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Valrhona Jivara Chocolate & Salted Caramel Sponge

Afternoon Tea Week is here and we’re letting you in on one of our sweetest secrets, the Valrhona Jivara Chocolate & Salted Caramel Sponge! Crafted in-house by our pastry chefs and a guest favourite from our new Afternoon Tea menu, this chcoclate sponge heaven treat is best enjoyed with a freshing brewed cup of tea, or for an extra celebration, a glass of champagne! 

Yield: 25 individual cakes (25g each)

Components:

• Chocolate Sponge Cake Batter

• Salty Caramel Topping

• Jivara Chocolate Glaze

• Caramel Crisp Garnish

Chocolate Sponge Cake Batter

Ingredients:

• Unsalted Butter – 195g

• Fine Sea Salt – 5g

• Caster Sugar – 118g

• Vanilla Essence – 8g

• Egg Yolks – 78g

• Light Brown Sugar – 48g

• Plain Flour – 156g

• Cocoa Powder – 39g

• Baking Powder – 2g

French Meringue:

• Egg Whites – 118g

• Caster Sugar – 30g

Method:

1. Cream butter, caster sugar, salt, and vanilla until pale and smooth.

2. Whip yolks with light brown sugar until ribbon stage (approx. 45°C), then fold into the creamed butter.

3. Sift and fold in dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking powder).

4. Prepare meringue: whip whites and gradually add caster sugar until stiff peaks form.

5. Fold meringue into batter in three stages, keeping the mixture airy and smooth. Reserve for assembly.

Salted Caramel Topping

Ingredients:

• Caster Sugar – 150g

• Water – 38g

• Liquid Glucose – 10g

• Warm Cream – 70g

• Vanilla Bean – ¼ pod, split & scraped

• Unsalted Butter – 105g

• Fine Sea Salt – 0.5g

Method:

1. Combine sugar, water, and glucose in a saucepan. Cook to a dark amber caramel (approx. 180°C).

2. Deglaze with warm cream infused with vanilla bean, stirring carefully.

3. Remove from heat, stir in butter and salt until smooth.

4. Emulsify with a hand blender until glossy and homogeneous.

5. Chill until thick enough to pipe but still soft.
   
   

Assemble & Bake

1. Preheat oven to 160°C.

2. Pipe 25g of chocolate batter into mini moulds.

3. Bake for 12–15 minutes or until the cakes spring back lightly.

4. Cool cakes completely on a wire rack.

Finishing Touches

1. Using a piping bag with a fine round or flat nozzle, pipe long, delicate strips of the Salty Caramel Topping across each mini cake.

2. Optionally, dip the sides or top in Jivara chocolate glaze and garnish with caramel crisp pearls.

3. Allow to set at room temperature before serving.

Portavogie Prawn & Chilli Pasta

Serves 2

• 150g peeled Portavogie prawn meat
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 red chilli, de-seeded & finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• 2 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley
• 200g linguini

1) Heat the olive oil in the pan and fry the garlic and chilli over low heat for 2 minutes. Turn up the heat (be careful not to burn the garlic) add the prawns and cook for 2 minutes, until the prawns are pink.

2) Cook the Linguini in a large pan of boiling salted water until al dente. Using tongs, remove the pasta from the boiling water and add it to the frying pan with the prawns, along with 3 tbsp of the cooking water. Toss together and cook over a low heat for about 2 minutes.

3) Place the pasta between the serving bowls. Top with Parmesan and chopped parsley.

Marinated Heritage Tomato Salad, Ewings Smoked Salmon, Torn Sourdough, Fennel, Mint Pesto

Serves 2

• 100g smoked salmon
• 200g mixed ripe heritage tomatoes, sliced into even sizes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 1 bulb fennel, finley sliced
• 100g sourdough, torn and lightly toasted
• 80g fresh mint
• 50g toasted pinenuts (keep 1 teaspoon back for garnish)
• 1 garlic clove
• 125ml olive oil
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Edible herbs and flowers

1) Place the tomato pieces into a bowl and coat with the oilive oil, sherry vinegar and season with sea salt, black pepper and half a teaspoon of caster sugar. Allow to marinade at room temperature for one hour before eating.

