Murder at the blarney ba.., p.26
Murder at the Blarney Bash, page 26
“Thanks to Kennedy and her quick thinking, we can now finally put this case to rest,” I said. I then raised my wineglass to Kennedy. “Congratulations, my friend. It’s good to see you back in form.”
Kennedy blushed. “It feels good to be back,” she admitted, before hoisting her glass and taking a sip. As she did so, the Edison lights flickered. Unsettled, Ken’s eyes shot to the lights in question. “I forgot about the lights,” she uttered.
Rory grinned at her. “I think the captain might be happy that you’re back as well.”
We toasted the captain, and our success, after which Finn leaned forward, and asked Tuck, “You said the wee leprechaun split up the gold and hid it? Did Lisa happen to say how many pots there were?”
Tuck shook his head. “Not exactly. No. The truth is we have no idea and neither does she.”
Finn’s spirits were brightened by that news.
Kennedy cast a flirtatious wink at the older man, knowing that Tuck was watching. “Well, Finnigan O’Connor, what are your plans regarding your hunt for wife number four?”
That made the older man grin. “I’m still on the hunt, but I have me eyes set on Molly Butterfield. She really is as sweet as she appears. And I owe her a grand apology. I plan on taking her on a wee picnic of my own. We might even bring a shovel.”
CHAPTER 46
“Bakewell.” I turned around at the familiar voice and was pleased to see a smiling Sergeant Murdock making her way to the bakery counter. It had been three weeks since the St. Patrick’s Day murders, and the sergeant had been busy ever since.
“It’s good to see you, Sergeant. Are you having the usual?”
“Just a latte for me, thanks, and two dozen donuts to go. Everyone at the station has been working hard lately, so I thought I’d bring breakfast. Village Hall has been set to rights once again, as have several other municipalities in the area. It appears that the late Shep Mulvaney and his sister had sold that devious software program to other communities.”
“I had heard about that. Do you know how much they got away with?” I asked, preparing two bakery boxes for the donuts she ordered.
“It’s been estimated at upwards of five million. As you well know, not all of it has been recovered.” Here she cast me a wink and took the latte Tom handed to her. “Also, it comes to mind that I haven’t properly thanked you and Campbell for helping us on this one. I specifically remember asking you and Campbell not to meddle in this, but you did, as you always do. It’s highly annoying. However, you seem to have a knack for these things. It’s almost a shame you’re a baker. You would have made a good cop.”
I was blushing at the compliment. “Thank you, but I’ll stick to baking. However, I’m here if you need me.” I flashed her a smile, then began filling her order.
“There is one thing that you might be able to help with, Bakewell. Campbell’s uncle, Finnigan O’Connor.”
At the mention of the name, my hand stilled on a chocolate donut. I took a deep breath and plucked it from the tray, hoping the sergeant hadn’t caught it.
“Took Brian and the kids to the Blarney Stone Saturday morning.” Brian was the sergeant’s significant other. “Apparently, Finn is now hosting a Celtic story time, where he spins tales of Irish folklore, particularly about leprechauns. There’s green punch and a snack he offers that he calls leprechaun bait. Then he tells the kids of the time he caught a real leprechaun who came to visit the Blarney Stone on St. Patrick’s Day evening. He’s good at spinning tales and tells the kids how he left some bait out for the little trickster, and how the leprechaun took it, and led him strait to a pot of gold.”
“Well, he’s not wrong, is he?” I said, handing over one dozen of the two she ordered. “What’s the harm in telling stories?”
“None. It’s quite cute. He hands out recipes for leprechaun bait at the end of story time. It’s a mixture of Rice Chex, pretzels, peanuts, Lucky Charms, mini chocolate-coated candies, all mixed with melted white chocolate. You can even add green sprinkles to make it more festive. It’s delicious.”
“I’ve had some,” I told her, wondering where she was going with this. “It’s yummy.”
“It is,” she agreed. “Now, to my point. We don’t believe that all the gold has been recovered. Finn never told us where he uncovered that first pot of gold. You and Rory never revealed where you found that second pot of gold. And we have reason to believe that more might have been found but never turned over to the proper authorities.”
I swallowed, placed the second bakery box on the counter, and smiled at her. “What makes you think that?”
“It’s something Finn tells the children that come to his story time. He says that the leprechaun who came to Beacon Harbor left behind a trail of gold, and if they’re lucky they just might find a coin. I thought he was just winding them up until yesterday. I got a call from the grade school. Apparently, a little boy named Jimmy Wexford found a gold Krugerrand on his way to school. He told his teacher that he found it on the sidewalk in front of the Blarney Stone. Finn, of course, is denying everything. Also, Little Jimmy Wexford isn’t alone. Two other children claim to have found similar gold coins on their way to school. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”
“I have no idea,” I told the sergeant, and thanked her for coming in. It wasn’t entirely a lie.
