Darina Allen: Delicious recipes from the Ballymaloe dessert trolley 

Learn how to make some of head pastry chef JR Ryall's favourite desserts 

The Sweet Trolley has been a tradition at Ballymaloe House ever since Myrtle and Ivan Allen opened the doors of their country house on a farm in East Cork in 1964.

The Sweet Trolley has been a tradition at Ballymaloe House ever since Myrtle and Ivan Allen opened the doors of their country house on a farm in East Cork in 1964.

In the era of flamboyant dessert creations, the sweet trolley seemed a little outdated but then out of the blue in 2018, an email arrived to say that the Ballymaloe House Sweet Trolley had been shortlisted for the Trolley of the Year Award in the highly-prestigious World Restaurant Awards in Paris and guess what, it won!

Suddenly, it was super cool to have a trolley again. Tons of press, radio and TV interviews followed — it was like the Oscars!

Pastry Chef JR Ryall and his team in the ‘Sweets Section’ at Ballymaloe House create the irresistible selection on the sweet trolley every night. From the age of four, JR wanted to be a chef, and he learned to cook in his Mum and aunts’ kitchens.

JR Ryall with Ballymaloe House's famous Dessert Trolley Picture: Cliodhna Prendergast 

At the ripe old age of 13, he took his first cooking course at the Ballymaloe Cookery School — a present from his Mum. Year after year, during his school holidays he worked in Ballymaloe, in the desserts section, and eventually — having completed a Natural Science degree in Trinity College in Dublin — he accepted Myrtle Allen’s invitation to be head pastry chef at Ballymaloe House. The rest is history.

JR travels widely and has worked in some of the most inspirational kitchens in the world — Ottolenghi, River Café, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, La Grotta Ices, Paul Young Chocolates. He loved, and was totally inspired by Myrtle and soaked up every word she said. Now at last he has written a book on Ballymaloe Desserts. It’s packed full of recipes for the delicious desserts so loved by Ballymaloe House guests for over 50 years plus many contemporary creations that are fast becoming new classics.

What follows is JR’s thought process when planning desserts to serve on the Sweet Trolley at Ballymaloe House.

“I use a simple template: there are always five desserts that change each day, each fitting a category; the combination of dishes should strike a balance of flavour, texture and aesthetics; and one dessert will always contain chocolate.

JR Ryall's book Ballymaloe Desserts 

“At Ballymaloe I plan each dish when I know what fresh produce is available, so I often change the menu at the last minute. 

"Perhaps the plums that I was eagerly watching are just not ripe enough to pick on the day I thought they would be, and then an unexpected basin of wild blackberries arrives at the kitchen door. Perfect, a blackberry dessert it is.

“Then I look at the menu plan to see if anything needs to be altered to balance the last-minute change. Reacting in this way and using which produce is best is what makes the Ballymaloe dessert trolley so unique.”

• Ballymaloe Desserts by JR Ryall is published by Phaidon

Lemon Meringue Roulade

If you feel like going one step further, spoon the pulp of a few passion fruits over the lemon curd before rolling the roulade

Servings

8

Preparation Time

 30 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 50 mins

Course

 Dessert

Cuisine

 Irish

Ingredients

• For the meringue:

• 4 large egg whites

• 225g (8oz) caster sugar

• finely grated zest of 1 large unwaxed lemon

• icing sugar, for sprinkling

• For the filling and decoration:

• 300ml (10fl oz) whipped cream

• 4 tablespoons Lemon Curd

• crystallized lemon zest, to garnish

• 12 crystallized lemon verbena leaves

• 2 blue cornflower heads, separated into flowers

•  

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

2. Line a low-sided 20 × 30cm (8 × 12 inch) rectangular pan with baking paper.

3. To make the meringue: Check that the bowl of your electric mixer is dry, spotlessly clean and free from grease. Place the egg whites and sugar into the bowl and whisk until the mixture forms stiff peaks, about 10 minutes.

4. Add the lemon zest to the meringue and gently fold through. Once the zest has been added to the meringue it will begin to wilt, so quickly spread the meringue in an even layer on the lined pan and place in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool and lightly sprinkle the top with icing sugar.

5. ​To fill and decorate: Invert the meringue, still in the pan, onto a sheet of baking paper so the crisp top of the meringue faces down. Remove the pan and carefully peel off the baking paper. Position the meringue so the long side is facing you.

6. Spread three quarters of the whipped cream over the meringue, leaving a 2cm (1 inch) edge on the long side furthest away from you. Spoon the lemon curd in a line down the length of the cream.

7. Using the tip of a palette knife, spread the curd over the cream in a rippled effect. Starting at the long side nearest you, and using the baking paper to assist, carefully roll the meringue into a log.

8. Unwrap the roulade and transfer to a long serving plate.

9. Pipe the remaining cream on the top and decorate with the crystallized lemon zest, crystallized lemon verbena and individual cornflowers.

Lemon Curd

This Lemon curd can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Servings

8

Preparation Time

 3 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 13 mins

Course

 Dessert

Cuisine

 Irish

Ingredients

• To make 300ml:

• 1 large egg yolk

• 2 large eggs

• 55g (2oz) butter

• 110g (4oz) caster sugar

• finely grated zest and juice of 2 large lemons

Method

1. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk with the whole eggs to combine, and then set to one side.

2. Melt the butter in a small, heavy, non- corrodible pan on a low heat. Add the sugar and lemon zest and juice to the pan followed by the beaten eggs.

3. Stir the mixture constantly with a whisk as it cooks on a low– medium heat.

4. Once the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, remove the pan from the heat.

5. If you want to use a thermometer to monitor the temperature as the curd is cooking, it is ready when it reaches 82°C/180°F.

