All Discussions Tagged 'Brandy' - The Wild Geese2024-03-29T07:47:40Zhttps://thewildgeese.irish/forum/topic/listForTag?groupUrl=the-irish-kitchen&tag=Brandy&feed=yes&xn_auth=noBeltane Cake: The Sweet Taste of an Ancient Celtic Festivaltag:thewildgeese.irish,2013-05-09:6442157:Topic:205552013-05-09T11:07:11.318ZRyan O'Rourkehttps://thewildgeese.irish/profile/RyanORourke
<p><strong><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/84698069?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/84698069?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350"></img></a> <span class="font-size-2">Beltane</span></strong> <span class="font-size-2">(“Bealtaine” in Irish) is a festival with ancient origins traditionally celebrated on <strong>May 1st</strong>, a spring time festival of optimism. This was a festival of great spiritual significance for the Celts, but some people celebrate it from a purely secular perspective. Numerous…</span></p>
<p><strong><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/84698069?profile=original"><img width="350" class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/84698069?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350"/></a><span class="font-size-2">Beltane</span></strong> <span class="font-size-2">(“Bealtaine” in Irish) is a festival with ancient origins traditionally celebrated on <strong>May 1st</strong>, a spring time festival of optimism. This was a festival of great spiritual significance for the Celts, but some people celebrate it from a purely secular perspective. Numerous traditions surround the festival of Beltane. Bonfires would be set as a means of purification. Some people even burned their beds and floor coverings to start anew. The fires were also believed to protect people from harm by spirits of the netherworld. Many people put out sweets for the fairies in order to appease them. Among those sweets were honey cakes and the traditional <strong>Beltane cake</strong>, the recipe for which follows:</span><br/> <br/> <br/> <br/> <strong><span class="font-size-4">Beltane Cake</span></strong><br/> <br/> <span class="font-size-2"><em>This recipe makes a rich and spicy one-layer cake with 8-10 slices.</em></span><br/> <br/> <br/> <br/> <span class="font-size-2">1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour</span><br/> <br/> <span class="font-size-2">½ tbsp. baking powder</span><br/> <br/> <span class="font-size-2">¼ tsp. nutmeg</span><br/> <br/> <span class="font-size-2">½ tsp. ground cardamom</span><br/> <br/> <span class="font-size-2">½ tsp. ground cloves</span><br/> <br/> <span class="font-size-2">¾ tbsp. ground ginger</span><br/> <br/> <span class="font-size-2">3 oz. unsweetened chocolate</span><br/> <br/> <span class="font-size-2">½ cup milk</span><br/> <br/> <span class="font-size-2">¼ cup brandy</span><br/> <br/> <span class="font-size-2">½ tsp. vanilla</span><br/> <br/> <span class="font-size-2">¾ cups butter</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">½ lb. dark brown sugar</span><br/> <br/> <span class="font-size-2">3 eggs</span><br/> <br/> <span class="font-size-2">¾ cups amaretto liqueur</span><br/> <br/> <span class="font-size-2">confectioner sugar</span></p>
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<ol>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Grease a large bundt pan or spring-form pan</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Melt chocolate in a double boiler and set aside.</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Mix milk, brandy, and vanilla.</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Mix flour, baking powder, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, and ginger in a separate bowl.</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Cream the butter, then add brown sugar and beat until fluffy.</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Add eggs, one at a time, into the butter mixture.</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Add cooled chocolate to the butter mixture.</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Add the flour mixture and milk mixture to the butter mixture a little at a time.</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Pour mixture into greased bundt pan or spring-form pan.</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Bake for approximately 50 minutes, or until done (test with a small knife), taking care not to overbake.</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Let cake cool for 20 minutes before removing from pan, then place it into a bowl (flat side up) which is just large enough to hold it, but no larger.</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Using a skewer, pierce the cake with 10-12 holes, being careful not to go all the way through.</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Pour 1/3 of the amaretto over the cake. When that is absorbed, pour another 1/3 amaretto; when absorbed, pour the remainder onto the cake. This will take several hours.</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">When all of the amaretto has been absorbed, gently invert the cake onto a plate (flat side down).</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Dust the cake with confectioner's sugar.</span></li>
</ol>
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<p><strong><span class="font-size-2">Related content:<br/> <br/> <a href="http://thenewwildgeese.com/profiles/blogs/live-irish-kitchen-panel-with-mairead-geary-maryann-tracy-" target="_self">Video panel on "The Irish Kitchen"</a><br/> <br/> <a href="http://thenewwildgeese.com/video/happy-bealtaine-from-bealtaine-cottage-ireland" target="_self">Happy Bealtaine from Bealtaine Cottage, Ireland</a></span></strong></p>
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<p><a rel="nofollow" href="http://thenewwildgeese.com/group/the-irish-kitchen" target="_self">Check out more great recipes in The Wild Geese Irish Kitchen group</a></p>
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