixture through a sieve into the baking dish and sprinkle the orange zest on top. Cover and leave to soak for 15-20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C, fan oven 150°C, Gas Mark 3.
- Uncover the baking dish and put it into a roasting tin, then carefully pour enough hot water around the dish to come half way up its sides. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes. When it is cooked the top will be golden brown and the custard mixture should be lightly set.
Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus soaking
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves 4
Approximate cost per portion: £0.88p
Why not try cooking this recipe with Kerrygold Lighter Unsalted butter and save 2.4g fat/20 calories per portion. This recipe was made using Kerrygold block butter, for more delicious recipes visit http://www.facebook.com/KerrygoldUK
Easter Shortbread Bunnies & Chicks
These Easter shortbreads really take the biscuit for the best buttery flavour and crumbly texture. And they’re such fun to make!
Ingredients:
- 100g (4oz) Kerrygold butter
- 50g (2oz) caster sugar
- 150g (6oz) plain flour
- ¼ tsp ground mixed spice
- 1 egg yolk
- 300g (10oz) icing sugar
- Few drops of red and yellow food colouring
Method:
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter with a wooden spoon until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Sift in the flour and mixed spice, stirring to combine. Add the egg yolk and bring the mixture together with your hands, kneading lightly until smooth. Wrap and chill for 15-20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan oven 160°C, Gas Mark 4. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment or greaseproof paper.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. Use Easter bunny or chick-shaped cutters to stamp into biscuits (or use a plain or fluted cutter). Carefully lift onto the baking sheets.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until light golden. Cool for a few minutes on the trays, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To decorate, mix the icing sugar with a little cold water to make a thick icing. Use about ¼ of this to pipe thin outlines around the biscuits, and to pipe the bunnies’ tails. Leave to set. Share the remaining white icing between 2 bowls. Add 1-2 drops of red colouring to one bowl, and 1-2 drops of yellow to the other. Add a few more drops of water to thin the icing, then spread the pink icing into the bunny shapes and the yellow into the chicks. Leave until set, then pipe details with the remaining white icing.
- Store in a tin in a cool, dark place.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 12 minutes, plus cooling
Makes about 16
Approximate cost of total ingredients: £1.60
Calories per biscuit 145 / Fat per biscuit 5.5g
Top tip: Why not try cooking this recipe with Kerrygold Lighter Unsalted butter and save 1.2g fat/10 calories per biscuit. This recipe was made using Kerrygold block butter, for more delicious recipes visit http://www.facebook.com/KerrygoldUK
