Irish Bread Pudding

George Hirsch March 13, 2025

Lá Fhéile Pádraig: Gaelic for Saint Patrick's Day or St. Paddy's. I like to use day-old French bread in my bread pudding recipe, or Cinnamon-raisin bread, sweet rolls, and even leftover Irish Soda Bread can also be used. Serve with a vanilla ice cream spiked with a wee bit of Irish. Slàinte

Irish Bread Pudding

Makes 10-12 servings

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2 Granny Smith or baking apples, peel, cored, and chopped

3-4 cups cubed dry French Bread, Irish Soda, Brown Bread, or Cinnamon Raisin Bread

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1/2 cup raisins, plumped in 1 cup hot water for 5 minutes

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

4 cups milk

8 eggs

1 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

2 Tablespoons vanilla

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 cup Irish Whisky

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pre-grease an 8 x 8-inch or 10-inch round cake pan.

CLICK to Watch classic Irish segment Pubs, Pints, People from George Hirsch Living it UP! — **CLICK to Watch** classic Irish segment Pubs, Pints, People from *George Hirsch Living it UP!*

Combine the milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cocoa powder in a medium bowl and beat with a whisk until well blended. Add whiskey and slowly pour over the bread mixture. Add optional chopped chocolate. Poke the bread, completely covered with the milk mixture, and let sit for 10-15 minutes.

Place a pan larger than the cake pan or skillet in preheated oven and place the pan holding the bead pudding inside. Immediately fill the outer pan with enough hot water to come up one inch on the sides of the bread-pudding pan.

Bake at 375 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the water bath, reduce the temperature to 325 degrees, and bake for 25 additional minutes. Remove the bread pudding and allow to set for twenty minutes before serving. Serve with ice cream and a good Irish Coffee! Sláinte!

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Chocolate Sauce, take a dip

George Hirsch February 13, 2025

This is one of those sauces that must be in every chef's repertoire. It's a classic. In a matter of minutes, you can turn a simple sweet into chocolate decadence. So set aside the guilt and go ahead - dip, drizzle, and dunk your way through fresh strawberries, ice cream, and cake.

One study has shown that the smell of chocolate may relax you by increasing theta waves in the brain. Yes, we all have them.

Does chocolate contain any nutrients? Yes, it does, in small amounts. A 1.5-ounce milk chocolate bar contains recommended daily values of the following vitamins and minerals:

• 3 grams of protein • 15% of the Daily Value of riboflavin • 9% of the Daily Value of calcium • 7% of the Daily Value of iron

When choosing chocolate, look for a shiny finish, which is a sign that the chocolate was heated at the right temperature for the right amount of time. Also, look for a crispy snap when chocolate is broken into pieces. Choose a good chocolate for a sauce like Lindt, Callebaut, or Scharffen Berger. In a pinch, chocolate chips will do. This very decadent sauce is ideally served with fresh strawberries. Note: this chocolate sauce recipe is not ideal for coating dipped strawberries. Chocolate Sauce Recipe Below

***Dip or Drizzle Chocolate Sauce On Your Favorite Cookies***

George's Chocolate Sauce

Recipe by Chef George Hirsch | George Hirsch Lifestyle TV Series

Makes about two cups

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

3 Tablespoons pure cane granulated sugar

3/4 cup cream

3 Tablespoons corn syrup

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Optional: 1 Tablespoon Brandy or Grand Marnier

Place chopped chocolate in a bowl and set aside.

Place cream, sugar, and corn syrup in a small pot. Heat to a boil, stirring constantly. When it reaches a boil, pour directly over the chocolate and stir until all chocolate has melted. Add vanilla and brandy.

Use immediately or cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to two weeks. To reheat, heat the amount you need over a double boiler and stir until just melted.

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Irish Soda Bread

georgehirsch January 12, 2025

Various forms of soda bread are popular throughout Ireland. Soda bread is made using wholemeal, white flour, or both. The bread is sweetened in some regions, while it is more savory in others.

In Ireland, flour is typically made from soft wheat, so soda bread is best made with all-purpose or pastry flour, which has lower levels of gluten than bread flour. In some recipes, buttermilk is replaced by live yogurt or even stout. Because the leavening action starts immediately with baking soda (compared to the time taken for yeast bread to rise), it requires a minimum amount of mixing of the ingredients before baking; the dough should not be over-mixed.

George’s Irish Soda Bread

Makes one large round loaf

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4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for currants

4 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 3/4 cups cold *buttermilk, stirred

1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

Optional: 1 cup dried currants or plumped raisins tossed in a teaspoon of flour (To plump raisins, add 2 tablespoons of water and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds.)

1 teaspoon of caraway seed

Line a heavy-duty 9-inch cake pan or baking sheet pan with parchment paper or grease and lightly flour the surface. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a very large bowl, mix dry ingredients. Add cold butter to the flour and blend in by hand until the butter resembles fine crumbs. Pour in buttermilk and beaten egg, and toss in plumped raisins. Mix just until all ingredients are combined. Mix by hand until a dough forms. It will take about one minute of kneading until the flour is absorbed. Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Form in the shape of a ball; do not over-knead. Place the round dough on the pan. With a bench scraper or knife, cut the dough across four times, dividing it into equal pieces.

Immediately bake for about 20 - 25 minutes, reducing the temperature to 350 degrees F until the dough sounds hollow, a sign it is fully baked. Allow to cool fully before slicing.

*To make Buttermilk: 1 cup milk, 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar; wait 5 minutes.

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Best Chocolate Cake Ever

George Hirsch November 8, 2024

Simple solutions can give you the best results. Machines and gadgets are very important to many people, but I enjoy cooking when a simple whisk, spoon, or spatula does the job. This is the case with the Chocolate Torta recipe from my TV series George Hirsch Lifestyle episode, Old World Traditions. Enjoy.

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Mix by hand and bake. Forty-five minutes later you’ll be savoring this Italian Pastry delight!

George_Hirsch_Chocolate_Torta titled.png

George's Chocolate Torta

Makes 12 servings

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1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

1-1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder

1-1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 cup water

1/3 cup sweet butter, melted

1 egg, beaten

1 egg white, beaten into whole egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 325°. Lightly grease a 9-inch cake pan and line with baking parchment paper; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine cocoa and granulated sugar until blended. With a wire whisk, beat in water, then melt butter, egg, egg white, and vanilla until smooth. Add flour mixture and beat until smooth. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. On a wire rack, cool for ten minutes in a pan. With a small spatula, loosen the cake from the sides of the pan. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely. Place on a plate and sprinkle with confectioner sugar and a dollop of fresh whipped cream. To serve, cut into small wedges.

Baking Tip:

This cake actually tastes better when baked and aged one day in advance. When making ahead, allow it to cool completely on a wire screen, then cover it tightly in an airproof container or place the baked chocolate torta back into the cake pan and wrap the top with film.

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pepitas

George Hirsch October 22, 2024

What to do with all those pumpkin seeds?

The edible seeds of a pumpkin, aka pepitas, are a delightful fall snack. Children especially love them. Served lightly salted and roasted, the pumpkin seed is a tasty fall treat - and a great source of fiber. Top on salads and soups or add to granola for a crunchy breakfast treat.

To roast your pumpkin seeds, do not wash them first! Washing removes all the natural flavor. Instead, remove the seeds from the strings and place a single layer on a cookie sheet. Add salt to taste and bake at 300° until dry, stirring occasionally.

Options to taste:

roasted garlic & lemon zest

cayenne pepper & sea salt

curry & cumin

cinnamon & brown sugar