HOMEMADE BOUNTY BARS

I was never mad about coconut, not to mind  bounty bars, those things disgusted me. Over the past few months though, coconut has taken over. I've gone from hating the taste and texture to craving it in all forms. So when I spotted this recipe over here, I knew I had to give it a go, and they did not disappoint. These beauties have shot up to my number one favourite healthy, guilt-free treat. Next up on the list? Coconut coffee. Oh yeah.

HOMEMADE ICED COFFEE

During those long, hot Irish summer days there's nothing you want more than an ice cold drink... I kid, but I like to pretend we get a summer.  Come June I'm switching to this cooler, more refreshing version of my morning cup of joe, even if it is more than likely raining outside. If you're really dedicated, make some coffee ice cubes with your left over coffee to keep the strength. But if you're anything like me, the glass will be empty before the ice even has a chance to melt. Fill three quarters of the glass up with ice and your favourite milk and pour in your shot of coffee. Pop in a straw and shlurp away.

HOMEMADE VANILLA BEAN ICE CREAM

When it comes to ice cream, I like my intense flavours. That being said, for my first venture into making it myself, I decided to stick to something simple and classic. You can't go wrong with a decent vanilla ice cream, but when made with real vanilla beans and only a handful of other ingredients, the flavour far exceeds anything you can buy in a tub. Dollop on top of warm chocolate cookies, pancakes or eat by the spoonful straight out of the jar. I halved the recipe I found here, and loved the tips on how to reuse your vanilla pods.

INGREDIENTS

makes approx. 500ml

125ml (1/2cup) whole milk

75g sugar

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

250ml (1 cup) heavy cream*

3 egg yolks

1 tsp pur vanilla extract

*I used double cream, but in future will use regular cream so it won't be as heavy.

METHOD

1. Heat the milk, salt, and sugar in a saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the milk with a paring knife, then add the bean pod to the milk. Cover, remove from heat, and infuse for one hour.

2. To make the ice cream, set up an ice bath by placing a 1L bowl in a larger bowl partially filled with ice and water. Set a strainer over the top of the smaller bowl and pour the cream into the bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, stir together the egg yolks. Rewarm the milk then gradually pour some of the milk into the yolks, whisking constantly as you pour. Scrape the warmed yolks and milk back into the saucepan.

4. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a heat-resistant spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the spatula.

5. Strain the custard into the heavy cream. Stir over the ice until cool, add the vanilla extract, then refrigerate to chill thoroughly. Preferably overnight.

6. Remove the vanilla bean and freeze the custard in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Note: Used vanilla beans can be rinsed and dried, then stored in a bin of sugar. That sugar can be used for baking and, of course, for future ice cream making.

BLUEBERRY JAM

I remember so clearly the summers I spent in West Cork while growing up, and my very favourite thing to do there was go wild blackberry picking. Countless jars of blackberry jam were made by my Mum and ever since, the taste of homemade jam brings those memories of warm, care free summer days rushing back. I'm not sure if I'll manage to get to West Cork this summer, so I decided to change up the tradition slightly with some fresh blueberries from the farmer's market. This being the first time I've made jam myself, I was slightly nervous, but Rachel Allen's method made the process simple and quick. Even better, are the delightful labels I found over at my new favourite blog, Eat Drink Chic. This turned out to be the best jam I've ever tasted and will definitely be making it again soon!

Blueberry Jam
Makes 2 small jars of jam

375g (15oz) blueberries
30ml water
300g (11oz) sugar
3 6 tbsp lemon juice*

Place a saucer in the fridge for testing the jam later. To sterilize the jars, put them through a dishwasher cycle, boil in a pan of water for 5 minutes or place in a preheated oven (150C/300F), for 10 minutes.

Place the blueberries and water in a medium-sized pot on a medium heat. Bring to the boil and mash the blueberries with a potato masher. Add the sugar and lemon juice and stir over a high heat for 5 minutes.

Test by placing a small blob on the chilled saucer, leave for 20 seconds and run your finger through the blob. If a skin has formed, the jam is set. Carefully remove the jars from the dishwasher, pan or oven. Pour the jam into the jars immediately, while the jars are still hot, and cover with a lid or jam pot cover.

*The recipe called for 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, but I found it to be too sweet and needing more. In my opinion, 6 was just right.