WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: This Homemade Irish Cream Recipe brings you a true and creamy Irish liqueur in less than 5 minutes with household staple ingredients. You can create the drink with the well-known smooth texture and distinctive sweet, floral, nutty, and boozy flavor profile right at home anytime without using any special equipment. It’s so versatile and excellent in bringing your drinking and eating experience to the next level!  

I am proud to say that O’Driscoll’s Irish Whiskey is a family business. It is founded by my cousin, Michael J Stafford the managing director of Stafford Bonded in my hometown of  Wexford, Ireland. Michael carried on the family business created by our grandfather (James Stafford) and also our fathers (George Stafford Snr and Michael Stafford Snr).  He has chronicled the history of the Stafford family in Wexford beautifully on the Stafford Bonded website. O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey is inspired by Diarmuid O’Driscoll, Michael’s other grandfather. A pillar in the family, an inspiration, and a great storyteller.  You can meet Diarmuid here.

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O’Driscolls Irish Cream Recipe (Coffee Creamer for Irish Coffee)

Craft this easy Homemade Irish Cream recipe to elevate various beverages and desserts with an authentic, delicious and velvety boozy liqueur!

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 32 oz

Author Gemma Stafford

Ingredients

• ½ cup (4 fl oz/120 ml) heavy cream
• ½ cup (4 fl oz/120 ml) whole milk
• 1 can (14 oz/395 ml) sweetened condensed milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 1⅔ cups (14 fl oz/400 ml) O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey

Instructions

• In a 4-cup (32 fl oz/960 ml) glass measuring jug, combine the cream, whole milk and condensed milk.
• In a small bowl, mix the vanilla extract with the espresso powder until dissolved, then stir into the milk mixture.
• Finally, stir in the whiskey until combined.
• Transfer to a large lidded jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Add it to my Best Ever Hot Chocolate recipe or pour it into a black coffee and top with whipped cream. It can also be added to my Irish Cream No Machine Ice Cream

The post O’Driscolls Irish Cream Recipe (Coffee Creamer for Irish Coffee) appeared first on Gemma’s Bigger Bolder Baking.

I can’t help myself. Once I realize I’m buying the same thing again and again, I have the urge to try to make it myself from scratch. Case and point: these three fantastic store-bought cracker copycat recipes! 

With a few standard ingredients, you can swiftly re-create perfect store-bought crackers at home and know what goes into them! Perfect for any charcuterie and cheese board, make for a great grab-and-go snack, or serve as the ideal companion to hummus, dips, or a good bowl of soup.

Homemade Wheat Thins

My homemade Wheat Thins recipe is everything you love about the store-bought version: they’re delightfully crispy, slightly sweet, perfectly salty and flavorful thanks to whole wheat flour! These crackers are positively addicting!

I love serving these whole-grain crackers with my Blue Cheese Compound Butter. Get my Homemade Wheat Thins recipe!

Homemade Cheez-Its With Real Cheddar

Cheez-Its are one of our son Georgie’s favorites, so I really wanted to perfect a homemade version! I love knowing exactly what I’m serving my family. 

My copycat Cheez-It crackers are made with real sharp cheddar cheese, giving them more protein and an even cheesier taste than their store-bought counterparts. You can even experiment with other hard cheeses with this recipe! Give them a go with Monterey Jack cheese, or add a bit of parmesan to your extra-sharp cheddar. 

(Please note, ideally you’ll use a food processor to properly grind the cheese enough to make this dough but you can make it by hand with a little elbow grease.) Get my Homemade Cheese-Its recipe!

Buttery Homemade Ritz Crackers

My crunchy and salty Ritz Crackers recipe is made with real butter, unlike the store-bought version, giving you an unbelievably buttery taste! These bubbly crackers go perfectly with everything — serve them with your favorite fancy cheese or my Homemade Cream Cheese! If your house is anything like mine, you might want to double the batch because they go quickly! Get my Homemade Ritz Crackers recipe!

How Do you Make Gluten-Free Crackers?

Experiment with Homemade Cheez-Its or Buttery Homemade Ritz Crackers with gluten-free all-purpose blend flour!

Hungry For More Copycat Recipes? Try:

• Homemade Starbucks Frappuccinos
• Homemade Thin Mints
• Homemade Samoas Cookies (Girl Scout Toasted Coconut Cookies)
• McDonald’s Apple Pie: Better Homemade!
• Homemade Goldfish Crackers

The post 3 Homemade Cracker Recipes for Your Favorite Store-bought Brands appeared first on Gemma’s Bigger Bolder Baking.

Pure Maple Candy is a staple in the northeast of the states and Canada, but this old-school candy is a bit hard to describe to people who have never had it before. 

