What is it? Roll It all-butter puff and all-butter sweet and savoury shortcrust pastry (average price €5.80, 400g).
What’s good about it? It’s the fact that it is made with Irish butter, all-butter and no palm oil or other nasties, that sets this Irish product apart from its competitors. You can really taste the difference. The sweet short crust is made with unbleached flour and is enriched with free range egg yolk and sweetened with sugar and real vanilla, making it perfect for the mince pie season that is about to kick off.
How do I use it? It comes as a frozen product, in a block, ready to roll out to your required shape and thickness. You’ll have to let it defrost it before use. Finnegan suggests defrosting it overnight in the fridge or taking it out of its packaging and giving it 45 minutes at room temperature. As with all pastry, keep those hands cold and handle it as little as possible.
Who makes it? In 2013, Mairéad Finnegan began making sweet and savoury all-butter puff pastry in her kitchen in Kells, Co Meath and selling it locally. Three years later her products were selling so well she was able to move into a commercial premises nearby and add puff pastry to her range.
Where can I buy it? Roll It is stocked by SuperValu, and lots of independent food shops. It will also be available as part of the Simply Better range at Dunnes Stores, from next month. There is a full list of stockists at rollitpastry.com.
Anything else? There is now a gluten-free pastry in the range, made to Mairéad’s recipe by a bakery in Cork, to avoid cross contamination.
Send your suggestions to marieclaire.digby@irishtimes.com