Rory and I had suspected that his uncle Finn had found another pot of gold, but never dared to ask the question. We had agreed that there were just some questions we didn’t care to know the answer to. Truthfully, I was thrilled that the Blarney Stone was in Beacon Harbor. Even Kennedy had come to terms with the fact that her ex-boyfriend was happily dating the lovely Colleen O’Connor, although I suspected she was hatching a plan of her own to get him back.
Rory, after Lisa Baxter had been caught, had surprised me with a gift of a beautiful Irish walking cape all my own. I couldn’t believe my eyes. He knew that I had wanted one, and had asked his cousin to help him pick one out for me. It was perfect! I was ecstatic to finally own an authentic Irish walking cape and wore it whenever the weather allowed. On chilly spring mornings Kennedy and I could be seen walking down Main Street towards the Blarney Stone, wearing our walking capes, as Welly trotted excitedly before us. Welly was excited because he knew we’d pick up Bailey and take her with us as we walked around town. And if Rory and I were in any doubt about the lost gold, we had only to look at the Blarney Stone itself. If one looked closely, they could see the signs. Every morning Uncle Finn proudly hoisted the American flag. That wasn’t odd at all. It was the other flag that Rory and I had noticed. It appeared quite suddenly beside the front door one day. This new flag was a decorative one and was distinctly Irish. It depicted a shamrock with a rainbow leading to a pot of gold. It was familiar. It was fitting, I thought. It also invoked memories of a strange St. Patrick’s Day, where one wily Irishman had baited a leprechaun and had brought home not only a pot of gold but an unbelievable story to tell. I was growing very fond of that wily Irishman. His daughter too. Most importantly, every time I see that jaunty little flag flying beside the gift shop door, it never fails to make me smile.
RECIPES FROM THE BEACON BAKESHOP
Are you in the mood to try some delicious St. Patrick’s Day treats? I hope so. Here at the Beacon Bakeshop, we believe that there’s no better way to celebrate a holiday than with tasty treats your family and friends will enjoy. Below are some favorite recipes inspired by the Emerald Isle. They’re so delicious they just might have you dancing a jig!
Traditional Irish Scones
Prep time: 15 minutes. Cook time: 12–15 minutes. Makes 6 scones.
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup (one stick) cold butter (Irish butter is best), diced small
½ cup buttermilk, plus 1 tablespoon extra for brushing on scones
1 large egg, beaten
½ cup raisins (optional)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl add the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir until mixed.
Next, add the cold butter cubes. Using your fingertips, rub the butter cubes into the flour mixture until all the butter is incorporated and the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. You may also use a pastry cutter, but Irish bakers prefer to use the fingertip method. It’s actually quite satisfying!
Next, make a well in the middle of the flour mixture. Add the buttermilk and the beaten egg. Using a fork, gently stir until a soft dough forms. Add the raisins at this point and knead into the dough until they’re evenly distributed.
Transfer dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat, forming a 1-inch-thick circle. Using a 2-inch biscuit cutter, cut the dough. Transfer the scones onto the prepared baking sheet, repeating until all the dough has been used.
Brush the top of each scone with additional buttermilk.
Bake in oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the scones are a beautiful golden-brown color. Let cool for 10 minutes. These scones are so good with clotted cream, crème fraîche, or butter, and strawberry jam!
Colleen’s Famous Irish Soda Bread
Prep time: 15 minutes. Bake time: 50–60 minutes. Makes 1 large round loaf.
Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup melted butter
1⅓ cup buttermilk.
1 egg
1 cup raisins
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°. This recipe works great in a cast-iron skillet. If you don’t have one, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, or the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. On low speed, stir in the melted butter, the buttermilk, the egg, and the raisins. Mix just until a soft dough forms. Don’t overmix the dough. It’s going to be a little sticky. Using your hands, form the dough into a large ball. Place the shaped dough into the iron skillet or on the prepared baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, cut an X into the top of the dough. Bake for 50–60 minutes or until the bread has a nice golden-brown crust. Enjoy!
Lindsey’s Delicious Irish Beef and Guinness Stew
Prep time: 20 minutes. Bake time: 2 hours 30 minutes. Serves 6
Ingredients:
2 pounds of beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
6 slices of bacon, cut into 1-inch chunks
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 large yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
5 medium potatoes (waxy potatoes like red or Yukon gold work best), peeled and cut into 1- inch pieces
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
2 ribs of celery, cleaned and cut into ½-inch pieces
2 large parsnips, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 8-oz. package of baby portobello mushrooms, washed and sliced. (optional)
1 bottle (16 ounces) Guinness Extra Stout
1 cup good beef broth
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Sprinkle beef cubes with some salt, pepper, and the 3 tablespoons of flour. Toss to coat and set aside.