Explaining the flavor is easy — picture maple syrup. That’s what this candy tastes like because Homemade Maple Candy is made with just maple syrup, excluding butter that is used to rim your saucepan and a couple of drops of vegetable oil, which is optional. 

The texture is a bit more unexcepted, as most of us are familiar with maple syrup as a liquid. Maple candies are a bit more firm than fudge, with an almost sandy-like texture because of all the sugar crystals that melt perfectly in your mouth. 

Give this easy candy recipe a shot! I love having these candies around to serve (and impress!) my guests; if you wrap them in pretty paper, they make a great gift.

And if you love everything maple, don’t miss my new cookbook, Bigger Bolder Baking Every Day!

Why Do You Butter Your Saucepan When Making Maple Candy?

While this candy recipe requires only maple syrup, I recommend buttering the rim of your saucepan with butter. In fact, this is somewhat common practice when you’re making any candy.

The reason why you want to butter your saucepan is to help prevent your maple syrup from boiling over. I typically butter just the rim of my saucepan, but some candy makers also butter the sides of their saucepan.

What Does Oil Do In Maple Candy?

If you’re a purist, feel free to omit the few drops of vegetable oil in this homemade maple candy recipe completely. However, if this is your first time, or you’d really like to avoid a mess, add a few drops of oil to your maple syrup as it starts to enter the hard ball stage when the maple syrup starts to foam. The oil helps prevent the foam from rising!

What Type Of Maple Syrup Should I Use For Maple Candy?

It is essential that you use pure maple syrup to make maple candy. It’s the only ingredient, so make sure you get a good quality one as well! I like to use dark maple syrup because I love the more robust maple flavor, but you can also use Golden Amber (Grade A) if you like something milder.

Do not use “pancake syrup!” It is not the same as maple syrup. 

Tools You Need To Make Pure Maple Candy

• Measuring cups and spoons
• 9×5-inch (23×12 1/2-cm) loaf pan or silicone maple leaf candy molds
• High-sided saucepan
• Candy thermometer
• Wooden spoon

What Are The Stages Of Sugar In Candy Making?

There are 7 stages sugar goes through when you are cooking it for candy making: thread, softball, firm-ball, hard-ball, soft-crack, hard-crack, and caramel. 

Temperature is incredibly important when making candy, and while there are ways to test what stage you are in, I do say you need a candy thermometer for this recipe. 

To make Maple Syrup Candy, you will want your candy to be in the softball stage before you remove it from heat, which means your thermometer should read 235-245°F (112-116°C). 

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Homemade Maple Candy

• You will need a high-sided pot and a candy thermometer to make this.
• The few drops of vegetable oil will keep the maple syrup from bubbling over as it gets close to the softball stage. Purists may leave the oil out.
• For the very best results, you will need to boil this syrup 32-34°F above the boiling point of water where you are. You can find the boiling point of your particular location by boiling water and checking the temperature. 
• Start pouring the syrup out of the pot right after it crystallizes. At that point, it will go from liquid to solid in a matter of seconds.
• If, for some reason, the candy does not set or crystalized too fast to pour, add a tablespoon of water, reheat the syrup to the soft ball stage, and try again. We melted and retried this recipe a few times before we got it just right!

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Pure Maple Candy

Classic Pure Maple Candy is a treat that never gets old — and you won't believe just how easy it is to make!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Canadian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 24 pieces

Author Gemma Stafford

Ingredients

• Butter, for the rim of the saucepan
• 2 cups (20 oz/566 g) pure maple syrup
• 2-3 drops vegetable oil (optional)

Instructions

• Line a 9x5-inch (23x12½-cm) loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some paper overhanging off the sides. Or have silicone maple leaf candy molds standing by. Set aside.
• Butter the rim of a medium, high-sided, heavy-bottomed saucepan and attach a candy thermometer.
• Pour in the maple syrup and the oil (if using) and bring to a boil.
• Let the syrup boil for 5-10 minutes until it reaches the softball stage 235-245°F (112-116°C).
• Remove from the heat and do not touch or agitate the syrup. Let cool, undisturbed, until it reaches 200°F (94°C), about 5 minutes.
• Remove the thermometer and, with a wooden spoon, begin to stir the syrup. After about 1 minute, you will feel crystals beginning to form at the bottom of the pan, but the syrup will still be fairly clear.
• Immediately pour the syrup into the prepared pan or the molds.
• If you used a loaf pan, let the syrup cool for a few minutes until it is opaque and firm but still warm. Using the parchment, carefully lift it out of the pan and cut it into squares or pop them carefully out of the molds.
• Once completely cooled and hard, transfer to an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

The post Pure Maple Candy appeared first on Gemma’s Bigger Bolder Baking.