2) To make the pesto, place all ingredients into a food blender and blitz until smooth. This can be placed into a refrigerator in a sealed container until needed.

3) Slice the smoked salmon into ribbons and finely slice the fennel on a mandolin.

4) To serve put a spoonful of pesto in a bowl and toss the shaved fennel in pesto, layer up all the ingredients, and finish with the remaining toasted pine nuts, herbs and flowers.

Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort has officially opened its doors to the Resort's newly refurbished and refreshed entertainment offering, McKendry's Lounge/Bar.

Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort has officially opened its doors to the Resort's newly refurbished entertainment offering, McKendry's Lounge Bar.

Formerly known as Gillies Bar & Grill, McKendry's is now a whiskey lover's haven, boasting an encyclopedic whiskey collection of over 300 blends from 21 countries, including a coveted limited-edition bottle of the most expensive Irish whiskey ever produced, "The Chosen".

The new whiskey lounge/bar reflects the warm ambience and atmosphere of an eclectic Irish pub and draws on its local heritage, harking back to the much-loved McKendry's bar of a bygone era, which served the local community from its premises in Broughshane Street, Ballymena before closing its doors.

Welcoming Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort's newest hospitality investment, Colin Johnston, Galgorm Collection Managing Director, said;

"We are delighted to welcome guests to our brand new lounge bar, McKendry's and showcase our extensive whiskey collection which we are proud to say is one of the most comprehensive in the island of Ireland.

The launch of McKendry's represents the latest investment by Galgorm into its Resort offering and reflects our ambition to continually innovate and push boundaries to affirm our position as a world-leading spa and golf resort. We look forward to welcoming guests, locals and visitors alike to experience the warm hospitality of McKendry's."

Offering guests the warm welcome synonymous with Galgorm, the new name perfectly connects the Resort with its strong local heritage. Much of the décor consists of historical items from the original McKendry's bar and provides guests with an authentic Irish bar experience.

As well as boasting some rare whiskeys and stocking the finest mixers, Galgorm has devised a new signature whiskey cocktail list to compliment its existing range of premium cocktails, wines, beers and spirits.

For a truly authentic taste, guests can also sample the Resort's first premium own-label "Galgorm Estate Gin", developed in partnership with Northern Ireland's newest artisan gin producer, Copeland Distillery, and drink in the fantastic new line up of live entertainment.

McKendry's Lounge/Bar is open 12:00pm - 01:00am Sunday to Friday and 12:00pm - late on Saturdays, with live entertainment every evening, including traditional Irish music every Tuesday and Thursday night.

Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort have launched its first premium own-label gin, developed in partnership with Northern Ireland's newest artisan gin producer, Copeland Distillery

Galgorm Spa and Golf Resort today launched its first premium own-label gin, developed in partnership with Northern Ireland’s newest artisan gin producer, Copeland Distillery.

Using botanicals harvested from Galgorm Estate for an authentic local taste, Galgorm Estate Gin is the resort’s first house spirit.

It’s also the latest addition to its extensive gin menu, widely regarded as one of the most exclusive menus across the island of Ireland.

Launching from Friday 29 November, Galgorm Estate Gin is available within the Resort and across the Galgorm Collection Portfolio, including 

Templeton Hotel

Fratelli

Café Parisien

Commenting on the partnership, Colin Johnston, Galgorm Collection Managing Director, said;

“A fresh and innovative new gin producer, Copeland Distillery was a natural partner to help us create a premium drink which perfectly embodies the taste of Galgorm and complements the decadent gin experiences on offer at the Resort. We’re excited to roll this out to all of our properties across the collection and bring a piece of our heritage to gin lovers across Northern Ireland.”

To celebrate, Galgorm has also launched an exciting cocktail menu for gin-lovers based on the new gin’s botanical flavours. Created by expert mixologists, each cocktail has been crafted to showcase the unique flavours of the gin and features a mix of exciting new concoctions along with a twist on the classics.

“Our dedicated Gin Library is home to over 450 different types of gins, making Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort a mecca for gin lovers. Whilst we celebrate the diversity of our gin offering, which includes labels from all over the globe, we wanted to create something truly special and capture the unique taste of Galgorm by using our own, home-grown botanicals to create this exclusive gin”, added Colin.

