As much as we love the holidays, baking during the
busiest time of year can be a daunting task, with fruitcake, shortbread and other sweets needed to fill the
tables (and tummies) of all of your guests.
At the
Great Cooks on
Eight culinary centre in downtown Toronto, Lifestyler had the opportunity to learn first-hand how
baking with Carolans Irish Cream can make a dessert all the more decadent and be a festive addition to your
holiday treats.
The afternoon began with
some mingling as we sipped on Carolans Eggnog Martinis and relished in the savoury appetizers including
Thai-inspired succulent chicken satay skewers dipped in smooth and creamy Carolans cashew butter. They were
followed by crunchy fried mushroom risotto balls drizzled with truffle oil, and mini goat cheese tarts with
balsamic-reduced shallots.
We began the baking
seminar with Food Network
Canada star and new executive chef at the ROM’s c5
Restaurant and Lounge, Corbin Tomaszeski. Guests were randomly divided into teams of six and participated in
one of three Carolans baking stations: Fruit flan, cupcakes or peanut butter and marshmallow
bites.
Baking cupcakes is always
fun but our station appeared to have a little too much fun (chef Corbin called our station the messiest, and
I must admit it was, since we forgot to lock the mixer so the icing sugar and flour ended up all over the
counter and floor!) After we finished baking, we sipped on Carolans Hot Chocolate Mochas to celebrate our
Carolans creations.
We were then treated to an
indulgent dessert table, filled with more decadent desserts including white chocolate mousse and tiramisu,
which we happily devoured as we sipped on Carolans Chocolate Martinis.
Lifestyler spoke
with the chef Tomaszeski about the event and his involvement with Carolans.
Q&A: Corbin
Tomaszeski
How did you become
involved with Carolans?
I was interested
in developing recipes that everybody and anybody can do. More importantly, making it uncomplicated and
appealing enough that everyone would want to do it. For a chef, that’s a dream come true… I’m not a baker — I
don’t bake! The biggest thing for me is that I always like to look for simple, easy kinds of tricks when it
comes to baking a dessert. That’s what I did… None of it was overly complicated. It’s about taking something
that’s ordinary and making it unbelievable. Really, it’s about adding Carolans Irish
Cream.
What do you enjoy
about Carolans?
I’m a very
creative guy, and I get very uneasy and tantalized with not doing different things. I always think of looking
at this like a challenge. ‘What can I do different?’ I do that with the food that I do in the restaurants. We
say, what can we do with this regular product to make it unbelievable? For instance, making a cupcake and
putting a couple of tablespoons of Carolans Irish Cream in the batter and you put it in the buttercream
icing, you have got a new, funky cupcake.
How can people
benefit from using Carolans in their recipes?
I have done a
tiramisu — it’s a spin on classic tiramisu but instead of adding things like Frangelico or chocolate liqueur,
you add the Carolans Irish Cream. Let’s face it, we have all had tiramisu a thousand times, but when you try
it with Carolans Irish Cream, all of a sudden it’s new and it’s different and it’s exciting and it tastes so
good.
What advice do you
have for people who are interested in baking with Carolans?
Drink three
glasses before. (laughs) When in doubt, just take a risk. Just go for it, and the worse thing that can happen
is that it doesn’t turn out. Big deal… It’s all about taking risks with your food and more importantly,
having fun with your food.
I think the unique ability
about this product is that it can be used by real people in the sense of the ones that are entertaining at
home and not necessarily the ones that always go to the restaurants, always go to the pastry shops, always go
to the places to get the fine desserts and pastries. You can do it at home; it starts at home. I always say
if a person can’t understand a recipe, if they cannot pronounce the ingredients in a recipe, they are not
going to do it. It starts with a photograph — the stimulation of how it looks — and it’s about the senses of
cooking. I think when people learn how to do it at home, with these easy, simple techniques, they will do it.
Then, all of a sudden, they are the resident experts. You get people who come to events and you can say, I
made these cupcakes, I made these cookies, or I made these bars, and that’s pretty special. It’s not always
about buying store-bought products.