Looking to make your charcuterie board a little more special? You need to try my copycat Ritz Crackers recipe! You can buy every artisanal cheese that exists, but I guarantee these homemade buttery crackers will still be the star of the show! 

You may be wondering how to make Ritz Crackers at home — or if it’s even worth the trouble! I promise I’d never lead you astray; these crackers are surprisingly very easy to make. And you just can’t compare the end product with store-bought. These crackers are everything I love about Ritz; they’re buttery, bubbly, crunchy, and the perfect amount of salty.

Try serving these with savory compound butter, like my Blue Cheese Compound Butter or my Chipotle Lime Compound Butter! Or try one of my favorite snacks, Homemade Cream Cheese, on top of these crackers.

Do Ritz Crackers Have Dairy?

You may not believe this, but the buttery Original Ritz Crackers do not contain dairy and are vegan! However, this recipe includes dairy (as do some other versions and brands, so be sure to check the listed ingredients if you are allergic.) 

Store-bought Ritz Crackers have artificial flavoring, but my homemade recipe uses real butter to get that iconic taste. 

Why Do Ritz Crackers Have Holes?

Store-bought Ritz Crackers and my homemade recipe both have holes — but why? The holes in a cracker are called “docking holes,” and their purpose is to help ventilate the crackers. As the crackers bake, the air expands, which causes bubbles that may over brown or burn. The holes allow the steam to escape instead of becoming bubbles. It’s the same reason why you would dock a pie crust! 

I don’t have a docking machine, and I highly doubt most of you do! Instead, I use a toothpick to poke holes in the crackers just before baking. Store-bought Ritz Crackers have seven holes on each cracker if you want to be precise! 

Tools You Need To Make Homemade Ritz Crackers

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Baking sheets
• 1½-inch (4-cm) round cutter

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Copycat Ritz Crackers

• This dough is very soft — the moisture in the dough is what creates the bubbles in the crackers while baking. However, if the dough is too wet to form a ball, knead in a touch more flour (1 or 2 tablespoons) until it just comes together.
• The soft dough can make it a bit challenging to cut neat circles. If you are having trouble, roll the dough onto a piece of parchment paper and either refrigerate it with the paper for 30 minutes or freeze it for 10 minutes. This should allow you to cut and lift the dough onto your baking sheet more easily.
• Brush the melted butter onto the crackers while they are still hot, so they absorb more of the buttery flavor.
• You can add a tablespoon of any dried herb that you would like into the flour mixture.
• Make a seeded cracker by sprinkling poppy seeds or sesame seeds onto the crackers before you bake them, just after you brush on the egg wash.

Try more copycat recipes!

• Homemade Cheez-Its With Real Cheddar
• Homemade Wheat Thins
• 4-Ingredient Homemade Goldfish Crackers
• Homemade Graham Crackers

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Buttery Homemade Ritz Crackers

Up your charcuterie board with these crispy, bubbly, and buttery homemade Ritz Crackers. They're made with real butter!

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Chill Time 1 hour hour

Servings 50 crackers

Author Gemma Stafford

Ingredients

• 1 cup (5 oz/142 g) plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt, plus more for topping
• 3 tablespoons (1½ oz/42 g) plus 1 tablespoon (½ oz/14 g) butter, cold and diced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ¼ cup  (2 floz/60ml) water
• 1 egg, beaten, for egg wash
• salt, for sprinkling

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
• Cut in 3 tablespoons (1½ oz/42 g) butter until the mixture is crumbly, then stir in the oil.
• Stir in the water until the mixture forms a dough. It will be very wet but should hold together.
• Wrap well and chill the dough for at least 1 hour (and up to 2 days).
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Working with a quarter of the dough at a time, on a floured surface, roll out to ⅛-inch-thick (3 mm) or less (as thin as possible) and use a 1½-inch (4-cm) round cutter to cut as many circles as you can.
• Transfer the circles to a lined baking sheet, then poke holes all over the dough with a toothpick. Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with some salt.
• Bake for 10 minutes, until the crackers are bubbled up and golden brown. I like to bake one sheet at a time.
• Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and brush on the crackers while still warm. Let cool completely on a wire rack while rolling and baking the remaining crackers.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

The post Buttery Homemade Ritz Crackers appeared first on Gemma’s Bigger Bolder Baking.

When we realized it was one of our son George’s favorites, I knew I wanted to master a Homemade Cheez-It recipe, so I could feel good knowing exactly what we were giving him for a snack. Turns out, I find them ridiculously addicting too! 

These copycat Cheez-Its are just like the ones you can buy at the store, made even better because they’re made right in your own kitchen. They turned out to be perfectly crispy and somehow even more cheesy than the originals — and that may be because these snack crackers are made with real extra-sharp cheddar cheese.