Copeland Distillery was established in 2016 and in this time has grown its production capacity and product range to include a range of Irish Gin, Single Malt and Pot Still Whiskey for local consumers and global export. The new collaboration represents a significant partnership for the distillery as it continues to push boundaries and produce innovative, quality spirits representing the ‘spirit’ of Northern Ireland.

Gareth Irvine, Founder of Copeland Distillery, said; “We are delighted to be working alongside Galgorm on this exciting partnership. Galgorm is an iconic brand here in Northern Ireland and we’re honoured to pair our coastal distillery from the shoreline of Donaghadee with the beautiful countryside of County Antrim to create this unique Galgorm Estate Gin.” 

A hidden treasure trove of the Resort, the Gin library houses Ireland’s largest Gin collection.

A hidden treasure trove of the Resort, the Gin library houses Ireland’s largest Gin collection. As an intimate and luxurious setting to embark on a journey of discovering our favourite spirit, the Galgorm Gin Tasting Experience - available Thursday - Sunday - is ideal for Resort residents and is the best pre-dinner activity to work up an appetite.

Be welcomed with a French 75, the crisp and fresh cocktail that became prominent during the prohibition era of 1920’s America, which acts the perfect invigorating palate cleanser. Because what’s a better mixer for alcohol than more alcohol?

Whilst sipping over your arrival cocktail, queue our encyclopaedic Gin Expert to impart their pearls of gin wisdom on the group.

Introducing the spirit from its infancy, embark on the fascinating journey right from the origins of the key ingredient juniper to the distillation then onto the manufacturing and production.

Explore two hand-picked gins; the first being Galgorm's own Estate Gin, followed by a suprise international selection . Become familiar with how the spirit is made, the perfect accompanying premium tonic and the best botanicals to complement the flavours.

Move through how the two different gins that have grown to life in their respective distilleries to household names within our plethora of 500+ gins.

So with pre-dinner drinks sorted, now it's time indulge in one of our onsite Restaurants!

Pancakes (Serves 4) 

What you will need:

- 135g self-raising flour

- 1 large egg

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 2 tablespoons caster sugar

- 130ml milk

- 2 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil, plus extra for cooking

- 1 teaspoon baking powder

Method

1. Whisk milk and egg together then whisk in the melted butter

2. Sift flour, salt, caster sugar and baking powder into a bowl

3. Add the milk and egg to the flour mixture and beat using a fork until smooth. Let the batter stand for a few minutes

4. Heat a non-stick pan or griddle with a knob of butter or oil.

5. When this is at medium heat, ladle ¼ cupful onto the pan

6 Wait bubble (around 2/3 minutes) then flip the pancake

7. Cook until both sides are golden

Toppings Suggestions 

• Crushed Hazelnut and Banana
• Blueberries and Strawberries
• Bacon and Maple Syrup
• Lemon and Sugar   

French Toast (Serves 4)

What you will need:

- 50 g Butter

- 25g Sugar

- 50ml Milk

- 8 slices Sourdough bread (approx ¾ inch thick)

- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder

- Pinch of nutmeg

Method 

1) Mix together eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.

2) Heat butter in a non-stick pan on a medium heat.

3) Dip bread in egg mixture.

4) Fry until golden brown on one side then flip to cook the other side.

5) Serve warm with topping of your choice.

Topping Suggestions

- Mixed berries (raspberries, blueberries and blackberries) and crème fraiche

- Maple syrup and chopped pecan nuts

- Strawberries and whipped cream

- Sliced banana and chopped hazelnut

- Roasted peaches and vanilla ice cream

- Mini marshmallows and hot chocolate sauce

With less than three weeks to go, it’s time to consider what treats you’re going to lay out for Santa Claus to keep him fueled for the busiest night of the year! Reports suggest that cookies are his weakness and to make your job easier, we have pulled together the perfect cookie recipe guaranteed to satisfy his sweet tooth

With less than three weeks to go, it’s time to consider what treats you’re going to lay out for Santa Claus to keep him fuelled for the busiest night of the year! Reports suggest that cookies are his weakness and to make your job easier, we have pulled together the perfect cookie recipe guaranteed to satisfy his sweet tooth. 

