What do Roz Purcell, Cliona O'Connor and Indy Power cook at home? 

They beam into our kitchens via Instagram and TikTok, but what do Ireland's favourite food bloggers really eat at home?  

Which food influencer makes this Halloumi burger? 

Indy Power's strawberry vanilla cake

Indy Power of The Little Green Spoon learned everything she knows about baking from her mother - she explains “This dessert is fluffy and sweet and heavenly just as it is or with a little drizzle of oat cream - no icing necessary!”

Servings

8

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 50 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 5 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 250ml oat milk

• 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar

• 300g flour (gluten-free or plain)

• 120g ground almonds

• 200g coconut sugar

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 vanilla pod

• 150g coconut oil, room temperature solid

• 200g strawberries

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180’C. Grease an 8-inch springform cake tin well with coconut oil and set it aside.

2. Mix together the oat milk and apple cider vinegar in a medium bowl and set it aside.

3. Mix together the flour, ground almonds, coconut sugar and baking soda in a large bowl. You may have to sieve the coconut sugar if it’s lumpy.

4. Slice open the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape all of the seeds in.

5. Add the room temperature coconut oil to the bowl and use an electric mixer to beat it all together.

6. Then add the oat milk mixture and continue mixing until smooth.

7. Scrape half of the batter into your cake tin. Slice the strawberries in half and arrange them on top, then cover them with the other half of the batter.

8. Pop the cake in the oven and bake for about 50-55 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean and the edges are starting to come away from the tin.

9. Let it cool on a wire rack completely, then carefully remove from the tin. Serve at room temperature.

Gillian Cottell’s ultimate brownies

Gillian Cottell says “food has always been a huge passion of mine. Growing up, you would always find me in the kitchen". She shares this recipe for rich, indulgent brownies with a hint of espresso

Servings

12

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 25 mins

Total Time

 40 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 185g unsalted butter, browned

• 125g dark chocolate

• 185g light brown sugar

• 160g caster sugar

• 75g cocoa powder

• 1tsp vanilla extract

• 125g plain flour

• ½ tsp salt

• 85g milk chocolate chips

• 85g dark chocolate chips

• 2 eggs

• 1 egg yolk

• 2 tbsp espresso

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan and line an 8×8 Square tray with parchment paper.

2. Make up a strong espresso coffee and leave it aside to cool.

3. In a small pot, add your butter and place on a medium heat. Melt your butter then let it boil until you see the milk solids sink to the bottom and turn a nice and golden brown colour. Remove from the heat and add to a clean bowl, let cool for 5 minutes.

4. Mix the dark chocolate into the butter until smooth. Set aside.

5. Add your eggs and sugar to a new bowl, whisk until light and fluffy.

6. Whisk in your chocolate/butter mix.

7. Next, mix in your vanilla and your 2 tablespoons of espresso. Fold through flour and cocoa. Gently fold through both of your chocolate chips. Add the mix into your prepared tin then smooth out with a spatula.

8. Bake for 25-30 minutes. (Mine are perfectly gooey at 25, if you don't like them gooey cook for longer) Let cool at room temperature then stick it into the fridge for about 2 hours until cold. This will make sure you get super nice cuts on your gooey brownies.

9. Once chilled, cut in 9 portions with a warm sharp knife. Clean your knife between each cut. (I heat my knife in a glass of hot water.)

Clíona O’Connor’s Halloumi burgers

“I don’t just cook to feed people - cooking and baking is a form of therapy for me.” Clíona O’Connor's Halloumi burgers are always a hit

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 2 mins

Total Time

 17 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• For the burgers:

• 250g Halloumi

• 4 tbsp plain flour

• 1 egg

• 100g panko breadcrumbs

• 4 brioche burger buns

• Gem lettuce

• 8 slices of gherkin

• For the honey mustard sauce:

• 2 tbsp honey

• 4 tbsp crème fraîche

• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1 garlic clove

• a few drops of lemon juice

Method

1. Mix the honey, crème fraîche and Dijon mustard in a bowl. Crush the garlic into it and mix.

2. Slice the Haloumi and set up flour, egg, and breadcrumbs in separate shallow dishes.

3. Coat the Halloumi slices in the flour, followed by the egg and then the breadcrumbs.

4. Cook in a preheated air fryer for five minutes or fry in olive oil for 2-3 mins on each side.

5. Assemble on a toasted brioche bun with the lettuce, gherkin and a generous helping of the honey mustard sauce. Enjoy straight away.

Nicola Halloran’s vegan banoffee pie

“My aim is to show that you can have it all when it comes to finding a balance". Nicola Halloran from The Wonky Spatula shares her favourite dessert recipe

Servings

8

Preparation Time

 1 hours 15 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 15 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 2 x 400g tins full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated for 6–8 hours

• 400g raw cashew nuts 

• 1 tbsp melted coconut oil 

• 1 tbsp solid coconut oil 

• 6-8 pecans 

• 2 cups of dates

• ¼ cup + 1 tbsp agave syrup 

• ½ tsp ground cinnamon 

• 1 square of 85% dark chocolate 

• 2–3 ripe bananas 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.

2. Place the cashews on a baking tray and toast for 6–8 minutes, until they begin to go golden brown. Soak the dates in hot water and set them aside to soften. Place the cashews in the food processor and blend until you have a flour-like mixture.

3. Add 1 tbsp of melted coconut oil and ¼ cup of agave syrup to the cashew flour and blend until the mixture is combined.

4. Line an 8˝ cake tin with parchment. Add the mixture to the tin and smooth out with a flat spoon or small rolling pin; place in the fridge while you prepare the caramel.

5. Remove the stones from the dates and add them to the food processor along with about 100ml of the water they were soaking in.

6. Blend until the mixture looks like smooth caramel, then add the cinnamon, 1 tbsp of solid coconut oil and 1 tbsp of agave syrup and blend again. When all the ingredients have combined, add the pecans and blend until smooth.

7. Remove the base from the fridge and add the caramel; refrigerate for 1–2 hours or until set.

8. Carefully remove the coconut milk from the fridge and open the cans. The milk should have solidified at the top – scoop out the thick ‘cream’ and discard the water from the bottom. Whip the coconut cream until ripples begin to appear on the surface.

9. Remove the base from the fridge and layer the caramel with slices of banana. Transfer the pie onto a serving plate and smooth the cream over the banana. Grate the chocolate and sprinkle it on top.

Roz Purcell's oyster mushroom Shawarma

Oyster mushrooms roasted in spices are my favourite if you’re looking for a meaty substitute from a vegetable - roasted in spices and oil, they have an almost chicken thigh texture

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 25 mins

Total Time

 35 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 4 wraps

• 600g oyster mushrooms 

• 6 tbsp olive oil 

• ½ tbsp cumin 

• 1 tbsp. smoked paprika

• 1 tsp coriander 

• ½ tsp cinnamon 

• pinch of sea salt 

• 1 tsp pepper

• To serve:

• hummus 

• lettuce

• tomatoes

• pickled onion

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan

2. On a large flat oven tray add the oyster mushrooms and drizzle over the oil and spices, using your hands combine the mushrooms in oil and spices well.

3. Cook in the oven for 25 minutes.

4. Serve tightly packed in a wrap or pita alongside hummus, lettuce, tomato & pickled onion.