I know for busy people, busy parents especially, making Cheez-Its at home may seem a bit too extra. But I was surprised at how quickly these cheddar cheese crackers came together! I think the only time I’ll buy Cheez-Its at the store is when I don’t have access to my oven! 

Please note, you will need a food processor to make the dough for this recipe. Otherwise, the cheese will not be the proper consistency for the crackers.

Are Cheez-It’s Real Cheese? What Kind Of Cheese Is In Cheez-Its?

Cheez-Its are made with 100% real cheese, which they proudly advertise on their packaging. If you look at the ingredients of Cheez-Its, they list “cheese made with skim milk.” The Original Cheez-Its don’t say which cheese they include, but for my homemade version, I opted to use extra-sharp cheddar cheese for that real cheesy flavor.

Can I Use Another Cheese In Homemade Cheez-Its?

I used 8 oz. of extra-sharp cheddar cheese to make our Cheez-Its, but feel free to experiment with other semi-hard cheeses. If you’d like a more mild-tasting Cheez-It, try cheddar cheese instead of extra-sharp. You can also try making these crackers with 8 oz. of Monterey Jack cheese, or with 6 oz. of white cheddar cheese and 2 oz. of parmesan!

How To Make Homemade Cheez-Its

Making Cheez-Its at home is surprisingly very easy! But you will need a food processor to grate up the cheese as finely as you need it to be to make an even dough. Making the dough for Cheez-Its takes just a brief kneading but does need to rest for about 1 hour in the refrigerator. Then, you just need to roll the dough out, cut out your Cheez-Its, and bake! 

Tools You Need To Make Homemade Cheez-Its

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Food processor
• Baking sheets

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Copycat Cheez-Its

• A food processor is essential for this dough to grind the cheese properly.
• If you want the classic look, use yellow cheddar. But the taste is more important, so if you can only find extra sharp white cheddar, go with this.
• Be sure to roll the dough to the correct measurements, so it is thin enough to bake up nice and crispy!
• Watch the crackers carefully towards the end of the baking time. They can quickly go from nice and toasty to over brown and burnt.

Try More Copycat Recipes!

• Absolutely Adorable Homemade Animal Crackers
• 4-Ingredient Homemade Goldfish Crackers
• Homemade Wheat Thins
• Homemade Thin Mints
• Homemade Disneyland Dole Whip

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Homemade Cheez-Its

My Homemade Cheez-Its are made with 100% real extra-sharp cheddar cheese, giving you the perfectly crispy, cheesy cracker you know and love.

Course Lunch, Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 60 crackers

Author Gemma Stafford

Ingredients

• 2⅔ cups (8 oz/225 g) extra-sharp yellow cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup (5 oz/142 g) all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup (2 oz/57 g) butter, cold and diced
• 2 tablespoons ice water

Instructions

• In the bowl of a food processor, combine the cheese, flour, and salt and process for 10 to 15 seconds, until the mixture is finely ground.
• Pulse in the butter until crumbly, then pulse in the water until the mixture just starts to come together.
• Transfer to a bowl, then knead briefly, just until a dough is formed. Divide the dough in half, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and have 2 baking sheets set aside.
• On a piece of floured parchment paper big enough to fit into the baking sheet, roll out one half of the dough into roughly a 9x11-inch (23x28-cm) rectangle. Cut the dough into 1-inch (2½-cm) squares. Trim any jagged edges if you wish to have perfect squares.
• Transfer the paper with the dough to a baking sheet and spread the squares of dough evenly apart. Using the flat end of a wooden skewer, poke a hole in the center of each square.
• Bake for 12 - 15 minutes, until the crackers are puffed and golden brown. Let cool while you repeat with the remaining dough. I like to bake just one sheet at a time.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

The post Homemade Cheez-Its With Real Cheddar appeared first on Gemma’s Bigger Bolder Baking.

As a host, it’s hard to think of anything that would be more impressive than serving wine and cheese with your own homemade wheat thins. This copycat Wheat Thin cracker recipe gives you everything you know and love about those addicting crackers, except since they’re homemade, they taste unbelievably fresher. 

This homemade cracker recipe calls for a combination of whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and a tad bit of sugar. The result is a classic snappy cracker that is perfectly crispy and salty, with just the slightest sweetness.

I love serving these homemade whole-grain crackers alongside my Blue Cheese Compound Butter before our main meal — but be warned, some of your guests may eat too many and not have room for the main course! 

How To Make Crackers At Home

I’ll admit that making crackers at home isn’t something that crosses most people’s minds, but the result is hard to deny. Homemade crackers are surprisingly easy, and once you have a taste of how fresh and crispy they are, I don’t think you’ll go back to store-bought! 