Ingredients

• 150g salted butter, softened
• 225g plain flour
• 80g light brown muscovado sugar
• 80g granulated sugar
• 2tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• half tsp bicarbonate of soda
• quarter tsp salt
• 200g plain chocolate chips
• Jar of Nutella/chocolate hazelnut spread
• Method

Method

1. Place butter, and sugars into a mixing bowl and beat until light and creamy.
2. Add the vanilla extract and egg and beat until combined
3. Sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into the mixture and combine with a wooden spoon. Stir in your chocolate chips
4. Take a small amount of the cookie dough in your hands and flatten. Add half a teaspoon of Nutella to the center of the cookie dough
5. Take another small amount of the cookie dough, flatten and place on top of the cookie dough and Nutella mixture.
6. Seal the edge and roll into a ball
7. Place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and bake at 170oC for 8-10minutes

*Recipe adapted from a BBC Good Food recipe 

Ahead of our upcoming Afternoon with Gemma’s Cakes & Sally’s Floral Studio, we have caught up with the lady behind the cakes, Gemma herself, to ask her some of your burning questions...

At Galgorm we have secured some of the best in the business to assist in bringing your dream wedding day to life! Think of it as our little black book of suppliers, or The People We Trust as we affectionately refer to them as. 

Ahead of our upcoming Afternoon with Gemma’s Cakes & Sally’s Floral Studio, we have caught up with the lady behind the cakes, Gemma herself, to ask her some of your burning questions. So sit back, relax (and grab some cake) as we get down to the tricky business of sponge, tiers and flavours! 

Introducing Gemma…

Hi readers! I’m very excited to be sitting down to write my first blog post for Galgorm. 2016 has been a fantastic year for Gemma’s Cakes and 2017 is shaping up to be an exciting time too with lots of exciting new things ahead. To get started, I would like to congratulate all you engaged couples and provide you with some tips and insight on getting your wedding cake organised for your special day! With my background as a Galgorm Wedding Planner, I have a wealth of experience in the industry and have a strong affinity with the Resort so you can rest assured you’re in safe hands when it comes to the tastiest element of wedding planning. 

Timing Is Everything

Now onto my advice; I know a lot of websites and magazine articles out there suggest that you book your cake at least 6 months before your wedding, however, my view is that once you have your date booked and your venue confirmed, you should go ahead and secure your date with your chosen baker. We have couples booking our services up to 2 years ahead! This is especially vital if you are having your wedding in June, July, August, September or around a holiday period e.g between Christmas and New Year, Easter, or Halloween. Availability at these times book up fast so you need to be on the ball. 

The Need To Know

Firstly, book in for a consultation with the supplier so you can get to know them and taste their cake. We hold free one to one tastings regularly and there is no obligation to book. Once you have designed your cake with your supplier, get a quotation and be clear on what you are getting for your money, for example, will they deliver to the hotel on the day? How many servings of cake will you get? Should you change your mind about design this can be reworked and a new price calculated up to a few weeks before the wedding if necessary. After all, we aim to make the process as easy, stress free and enjoyable for our couples as possible.

If you don't have time for an appointment or if you live/work abroad get to know your baker via email or over the phone and check out their reviews on Facebook, Google+ and third party websites from previous couples. 

Key Trends

With regards to what's trending in 2017, I would say expect to see more fabulous buttercream cakes finished with fresh flowers, effortlessly chic and elegant.  Rustic Naked and Semi-Naked designs, Marble cakes, gold sequins and laser cut toppers will also be very popular and of course we all still love our lace & sugar flowers.  Another trend that's definitely in the mix is Art Deco/Gatsby so expect to see a few geometric designs too! 

Where To Find Gemma

Telephone -

07866808973

Email - gemma@gemmas-cakes.co.uk 

Facebook -

Gemma's Cakes 

Or alternatively, why not join us for "An Afternoon with Gemma's Cakes & Sally's Floral Studio" at Galgorm Resort & Spa on Sunday 26th February 2017 from 2pm-4pm in The Four Seasons Suite where Gemma will be giving a short presentation followed by cake tasting.  You will also get the opportunity to chat with Gemma on the day. To register your interest for this event, please contact the Wedding Team

here