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Hi Bold Bakers!
For obvious reasons, Saint Patrick’s Day is near and dear to my heart. Not only do I have fond memories of going to the parade in Ireland but also of the traditional food we would have around this time. Today, I’m excited to share my Best Irish Recipes!
Baking In Ireland
Ireland is known for the amazing produce we have available to us. Although the rain can seem like a curse at times, it is a blessing for animals to graze on such lush green grass. This, in turn, makes the animals very happy, and happy animals mean delicious butter, cheese, and meat.
I consider myself lucky to have grown up in Ireland. I am an eighties baby so luckily when I was young there were no iPads and iPhones to be glued to. With 4 other siblings, we spent our days outside in fields, making huts, horse riding, and so on. They were pretty innocent times that we were fortunate to have.
Being from a large family also meant my mum cooked a lot. She is an amazing cook. My dad wasn’t one for leftovers so my mum would make new dinners every single night. She never did things by halves either. The same care and attention are still put into every meal today as she did back then.
As a young child, I followed my mum around the kitchen watching while she baked. Some of my earliest memories are actually food memories. She always had us help out in the kitchen. We did jobs that little hands were good at like standing at the mixer as egg whites whipped for pavlova, slowly adding in spoonful after spoonful of sugar as instructed. She had us down on the kitchen floor with a rolling pin and digestive biscuits in a bag bashing them until you got crumbs. Food is a big part of my culture and I use the same traditions and techniques I have carried with me to this day.
My Best Irish Recipes
1. Best-Ever Irish Scones
Let’s face it, anything served with butter, jam, and cream is going to be delicious. Enjoy my Best-Ever Scones recipe!
2. Irish Soda Bread (and White Version)
A whole-wheat bread that will be eaten just as fast as it was to whip up. Make my Irish Soda Bread today — and try my White Soda Bread version while you’re at it.
3. Perfected Millionaire’s Shortbread
A dessert my Mum used to make when I was a kid, with layers of shortbread, caramel, and delicious milk chocolate. My Millionaire’s Shortbread, also known as Caramel Squares, has been perfected!
4. My Mum’s Irish Apple Cake
Another one of my Mum’s recipes that uses apples better than almost any other dessert! This one is also a fan favorite — make My Mum’s Irish Apple Cake!
5. Waterford Blaas
Technically you can’t get a Waterford Blaas roll outside of Waterford in Ireland, but my mum’s rolls recipe is as close as you’ll ever get without visiting!
6. Irish Flapjacks
Homemade Oatmeal Bars that will transport you back to your childhood, if you grew up in Ireland.
7. Irish Bread and Butter Pudding
Serious comfort food, this dessert is perfect for a cold Winter’s night. Try my Traditional Irish Bread & Butter Pudding.
8. Barmbrack
Classically made closer to Halloween, this fruitcake-like recipe is filled with gorgeous flavors that can really be made all year round. Make my Traditional Irish Barmbrack.
9. Banoffee Pie
If you love bananas and caramel, you have to try this Banoffee Pie that I grew up with.
10. 5-Minute Irish Brown Bread
It takes no time at all to make this quick and rustic Irish Brown Bread!
11. Irish Shortbread
A recipe straight from my Bigger Bolder Baking cookbook, which you can buy for over 100+ more desserts!
12. Irish Apple Crumble
Another wonderful recipe I’ve made with my Mum for years, my Irish Apple Crumble!
13. Bailey’s Chocolate Pudding
Enjoy my Bailey’s Chocolate Pudding recipe, a rich chocolatey dessert with a touch of Irish for Saint Patrick’s Day or any time of year.
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About Us
Meet Gemma
About Us
Meet Gemma
Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, best-selling cookbook author, and the creator of Bigger Bolder Baking and the Bold Baking Network. I want to help you bake with confidence anytime, anywhere with my trusted and tested recipes and baking tips. You may have seen one of my 1000+ videos on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok or as a guest judge on Nailed It! on Netflix or the Best Baker in America on Food Network. No matter your skills, my Bold Baking Team & I want to be your #1 authority for everything baking.
Gemma you look so similar to your mom.
Hi Gemma,
Thanks for having all your Irish recipes in one place .. I have tried 3 of these and they were perfect : your mum’s Apple cake the Irish soda bread and the banoffe pie. I’m looking forward to see your video today.
Ps. Send my greetings to Kevin, baby George ,waffles and the bbb team . Have a great day !!
Sofia
We had an Irish restaurant in town for a few years and they made these rolls made with potato water. They were tasty. Do you have anything like this in your repertoire? Thanks so much. We, I for one, feel like part of your family. Love everything you do. Marilyn O’Daugherty (but hubbie’s fam dropped the O long time ago). I like it.
Gemma, do you ever make pasties? Our local pub has one with ham, mushroom, chicken and bechamel that I just love. I would really like to know how to make them if that is one of your dishes.
Thanks!
Love your recipes!
Oh Gemma there is such a lot to choose from, but i will have a go. Thank you for all those recipes. Youre an amazing baker. ❤️
Good Morning Gemma! I will be visiting Dublin I am so glad you have shared so many Irish recipes as I am looking so forward to trying the many goodies and of course the sites! Thank you for all that you do and share and I have made several of your recipes. All have been tremendously enjoyed!!
Gemma have you got a recipe for Irish treacle bread please, it’s my husbands favourite but I can’t find a recipe xx
Hi Gemma. I want to try some of these. My wife is Northern Irish from Belfast so the food she grew up with might be little different from what you did xxxx
Looks nice!