To make crackers, you first need to make a dough. Making wheat thin dough isn’t unlike the process of making typical pastry or biscuit dough. First, you combine your dry ingredients, and then you cut in cold butter.

Then, it’s just a matter of rolling, cutting, and baking. You want to roll this dough very thin and then, using either a pizza cutter, a knife, or a cookie cutter, cut out squares and transfer them to a baking sheet. 

They’ll only take 6 to 8 minutes to bake! 

Why Do Wheat Thins Have Holes?

Store-bought wheat thins, and most crackers, have holes — but why? The holes, which are called “docking holes,” help ventilate the crackers. Air expands as the crackers bake, which causes air bubbles to form. Sometimes they burn since they are much thinner than the rest of the cracker, and sometimes they pop and leave big craters in your cracker. The same reason you will dock a pie crust! 

Since I do not have access to a factory that houses a docker machine, I use a toothpick to poke about 6 to 9 holes in each cracker to let the air escape.

You don’t want to overdo it on the holes, though. If you poke too many, too much steam will escape, and your crackers will end up dry and hard. 

Tools You Need To Make Homemade Wheat Thins

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Mixing bowls
• 2 Baking sheets
• Parchment paper

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Wheat Thins At Home

• A touch of all-purpose flour helps this dough roll out a bit thinner and taste more delicate.
• The thinner you can roll these crackers, the crispier they will be.
• Use a ruler and a pizza cutter to cut these crackers.
• You can use cutters to cut these crackers into any other shape that you wish!
• Try these spread with a touch of Savory Compound Butter or served on a charcuterie board.

Try More Homemade Crackers!

• 4-Ingredient Homemade Goldfish Crackers
• Homemade Olive Oil Matzah Cracker Recipe
• Homemade Graham Crackers

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Homemade Wheat Thins

My homemade Wheat Thins are crispy, slightly sweet, and perfectly salty. Not to mention, they're crazy easy to make!

Course Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes minutes

Servings 75 crackers

Author Gemma Stafford

Ingredients

• ¾ cup (3¾ oz/105 g) whole-wheat flour
• ½ cup (2½ oz/71 g) all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt, plus more as desired
• ¼ cup (2 oz/57 g) butter, cold and diced
• 4 - 5 tablespoons ice water

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine the whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt.
• Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until crumbly, then stir in the ice water and knead briefly until a dough is formed. Wrap in cling wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Divide the dough in half and, working with one half at a time, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface as thinly as possible. Cut into 1¼-inch (3-cm) squares and transfer to a prepared baking sheet. (They don’t really spread so there’s no need to space them too far apart.)
• With a toothpick, poke 6 to 9 holes in each cracker. Sprinkle with additional salt, if desired, then bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Repeat with the remaining dough. I like to bake only 1 sheet at a time.
• Let cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to 1 week.

The post Homemade Wheat Thins appeared first on Gemma’s Bigger Bolder Baking.

What Is Honeycomb Candy?

There are a few different variations of honeycomb candy, but they all end up very similar. Some call it Honeycomb toffee, sponge toffee, or even cinder toffee, but at the core, it’s a crunchy sugary toffee-type treat that’s perfect for any occasion! It has even become a hit with the new Netflix series Squid Game sending my Honeycomb TikTok video towards 1 millions views in less than a week.

What You Need For This Honeycomb Recipe

• Baking sheet & Parchment paper
• Pot
• Whisk
• Spatula
• Wire rack
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups

How Do You Make Homemade Honeycomb

This honeycomb candy recipe is not only easy, the end result is a tasty crunchy bar that will rival even the Cadbury Crunchie Bar. Here’s how you make it — as you can see, it’s very simple (and don’t forget to get the full recipe with measurements, down below): 

1. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Combine the sugar and golden syrup or honey into a pot and allow the sugar mixture to melt. Heat the pot on medium for three minutes.
3. Turn off heat. Whisk in bicarbonate of soda until foamy.
4. Pour the mixture onto the baking tray using a spatula.
5. Let it set and then break into pieces.
6. Melt the dark chocolate. Dip the broken honeycomb into the melted chocolate with a fork.
7. Cool the chocolate-coated honeycomb on a wire rack.

Can You Freeze Homemade Honeycomb?

You can definitely freeze this honeycomb candy. In fact, it’s a great way to keep it fresh and hard.

How Long Does Homemade Honeycomb Last?

Luckily, homemade honeycomb can last forever — just like honey. However, the honeycomb will keep for longer in dry environments, so if you live in a humid climate, make sure you freeze it to make sure it maintains its form. If dipped in chocolate, your crunchy bar should last a month’s time.

Get more Recipes!

