It’s almost that time of year again. St. Patrick's Day is not to far away, which presents a perfect opportunity for firing up the old oven for some classic holiday baking. When most people think of holiday baking they usually resort to thoughts of Christmas, which is understandable. However, St. Patrick's Day can be filled with just as many cookies and cakes as when Santa Claus comes to town. There are loads and loads of recipes dedicated to the classic and iconic Irish holiday. Below are two of my favourite recipes to use every time March 17th rolls around.
First up is a delicious and devilish brownie recipe. Luck of the Irish brownies are easy to make and taste fantastic. Not to mention they go incredibly well with any of the classic Irish alcoholic beverages. They don't take that long to prepare and can provide you with enough snacks for days. Perfect for a late night bite or a study snack! Ingredients are as follows.
Luck of the Irish Brownies
Brownie
4 squares of unsweetened chocolate
1 cup of softened margarine
2 cups of white sugar
3 eggs
4 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 cup of flour
1/2 cup of butter
4 cups of confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon of milk
2 teaspoons of peppermint extract
Green food colouring
Topping
1 1/2 cups of semisweet chocolate chips
6 tablespoons of melted butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
To start preheat your oven to 350F and prepare a 9x13 pan. Then proceed to melt the unsweetened chocolate in a small bowl in the microwave. Transfer the chocolate to a large bowl and begin to mix the margarine and white sugar in. Once the mixture is well blended beat each of the three eggs into the large bowl then add the vanilla extract. Stir in the cup of flour and mix well. Then pour the mixture into the bottom of the pan.
Bake the mixture in the oven for 20-25 minutes then allow it to cool. Beat the 1/2 cup of butter and the confectioners' sugar together in a large bowl using an electric mixer. Gradually add in the milk along with the peppermint extract and drops of green food colouring. Once this is well blended pour it over the original mixture in the 9x13 pan. Refrigerate the brownies for half an hour. Once this is complete proceed to make the topping. In a medium sized bowl melt the chocolate chips and butter in the microwave. Following this stir in the 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Then proceed to pour the topping mixture over the brownies. Once cool, cut into squares and enjoy!
Another recipe that is popular around St. Patrick's Day is Irish Potatoes. Ireland is often associated with potatoes so it comes at no surprise that such a prominent Irish holiday would have recipes dedicated to the iconic staple. However, this recipe is actually not for potatoes but rather cookies that look like potatoes! That way, you can enjoy a delicious treat while celebrating a symbol of Irish cuisine. Ingredients are as follows.
Irish Potatoes
1 cup of confectioners' sugar
1 cup of shredded coconut
1 tablespoon of cream
2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon
To begin, sprinkle the sugar on the shredded coconut in a large mixing bowl. Then add the cream and blend together. If needed, you can add another couple teaspoons of cream until the mixture forms into a dough. Following this take approximately half a tablespoon and roll the dough into balls. Proceed to place the ground cinnamon into a plastic bag and add the balls of dough. Shake well until the balls are completely covered. Once this is done, the Irish potatoes are ready to go!
These two iconic St. Patrick's Day recipes are a must every time the Irish holiday rolls around. Both are easy to make and can last for days! Although it’s still cold outside on St. Patrick's Day, you can keep warm by firing up the oven and baking these delicious delicacies. Most of us can't jump on a plane and go to Ireland to celebrate March 17th but with these recipes it will feel like you’re already in the plains of Ireland.