Darina Allen: How to make my favourite old-fashioned coffee cake and other tasty recipes

Here are some of my favourite treats to enjoy at an afternoon tea party

This is the sort of coffee cake Mummy used to make

One of the highlights of the summer season for me is the invitation to a friend’s Rose Tea Party. 

It’s a proper, deliciously old-fashioned afternoon tea in the dining room of a beautiful country house with starched linen tablecloths, lots of delicate china and an assortment of teapots. 

Flamboyant flower arrangements tumble out of family heirlooms and epergnes, and we all dress up in our summer frocks and linen blazers.

First, we gather in the drawing room for a glass of fizz laced with some super delicious elderflower cordial made by our host, it’s his summer specialty. 

We’re a motley assortment of eccentrics, me included, having fun catching up on each other’s lives. 

Eventually, we all amble through the charming old gardens admiring our hosts collection of roses, fastidiously gathered over many decades. 

Some are familiar like Albertine and Paul’s Himalayan Musk which romps with gay abandon over the wooden pergola. Each rose has its own story. 

Those that couldn’t be originally identified, now have a name connecting them to the place where they were discovered, perhaps rambling over an old ruin. 

Others are now rechristened with the name of the person who rescued it from an old ditch or a thicket of brambles.

There’s Derreen with Kerry connections and Patricia Cockburn named after the lovely lady who rescued it from obscurity.

There were cucumber sandwiches on generously buttered white bread with crusts removed, salad sandwiches too and egg mayo and chive, my absolute favourite. 

Scones of course, tiny little ones topped with softly whipped cream and jam. 

The pièce de résistance was an irresistible featherlight sponge cake, generously filled and topped with fresh summer strawberries and cream, scattered with deliciously scented rose petals.

Memories came flooding back of afternoon tea parties in the local rectory when we were children. 

We would dress in our Sunday best, me in one of my pretty smocked dresses with satin ribbons in my hair, the boys in their ‘long pants’ with freshly laundered shirts and tie and their tousled hair brushed into submission.

We were warned to behave, to wait until seated at the big mahogany table and then there was a protocol.

Only speak when you are spoken to, start with a slice or two of thinly sliced bread and butter from the plate nearest you, no grabbing or stretching, next a sandwich or two, then a scone or jam tartlet and eventually a slice of cake.

I particularly remember a Victoria sponge sandwiched together with Granny Nicholson’s homemade raspberry jam and a moist and delicious coffee cake sandwiched together with coffee butter cream, then iced with a smooth glacé icing and decorated with walnut halves.

When we couldn’t eat another bite, we were allowed to run out to play on the swing and see-saw - is that even a thing anymore? We played tig, a chasing game, blind man’s buff, willie wag tail, 123 and giant steps… oh, my goodness, I really am on a trip down memory lane!

An afternoon tea party is a wonderful way to entertain a few friends with or without their children even if you don’t have a collection of aromatic roses for them to admire.

Here are some of my favourite treats to enjoy.

Almond and raspberry tartlets

recipe by:Darina Allen

Indulge in these easy berry tartlets made with ground almonds for a depth of flavour, and heightened with whipped cream

Servings

24

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 20 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 110g butter

• 110g caster sugar

• 110g ground almonds

• For the filling:

• fresh raspberries (or your choice of fruit, such as poached rhubarb or sliced fresh peaches or nectarines or loganberries)

• 300ml whipped cream

Method

1. Cream the butter well and then just stir in the sugar and ground almonds (don’t over beat or the oil will come out of the ground almonds as it cooks). Put a teaspoon of the mixture into 24 small patty tins or divide between 2 x 7 inch sandwich tins.

2. Bake at 180°C for 20-30 minutes approx, or until golden brown, 10-12 minutes for tartlets or until golden brown. The tarts or tartlets are too soft to turn out immediately so cool in tins for about 5 minutes before turning out. Do not allow to set hard before removing to a wire rack or the butter will solidify and they will stick to the tins. If this happens pop the tins back into the oven for a few minutes so the butter melts and then they will come out easily.