• Snickers Candy Bar Fudge
• 2-Ingredient Homemade Ice Cream Recipe
• 3 Chocolate Fudge Recipes

And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking cookbook for more recipes!

Full (and printable) recipe below!

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Homemade Honeycomb and Cadbury Crunchie Bars Recipe

Make my Homemade Honeycomb recipe, the crunchy toffee caramel you can use to make Cadbury Crunchy Bars, or even add to my 2-Ingredient Homemade Ice Cream!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, English

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 minutes minutes

Total Time 13 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Gemma Stafford

Ingredients

• ½ cup (100g) sugar
• 4 tablespoons golden syrup or honey
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda (AKA bicarb of soda) NOT BAKING POWDER

Instructions

• First, prepare your tray. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, or grease a marble surface with flavorless oil (like I did in the video)

Read these instructions completely before cooking your caramel:

• Place the pot on the heat with the sugar and golden syrup(or honey) and let the mixture first melt, then turn to goo. Turn up the heat to medium and let it simmer until the color of maple syrup — THIS TAKES 3 MINUTES, SET A TIMER!!! Take care not to overcook.
• Turn off the heat, and get prepared with your whisk and spatula because the next step happens really fast. Whisk in the bicarbonate of soda fast and stand back and watch the syrup turn into a thick foam. Quickly stop whisking and use your spatula to pour this immediately onto a piece of baking parchment, greased surface, or a Silpat sheet.
• Leave until set cold and then break it up into shards, it will look like aerated set honey. To wash your pot fill it with hot water and let it sit and it will melt away.
• To make a Crunchie Bar: Melt good quality chocolate (I used chocolate with 72% cocoa solids). Dip your broken honeycomb in the chocolate using a fork. Take out and let excess chocolate drip off. Place on a wire rack to set.

Tip: If you live in a humid climate, the honeycomb might get sticky and melt slightly. It likes dry air. If this happens, store them in the freezer and they will come out great!

• Note: This is a recipe used widely around the world for many years and with many names such a Cinder Toffee in Wales, Hokey Pokey in the UK, Sea Foam, Fairy Candy, Molasses Puffs, and no doubt other names I am not familiar with.

Video

Notes

Baking powder can not be substituted for Baking soda

Take care when using honey as it burns fast then golden syrup

The post Homemade Honeycomb Candy & Cadbury Crunchie Bars appeared first on Gemma’s Bigger Bolder Baking.

My strawberry shortcake recipe combines an incredible sour cream-based sweet biscuit, filled with macerated sliced strawberries flavored with real vanilla, and of course, it’s all topped off with a generous dollop of rich whipped cream. This combination of flavors and textures is a one-way ticket to fruity dessert heaven! Let’s go!

What Is Shortcake?

Strawberry shortcake is not just a vanilla cake with whipped cream and berries, it’s a delicate combination of a homemade sweet biscuit, freshly sliced fruit swimming in its own juicy syrup, and homemade whipped cream. While the flavor of a strawberry shortcake has been interpreted and replicated into so many different kinds of desserts, this one is the real deal. There is something so special about all the parts of this dessert. Starting with my shortcake recipe which is made in one bowl and by hand.

The Difference Between A Biscuit And Shortcake

There is something so special about all the parts of this dessert, starting with my shortcake recipe, which gives you all the secrets to making a perfect pillow of layered dough.

Shortcake itself is sweeter than a biscuit, and even more rich and moist than a scone thanks to grated frozen butter and creamy sour cream. Once the shortcake is baked, the outside has a sweet crust and the inside is tender and chewy. This is the perfect base for fresh whipped cream and sweet berries.

About Macerating Fruit

Macerating fruit sounds fancy and complicated, but it’s really just a process of adding sugar and sometimes extra flavor to fresh fruit to draw out their natural juices and create a syrup or sauce.

To make the macerated strawberries in my strawberry shortcake recipe, I simply slice strawberries into thin slices and sprinkle over a bit of sugar. I mix the sugar through and add in the seeds from a fresh vanilla pod. After all this sits together and macerates (similar to marinates) what you’re left with is soft berries and a lovely pink vanilla scented juice.

When spooned over the freshly baked shortcakes and covered in cream, the berries and sauce give this dessert its signature strawberry shortcake flavor.