What is your
favourite Carolans recipe?
My favourite
Carolans recipe right now is the white chocolate mousse. Chocolate mousse is, as a whole, decadent but when
you add a product [such as] Carolans Irish Cream, it suddenly becomes even more decadent and irresistible,
and intoxicating that you have to have it.
Carolans Irish Cream
is available now in liquor stores across Canada. For a lighter alternative,
Carolans Light offers all
the decadence with 50 per cent less fat.
Below are the drink
and dessert recipes from the event. Give them a try and let us know what you think on Twitter,
@LifestylerFlavs
For more
information and even more recipes, including a recipe for Carolans Christmas Pudding, visit
carolans.ie
Need some
encouragement before you get started? Check out chef Tomaszeski's tips for the best baking
results.
Carolans Eggnog
Martini
1 oz Carolans or
Carolans Light
1 oz Jameson Irish
Whiskey
4 oz
Eggnog
Nutmeg
In a cocktail shaker
filled halfway with ice, add Carolans, whiskey and eggnog. Shake to chill and strain into martini glass. Add
a dash of nutmeg on top. Garnish with mint & cranberry “holly” (see festive holiday garnish
tips).
Carolans Café
Mocha
1 oz Carolans or
Carolans Light
½ oz McGuinness Crème de
Cacao White
Coffee
After preparing an Irish
coffee mug with a festive “snowflake” rim (see holiday garnish tips), add the spirits and top with fresh
coffee. Enjoy while piping hot.
Holiday
Garnishes
Festive
“snowflake” rim: Dress holiday cocktails with “snowflakes” by melting white chocolate chips, dipping the rim
of a glass into the melted chocolate and then sprinkled with coconut. Put in the fridge to harden before
pouring in the beverage.
Festive “holly” accent:
Garnish holiday cocktails with “holly,” easily created by skewering cranberries and fresh mint on a cocktail
pick.
Carolans
Light Latté
1 oz Carolans
Light
1 oz Jameson Irish
Whiskey
Pour ingredients into an
Irish coffee mug and fill with hot coffee. Top with light whipped cream (optional), pouring gently over
spoon. Enjoy while piping hot.
Carolans Light
Espresso Martini
1 oz Carolans
Light
½ oz Polar Ice
Vodka
¼ oz Light Sugar
Syrup
1 cup
Espresso
Pour ingredients over ice
into cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into martini glass. Garnish with 3 espresso
beans.
Carolans White
Chocolate Mousse
Yield
— 4
portions
¾ cup 35%
cream
1-1/4 cup
milk
4 tbsp Carolans Irish
Cream
3 egg
yolks
8 oz white
chocolate
2 tsp unflavoured
gelatin
1 tbsp.
water
Garnish:
Whipped
cream
White chocolate
shavings
Method:
1) In a separate
bowl, whisk egg yolks.
2) In a heavy saucepan,
heat milk until barely simmering. Gradually pour milk into the egg yolks until well
incorporated.
3) Add water onto the
saucepan and place the bowl on top, (this would create double boiler and would prevent you from over cooking
the eggs) add the white chocolate to this mixture. Continue to stir until thickens.
4) In a small bowl mix
unflavoured gelatin with water and allow it to bloom (approx. 2-3 minutes) add this to the mousse mixture.
Flavour mixture with Carolans Irish cream.
5) Let this mixture cool
using an ice bath.
6) In another bowl, whip
cream until soft peaks and gently fold cream to the mousse mixture.
7) Place mixture in
desired ramekins or glass containers.
8) Refrigerate until
set.
9) Garnish with a dollop
of whipped cream and white chocolate shavings — serve chilled.
Carolans
Tiramisu
Yield
— 6
portions
Soaking
liquid:
3 tbsp Carolans Irish
Cream
½ cup espresso
Coffee
2 tbsp
sugar
In a shallow bowl, mix
these ingredients together to be used to soak the ladyfingers.
14 oz good quality Italian
ladyfingers
Filling:
2 cups mascarpone
cheese
4-5 tbsp Carolans Irish
Cream
¼ cup
sugar
Using an electric mixer,
whip together and set aside for assembly.