3. Just before serving, decorate with whole raspberries (or segments of peach or nectarine or your choice of fruit) and cream. You could also glaze with redcurrant jelly or apricot glaze.

Coffee cake

recipe by:Darina Allen

This is a splendid recipe for an old-fashioned coffee cake – the sort Mummy made – and we still make it regularly

Servings

12

Preparation Time

 1 hours 20 mins

Cooking Time

 45 mins

Total Time

 2 hours 5 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 225g soft butter

• 225g caster sugar

• 4 organic eggs

• 225g plain white flour, preferably unbleached

• 1 tsp baking powder

• Scant 2 tbsp Camp coffee essence

• For the coffee buttercream:

• 150g butter

• 330g icing sugar, sieved

• 5-6 tsp Camp coffee essence

• For the coffee glacé icing:

• 450g icing sugar

• Scant 2 tbsp Irel or Camp coffee essence

• About 4 tbsp boiling water

• To decorate:

• walnuts

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C/Gas mark 4. Line the base and sides of the tin with greaseproof or silicone paper. Brush the bottom and sides with melted butter and dust lightly with flour.

2. Beat the soft butter with a wooden spoon, add the caster sugar and beat until pale in colour and light in texture. Whisk the eggs. Add to the mixture, bit by bit, whisking well between each addition.

3. Sieve the flour with the baking powder and stir gently into the cake mixture. Finally, add in the coffee essence and mix thoroughly.

4. Pour the mixture evenly into the prepared tin and bake for 40-45 minutes. When the cake is cooked, the centre will be firm and springy and the edges will have shrunk from the sides of the tins. Leave to rest in the tin for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Remove the greaseproof paper from the base, then flip over so the top of the cake doesn’t get marked by the wire rack. Leave the cake to cool on the wire rack.

5. To make the coffee buttercream, whisk the butter with the sieved icing sugar and add the coffee essence. Continue to whisk until light and fluffy.

6. When cold, cut the cake in half. Sandwich the layer together with half of the coffee buttercream. Spread the sides and top of the cake thinly with the last of the buttercream and place into the fridge for 10-15 minutes to chill. This technique is called crumb coating.

7. Next, make the coffee glacé icing. Sieve the icing sugar and put into a bowl. Add coffee essence and enough boiling water to make it the consistency of a thick cream.

8. To dcorate, remove the cake from the fridge. Pour the glace icing evenly over the top of the cake, gently spreading it down the sides with a palette knife. Allow to set, about 30 minutes. Decorate with piped rosettes of buttercream and garnish with the caramelised walnuts.

Éclairs with lots of riffs

recipe by:Darina Allen

It’s brilliant to be able to make a batch of choux pastry, one can do so many shapes and make sweet and savoury variations. I like to keep them small for afternoon tea, so one can enjoy several!

Servings

20

Preparation Time

 50 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 20 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• Choux Pastry

• 75g strong flour (Baker's)

• small pinch of salt

• 110ml water

• 50g butter, cut into 1cm cubes

• 2-3 eggs depending on size (free range if possible)

• Dark Chocolate Glacé Icing...

• 110g caster sugar

• 75g butter

• 4 tbsp water

• 175g icing sugar, sieved

• 50g cocoa powder, sieved

• ...or Coffee Glacé Icing

• scant 1 tbsp coffee essence

• 225g icing sugar, sieved

• 2 tbsp boiling water approx.

• Crème Chantilly

• 300ml whipped cream

• ½ -1 tbsp icing sugar

• 2-3 drops pure vanilla extract

• parchment paper

• 9mm round éclair piping nozzle

Method

1. Make the choux pastry in the usual way.

2. Sieve the flour with the salt into a bowl. Heat the water and butter in a high-sided saucepan until the butter is melted. Bring to a fast rolling boil, remove from the heat.