What You Need To Make Strawberry Shortcake

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Mixing bowls
• Electric mix (or jar!) for whipping your cream
• Baking sheets

How To Make Strawberry Shortcake

Believe me when I say this is an easy strawberry shortcake recipe — it’s simple, to the point, and no fuss at all. Here’s how you do it (and don’t forget to get all the measurements in the printable recipe down below):

• Combine strawberries, sugar, and vanilla bean (or extract). Stir well and let stand 2 hours — this is called macerating, drawing out the natural juices of the fruit. Honestly, it’s what makes everything so lovely!
• Beat whipping cream at medium speed with an electric mixer until it reaches soft peaks. Be sure not to over-whip. Cover and chill.
• Whisk together eggs, sour cream, and vanilla until blended.
• Combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Using the large side of a grater, grate the frozen butter directly into the dry ingredients. Frozen butter is an essential part of making the best shortcake. Stir to coat in the flour mix. Frozen, grated butter gives a lovely soft, fluffy texture to your shortcake.
• Add wet ingredients to dry, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened and form a ball.
• On a floured surface gently press down your dough to 1 inch thick. With a round cutter (I used 4″ wide, but you can use smaller) cut out your shortcakes.
• Glaze the tops of the scones with milk. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 18-20 minutes or until golden.
• Split shortcakes in half horizontally. Spoon about 1/2 cup berry mix and juice onto each shortcake bottom; top each with a rounded spoonful of chilled whipped cream, and cover with tops. Dust the shortcake with icing sugar to decorate.

Using Other Berries Or Fruit With Shortcake

While classic strawberry shortcake obviously features sliced strawberries, you can absolutely add other seasonal berries and fruit to your liking. To do this, just be sure to add them in at the same time as macerating the strawberries. This will ensure they develop the same flavor and give off their lovely juice which will add to the sweet sauce.

More Strawberry Recipes

• No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake
• Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
• Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook!

Full (and printable) recipe below!

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Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

My strawberry shortcake recipe combines an incredible sweet biscuit, sliced strawberries flavored with real vanilla, and topped off with rich whipped cream.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 436kcal

Author Gemma Stafford

Ingredients

For the Strawberries:

• 2 cups (16oz/450g) fresh strawberries (quartered)
• 1/2 cup (4oz/115g) sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups (16floz/450ml) heavy whipping cream (whipped)

For the Shortcakes:

• 2 large eggs (lightly beaten)
• 1 cup (8oz/225g) sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups (13oz/380g) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (2oz/57g) sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 cup (6oz/170g) butter (frozen)

Instructions

• Combine strawberries, sugar, and vanilla bean (or extract). Stir well and let stand 2 hours.
• Beat whipping cream at medium speed with an electric mixer until it reaches soft peaks. Cover and chill.
• Whisk together eggs, sour cream, and vanilla until blended.
• Combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Using the large side of a grater, grate the frozen butter directly into the dry ingredients. Stir to coat in the flour mix. Frozen, grated butter gives a lovely soft, fluffy texture to your shortcake.
• Add wet ingredients to dry, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened and form a ball.
• On a floured surface gently press down your dough to 1 inch thick. With a round cutter (I used 4" wide, but you can use smaller) cut out your shortcakes.
• Glaze the tops of the scones with milk. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 18-20 minutes or until golden.
• Split shortcakes in half horizontally. Spoon about 1/2 cup berry mix and juice onto each shortcake bottom; top each with a rounded spoonful of chilled whipped cream, and cover with tops. Dust the shortcake with icing sugar to decorate.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 436kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 137mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 150g | Vitamin A: 500IU | Vitamin C: 2.5mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 0.2mg

The post Strawberry Shortcake Recipe appeared first on Gemma’s Bigger Bolder Baking.

In fact, when I originally shared the video of this recipe, I was back home in Ireland for the holidays, cooking this apple crumble with my mum. You really can’t beat simple Irish cooking with really good ingredients. 

I love crumbles, especially this Irish Apple Crumble, because they’re great to scoop into a bowl and enjoy during colder weather, and they’re all super easy to make. Try other fruits, like strawberry and rhubarb during the summer, or another one of my all-time favorites, pear and chocolate crisp.

This recipe is also now a part of my Bold Baking Worldwide series! Try some of my other latest recipes from around the world: Gooey Butter Cake, Sourdough English Muffins, English Sticky Toffee Pudding.

What Is Irish Apple Crumble?

This Irish Apple Crumble is the very same recipe that my mom made us when we were kids. It is made with very tart, bitter apples that get sprinkled with sugar and covered with a crumble mixture. The apples bake down into a warm, delicious, sweet mixture, and the crumble bakes to be crispy. It’s a humble dessert, but the flavor and texture combination can’t be beaten. 

