Offaly finalists set to wow Mary Berry

Two Offaly bakers will be looking for the seal of approval of the 'Queen of Cakes' Mary Berry at the upcoming Ploughing Championships.

Natasha Daly, who is originally from Birr but now living in Kerry, works as a cardiac physiologist, and is one of three finalists in the Dare to Dairy with Mary competition organised by The National Dairy Council.

She created Sloe Gin and Blackberry Cakes for the competition, which wowed the judges and has landed her one of three finalist spots. She will bring her winning cake to the Ploughing Championships on Wednesday, September 19 and meet the TV baking supremoherself, Mary Berry.

“There is a large crop of blackberries growing in the field behind my home so I wanted to create a recipe using them. (The bottle of sloe gin was from a supply that I made last year). The recipe was developed from a number of different ideas, while trying to incorporate dairy products into the recipe. Each layer was sampled and approved by my husband,” she joked.

The other local finalist is Sonia Steedman from Screggan, Tullamore, who created a Pistachio, Rosewater, Raspberry and White Chocolate Cake. While she works in IT, Sonia has a passion for baking and has her own Instagram channel full of her creations @vanillarose2018.

The third winner is Anne Dunne from Mallow in Co Cork, a Home Economics teacher who lives on a dairy, beef and tillage farm in Mitchelstown. She created Hazelnut Sable Biscuits with Ricotta Mouse, Caramelised Pears and Crushed Praline for the competition which stunned the judges. 

The NDC received a huge volume of entries from all over the country and baking enthusiasts really impressed the judges who included Chandima Gamage, Head Pastry Chef at Dromoland Castle, food writer and judge of Great Irish Bake Off, Lilly Higgins and Ciara Leahy, Consumer Editor of the Irish Farmers’ Journal.

Each finalist gets a €300 voucher for Ballymaloe, a hamper of goodies, free entry into Ploughing and Afternoon Tea with Mary Berry.