3. (Note: Prolonged boiling evaporates the water and changes the proportions of the dough).

4. Immediately the pan is taken from the heat, add all the flour at once and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon for a few seconds until the mixture is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the saucepan to form a ball. Put the saucepan back on a low heat and stir for 30 seconds - 1 minute or until the mixture starts to furr the bottom of the saucepan. Remove from the heat and cool for a few seconds.

5. Meanwhile, break one egg into a bowl, whisk and set aside. Add the remaining eggs into the dough, one by one with a wooden spoon, beating thoroughly after each addition. Make sure the dough returns to the same texture each time before you add another egg. When it will no longer form a ball in the centre of the saucepan, add the beaten egg little by little. Use just enough to make a mixture that is very shiny and just drops reluctantly from the spoon in a sheet.

6. The choux pastry may be used immediately or kept covered and refrigerated for several hours.

7. Preheat the oven to 230°C/Gas Mark 7.

8. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with a few drops of cold water. Fill the choux pastry into a piping bag with the round éclair nozzle. Pipe the dough into strips of your choice (7.5-10cm), 3.5cm apart to allow for expansion.

9. Bake immediately in the preheated oven, for 15 minutes then reduce the heat to 200°C/Gas Mark 6, for a further 15-20 minutes or until they are crisp and golden. Rest the tray on the opened oven door. Make a little hole in the side of each éclair to allow the steam to escape. Return to the oven and bake for approx. 5 minutes more – they should be very crisp.

10. Remove to a wire rack.

11. Meanwhile make the chosen glacé icing or icings...

12. Chocolate: In a saucepan, stir the caster sugar, butter and water over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved, and the butter is melted. Bring just to the boil, then draw off the heat and pour at once into the sifted ingredients in a bowl. Beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and glossy. It will thicken as it cools but thin with warm water as required.

13. Coffee: Add the coffee essence to the sieved icing sugar in a bowl and enough boiling water to make an icing the consistency of thick cream.

14. Sweeten the whipped cream to taste with icing sugar and a dash of vanilla extract, put into a piping bag with a small nozzle. As soon as the éclairs are cold, fill with chantilly cream through the hole where the steam escaped, (alternatively, split lengthways and fill).

15. Dip the tops in the icing and arrange on a wire rack over a tray to catch the drips. Éclairs are best served within 1 or 2 hours of being made.

16. Note: If the icing is too thick, add a little warm water, it should be a thick coating consistency.

17. Delicious as they are but one can have fun with roasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped pistachios, walnuts or pecans. I sometimes add a little crushed cardamom to the coffee icing, ¼ teaspoon is enough for once the recipe.

July at Ballymaloe Cookery School

Summer Foraging with Darina Allen & Patrick Browne at Ballymaloe Cookery School on Saturday, 20th July 2024

Learn a vital new skill, how to recognise food in the wild and how to use them. This day could change your life!

Whether Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter, foraging for wild food never goes out of season. 

Our fields, woods, hedgerows and parks are rich with delicious wild food, hiding in plain sight to those who know what to look for, in both rural and urban areas. 

Foraged foods have been an important part of our menus at Ballymaloe for over 40 years.

Take a walk with Darina and Pat, enthusiastic and experienced foragers, to search for wild food in the countryside and on the seashore.

Learn how to identify dozens of edible wild plants, flowers, seaweeds and shellfish in season, foraged from hedgerows, fields and the nearest beach. 

A walk in the countryside will never be the same again. Where you previously saw weeds, you’ll now see something delicious and nourishing to enjoy.

• For more information and course content, see www.ballymaloecookeryschool.ie

Ballymaloe Organic Farm School Biodiversity Walks coming soon…

For more information, please email [e-mail].

Afternoon Cookery Demonstrations at Ballymaloe Cookery School open to the public Monday – Friday.

Limited places, booking essential.

• For more information, see www.cookingisfun.ie