What You Need To Make Irish Apple Crumble

• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• 8 x 8-inch ovenproof dish
• Mixing bowls

How To Make Irish Apple Crumble

This recipe comes together in no time and bakes in less than an hour. During that hour, your whole house becomes filled with the most delicious scent of baking apples. Here is how you make a tried and true Irish Apple Crumble (and don’t forget to get the full recipe with measurements, on the page down below)::

1. Peel, core, and chop your apples into small chunks and put them into an 8×8-inch ovenproof dish. To stop the apples from brown, squeeze fresh lemon juice on top. (It’s okay if they brown, it won’t affect the taste at all.) Sprinkle the sugar over the apples. 
2. Make the crumble topping by putting the flour and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add in the cold butter and use your hands (or a pastry blender) to rub the butter until the mixture looks like large breadcrumbs. You want both big and small pieces of butter to remain. Pour the crumble on top of the apples.
3. Bake the crumble at 350°F (180°C) for 35-45 minutes, or until it is nicely browned on top and the apples are bubbling.

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Irish Apple Crumble

• Use crisp, fresh apples. Otherwise, the apples become too mushy when baked. The best apples to use are tart ones, like Granny Smith, to balance out the sweetness of the sugar. 
• Taste your ingredients! Take a taste of the apples you plan on using and adjust how much sugar you think the recipe needs. Don’t be afraid to change the amount!
• Good, quality ingredients really let this dessert shine. I would highly recommend buying good quality butter. Kerrygold is a wonderfully delicious Irish butter that you can find in some US stores. 

How Do I Store Irish Apple Crumble?

Crumbles are best the day they are made because the crumble won’t have the time to get mushy from the baked apples. However, any leftover Irish Apple Crumble can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Make More Dessert!

• Homemade Blueberry Crisp
• Skillet Cherry Crisp
• Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook!

Full (and printable) recipe below!

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My Mum's Authentic Irish Apple Crumble Recipe

My Mum's Apple Crumble recipe is such a lovely dessert and it was a staple at home growing up in Ireland. My mum and I will show you our favorite recipe!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Irish

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Author Patricia Stafford

Ingredients

• 4 medium cooking apples (Bramley or granny smith)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ cup (4oz/115g) granulated sugar/ caster sugar (divided, half for apples the other half for crumble topping)
• ¾ cup (6oz/170g) all-purpose/plain flour
• ½ cup (3oz/85g) butter (cold and cubed)

Instructions

• Peel, core, and chop the apples into 1-2cm chunks.
• Put the apples into an 8 x 8-inch ovenproof dish. Toss in some lemon juice to stop it from going brown. Sprinkle over half of the sugar.
• Place the flour and half sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the cold butter and use your hands (or a pastry blender) to rub in the butter until the mixture resembles large breadcrumbs. Pour this evenly on top of the apples. (The crumble topping can be made a day in advance and it can also be frozen.)
• Bake the crumble at 350°F (180°C) for 35-45 minutes or until nicely browned on top and the apples are bubbling. Enjoy hot with whipped cream or vanilla ice-cream. Enjoy!

Video

The post My Mum’s Authentic Irish Apple Crumble appeared first on Gemma’s Bigger Bolder Baking.

My Microwave Sweet Potato Chips are unbelievable! This snack is both impressive and delicious. Your friends and family will not believe that you made these crispy chips at home and they will never know that you made them in minutes in the microwave! They are so crisp and crunchy and actually super healthy as they are made of just sweet potato and a touch of olive oil and salt.

I love the idea that any old day I could make homemade potato chips to go along with all kinds of dips and sandwiches. And of course, they are incredible to eat on their own. Depending on your taste feel free to toss these in whatever seasonings you like from garlic powder to cumin to just plain, these chips are addicting!

Do you want more Microwave Snack recipes? Check out my Microwave Sweet and Salty Nuts and my Microwave Kale Chips.

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Microwave Sweet Potato Chips

Enjoy Microwave Snacks in minutes with my Microwave Sweet Potato Chips recipe that will give you crispy, delicious and healthy snacks!

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 minutes minutes

Total Time 13 minutes minutes

Servings 5 -6 servings

Calories 48kcal

Author Gemma Stafford

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato , rinsed and peeled
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Line a large microwave safe plate with parchment paper.
• Wash and dry your sweet potato then peel with a vegetable peeler.
• Using a sharp serrated knife cut the sweet potato into 1/8 of an inch thick rounds.
• Put your slices of sweet potato in a large bowl then add the oil and salt then toss to coat.
• Place sweet potatoes in a single layer on your plate. Microwave on medium power for 1 1/2 minutes then turn over and microwave for another 1 1/2 minutes. (if you have a particularly strong microwave cook at 45 second increments)
• If your chips are not crisp after the 3 minutes continue to microwave in 30 second increments until done.
• Repeat this step until all the chips are cooked. They should be dry and crispy when finished. Enjoy immediately or store in an air tight container for up to 2 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 48kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Fat: 2g | Sodium: 48mg | Potassium: 94mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 3690IU | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.2mg

The post Microwave Sweet Potato Chips (Microwave Snacks) appeared first on Gemma’s Bigger Bolder Baking.