Topping:
1 cup whipped
cream
2 tbsp
sugar
Using an electric mixer
whip cream until stiff peaks.
Cocoa powder for
dusting
Method:
In a 8” square
baking dish, layer soaked ladyfingers at the bottom of the pan, spread half of the mascarpone mixture, repeat
with a second layer of soaked lady fingers and spread the other half of mascarpone mixture, place a third
layer of soaked lady fingers, top with whipped cream and dust with cocoa powder. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours
and serve chilled.
Carolans Peanut
Butter & Marshmallow Bites
Yield
— 1
small tray
1 lb. dark
chocolate
140 grams softened
butter
4-1/2 tbsp. corn
syrup
1-1/2 cups mini
marshmallows
¼ cup chopped peanuts
(unsalted)
3-4 tbsp. Carolans Irish
cream
Icing sugar for
dusting
Method:
1) Melt the dark
chocolate with the butter and corn syrup in a small saucepan.
2) Combine the mini
marshmallows, peanuts, and Carolans Irish cream to the melted chocolate mixture — mix until all ingredients
are incorporated.
3) Line the 8-inch square
pan with parchment paper and pour the mixture into it. Level the mixture out using a rubber
spatula.
4) Refrigerate for 2 hours
and cut into 2-inch squares.
5) Dust with icing sugar
and serve.
Carolans Irish
Cream Cupcakes
Yield
—
12 cupcakes
1-1/3 cup all-purpose
flour
1 tsp baking
powder
1 cup
sugar
1/3 cup salted
butter
1
egg
2/3 cup
milk
1 ½ tbsp Carolans Irish
Cream
Method:
1) Preheat oven
at 350 F.
2) In a separate bowl sift
and measure flour and mix with baking powder and set aside.
3) Using an electric
mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add the egg and Carolans Irish
cream.
4) Gradually add the flour
to the mixture and alternate with milk, ending with flour.
5) Line a muffin baking
tray with liners and fill with cupcake batter.
6) Bake for 18-20 minutes
or until toothpick comes out clean.
Irish Buttercream
Frosting:
2 cups icing
sugar
1/4 cup unsalted
butter
2 tbsp Carolans Irish
cream
Method:
1) Using an
electric mixer beat butter and icing sugar together until smooth, and flavour with Carolans Irish
cream.
Carolans Light Fresh Fruit
Flan
Yield — 6-8
servings
Cake
Crust:
2 cups sifted cake
flour
1 tsp baking
powder
½ tsp baking
soda
¼ tsp salt
½ cup
butter
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp
vanilla
7 tbsp Carolans Light Irish
Cream
2/3 Cup Plain
Yogurt
Filling:
1 (8 ounce) package low-fat cream cheese,
softened
1/3 cup powdered
sugar
2 tbsp Carolans Light Irish
Cream
Fruit:
3 cups fresh
strawberries*
1 cup fresh
blueberries*
3 kiwi fruit*, peeled and thinly
sliced
*You can also use any fruit that are in
season
Icing Sugar for
Dusting
Method:
1) Preheat oven to 350
F.
2) Grease and line a10” springform pan with
parchment paper.
3) For the cake crust, sift dry ingredients
together into a mixing bowl and set aside.
4) In a separate bowl, cream together sugar,
butter, egg, and vanilla and 1 tbsp. of Carolans Light Irish Cream until light and
fluffy.
5) Add the dry ingredients, alternate with
yogurt, and ending with flour mixture.
6) Spread the batter evenly on the bottom of
the greased pan. Bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool
completely.
7) Once cool, brush with 6tbsp. of Carolans
Light Irish Cream.
8) For the filling, blend together the cream
cheese, sugar, and Carolans Light Irish Cream. Spread over the cooled crust. Arrange the fruit on the cream
cheese filling and refrigerate.
9) Before serving dust the entire surface
with icing sugar. •
Photos and Recipes Courtesy of
Carolans Irish Cream