6. Pass the lemon mixture through a fine sieve to remove the lemon zest (at this point the zest has done its work and infused the mixture with its fragrant oil).

7. Store in a sterilized airtight jar in the refrigerator.

Panna cotta with espresso jelly

This is a delicious variation on a classic panna cotta. Serve with wafer thin Langue de Chat biscuits for a special treat

Servings

8

Preparation Time

 2 hours 0 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 2 hours 10 mins

Course

 Dessert

Ingredients

• 600ml (1 pint) double (heavy) cream

• 50g (2oz) caster sugar

• 1 vanilla pods, split lengthways

• 2 gelatine leaves (or 2 tsp powdered gelatine)

• cold water for soaking gelatine leaves (or 3 tbsp water if using powdered gelatine)

• For the jelly: 

• Very strong hot coffee

• 45g (1½ oz) caster sugar

• 1¼ gelatine leaves (1¼ tsp powdered gelatine)

Method

1. First, make the jelly. Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for a few minutes until soft. Meanwhile, place sugar in a measuring jug and add enough coffee until there is 200ml (7fl oz) in total, stir to dissolve. Squeeze excess water from the gelatine leaves, add to the hot coffee and stir to dissolve. Allow to cool to room temperature before using.

2. Put the cream into a heavy bottomed saucepan with the split vanilla pod and caster sugar.

3. Put on a low heat and bring to the shivery stage. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for a few minutes until soft. Squeeze excess water from the leaves, add to the hot cream mixture and stir to dissolve. Strain the mixture through a sieve to remove the vanilla pod (rinse the vanilla pod in warm water, allow to dry and save for later).

4. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature before pouring into the pedestal bowl. To save time the hot cream mixture can be stirred over an ice bath to cool it faster. Place in the fridge and allow to set. Carefully spoon over the cooled, but not yet set, coffee jelly. Return to the fridge and allow to set.
   
   Note: To make a more special version of this dessert the panna cotta can be layered in a glass bowl with the jelly. For a good result make 3 x espresso jelly recipe and set the panna cotta in 3 layers, each separated with a layer of the jelly. Each layer must be allowed to set completely before the next layer is poured over. The resulting dessert is both eye catching and delicious.

Almond tartlets with raspberries

A delicious afternoon treat with a cup of tea

Servings

24

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 15 mins

Total Time

 25 mins

Course

 Dessert

Cuisine

 Irish

Ingredients

• For the almond case:

• 110g (4oz) soft salted butter

• 110g (4oz) caster sugar

• 110g (4oz) ground almonds

• To serve:

• 450g (1lb) raspberries

• 3 tbsp Redcurrant Jelly, for glazing (recipe on P48 in Ballymaloe Desserts)

• 300ml (10fl oz) whipped cream

• sweet geranium leaves or fresh mint leaves, to garnish

•  

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

2. Place the butter in a bowl and cream well. Add the sugar and ground almonds and stir until everything is evenly combined. Don’t beat or over work the mixture.

3. Divide the mixture between two 17.5cm (7 inch) round pans or twenty-four shallow tartlet pans (I use two shallow, flat-bottom bun (muffin) pans that each have twelve wells).

4. Place the tarts in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, until golden brown. Tartlets will take 10–15 minutes.

5. Remove from the oven and allow to slightly cool before popping out of the pan.

6. If the tarts or tartlets appear to be sticking to the pan, and break when you attempt to pop them out, put the pan back in the oven for a minute.

7. When it warms up, the case should pop out easily.

8. To serve: Arrange the raspberries over the surface of each tart or tartlet. Warm the redcurrant jelly in a small pan until it melts and gently brush over the fruit.

9. Take care that the glaze does not drip onto the case or you run the risk of it losing its nice crispness.

10. Fill a canvas piping bag, fitted with a small star tip, with the whipped cream and pipe around the edge of each tart or tartlet.

11. Garnish with sweet geranium or fresh mint leaves.

Hot Tips

Ballymaloe Desserts with JR Ryall at Ballymaloe Cookery School

At last you can learn the secrets of the famous Ballymaloe Sweet Trolley with 'Ballymaloe Desserts', published by Phaidon this October. JR Ryall, Ballymaloe House Pastry Chef extraordinaire will share the magic at the cookery school on Tuesday, October 25, from 7-9pm. Course attendees will receive a copy of the new cookbook included in their pack personalised by chef and author JR.

• www.cookingisfun.ie

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A little reminder that the award-winning Food On The Edge is scheduled to take place in Airfield Estate, Dundrum in Dublin on October 17 and 18. The theme, Disruption and Regeneration. 

There’s quite a line-up already — confirmed speakers to date include 30-year-old Rasmus Monk, of Copenhagen’s Alchemist Restaurant, recently named as OAD’s Best Restaurant in Europe 2021, Paolo Casagrande of Barcelona’s 3 Michelin star Lasarte, Calum Franklin ‘the pie king’ who heads up the popular The Pie Room in the Holborn Dining Room in London and Søren Ørbek Ledet co-owner and sommelier of 3 Michelin-star Geranium, Denmark. 

Making a welcome return to Food on the Edge are authors, chefs and activists, food-educator Alice Zaslavsky, Jess Murphy of Kai Galway, social gastronomy disruptor Joshna Maharaj and thought-leader on food and cities Carolyn Steel.

Simon Rogan of L’Enclume will make his Food On The debut while Matt Orlando, of Copenhagen’s Amass and a Food On The Edge veteran, will also return.

• www.foodontheedge.ie

Harvest Thanksgiving in Mallow

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