Using a Dutch oven or heavy pot, fry the bacon pieces over medium heat until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the bacon drippings in the bottom of the pan.
Using small batches, brown the beef pieces on all sides in the bacon fat and set aside until all the beef is browned. Add more cooking oil if necessary, then cook the onion until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Next, add the garlic and cook one more minute. Add the vegetables (including mushrooms, if using them) and cook for another 5 minutes. Pour in the bottle of Guinness and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pot to incorporate all the bits. Boil for 2 minutes.
Next, return the beef and bacon to the pot along with all the remaining ingredients. Give the pot a good stir and bring it back to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for another 2 hours. You can also transfer the Dutch oven to the oven. To do this, preheat oven to 325°, then put the entire pot, covered, into the oven, making sure to stir it every 15 minutes or so.
Once the stew is tender and delicious, salt and pepper to taste. Serve it with a warm slice of Irish soda bread. Enjoy!
Baileys Irish Cream Cheesecake
Prep time: 30 minutes. Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes. Inactive time: 6 hours.
Ingredients:
For the crust:
1 regular full-size package of Oreo cookies (36 sandwich cookies)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
3 8-ounce packages full-fat cream cheese, softened
1 cup full-fat sour cream
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks at room temperature
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder or strong instant coffee
1 tablespoon of hot water (to dissolve espresso powder)
½ cup Baileys Irish Cream liqueur
For the chocolate ganache:
6 ounces (1 cup) semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup Baileys Irish Cream
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare a 9-inch springform pan for the water bath by covering the outside of the pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil on the bottom and halfway up the sides. You want to make the pan as watertight as you can. Lightly spray the inside of the pan with non-stick cooking spray. Put Oreo cookies in a food processor and reduce to fine crumbs. You may have to do this in smaller batches. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cookie crumbs with the melted butter and mix well. Press the mixture into the bottom of the springform pan and halfway up the sides. Bake crust for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.
Add the softened cream cheese and the sour cream in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until completely smooth. Add in the sugar and continue to beat until smooth, scraping sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Next add the eggs and the egg yolks and continue to beat until smooth and velvety.
In a small bowl mix the instant espresso powder with the hot water and stir until completely dissolved. Next, stir in the Baileys Irish Cream until combined. Gently fold this mixture into the cream cheese mixture until combined. Pour the filling on top of the partially baked crust.
To make the water bath, place the springform pan in the middle of a large roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with an inch of hot water and place in the oven. Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Once the cheesecake has been baked, turn off the heat and leave the cheesecake in the oven, allowing it to sit undisturbed for an additional 40 minutes. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and gently run a sharp knife around the edge of the cake. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours.
One hour before serving the cheesecake, make the ganache. Place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, gently heat the cream until it begins to bubble along the edges. Pour the cream on top of the chocolate chips and let sit for 1 minute. Using a whisk, incorporate the chocolate into the cream and whisk until smooth and glossy. Whisk in the Baileys Irish Cream. Let the mixture cool completely before pouring over the cheesecake. Return the cheesecake to the refrigerator for one more hour. Once the ganache has set the cheesecake is ready to serve. Enjoy!
Heavenly Chocolate Guinness Cake with Baileys Buttercream Frosting
Prep time: 20 minutes. Cook time: 45 minutes. Serves 12
Ingredients:
For the cake:
1 cup Guinness Stout beer
½ cup (1 stick) butter, cubed
2 cups sugar
¾ cup baking cocoa powder (I use Hershey’s)
2 large eggs, room temperature
⅔ cup sour cream
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking soda
For the frosting:
4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2½ cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Cover the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Spray the sides with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
In a small saucepan combine the Guinness with the butter cubes and heat over medium heat until all the butter has melted. Remove from heat. Next, whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth and blended.
Place the sugar in a large mixing bowl. Pour the warm chocolate mixture over the sugar and whisk together until smooth.
In a small mixing bowl, place the eggs, the sour cream, and the vanilla. Whisk together until smooth. Whisk this mixture into the chocolate mixture. Combine the flour and baking soda. Whisk the flour into the chocolate mixture until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until a toothpick placed into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and cool completely.
To make the frosting, place the softened butter and one cup of the powdered sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until combined. Add the cream and mix well. Add the rest of the powdered sugar and the Baileys Irish Cream and whip 3 minutes, until frosting is smooth and fluffy. Frost the top of the cake. Enjoy!
