Like most things in 2020, cookery has jumped into the virtual realm and Master Pastry Chef, Shane Smith has been busy making Ireland's tastiest Christmas Advent Calendar ready for a tasty festival season ahead!. He has collaborated with 11 of the country's most loved food producers and has created 25 festive sweet & savoury show-stopping recipes using their products.

Master Pastry Chef, Shane Smith is steadily becoming Ireland’s best well-known patisserie and baking figure, regularly featuring on RTÉ's Today Show and contributing his signature delectable, colourful & tasty recipes to national media outlets.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic there has been a notable shift in consumer support for Irish business and produce, there will be a lot of goodwill, particularly at Christmas to shop Irish. Plus the take up of baking and home cooking has soared so this is a great opportunity to bring these together and Shane   hopes his Advent Calendar series will inspire people to support Irish this Christmas. For more information follow Shane on instagram, facebook and twitter

We have the recipe here for Kerrygold cranberry & stuffing Christmas crackers

Makes 8

Ingredients
4 sheets filo pastry
100g Kerrygold butter, melted

Stuffing
1 medium onion, chopped
200g Kerrygold butter
1 1/2 tbsp dried sage
Salt & pepper
150g breadcrumbs
100g cranberry sauce

Method
For the stuffing, in a pot set over a medium heat, add the chopped onions and butter and cook until the onions have softened.
Add the sage, salt and pepper and the breadcrumbs.
Cook for a further 5 minute until all the Kerrygold has soaked into the breadcrumbs.
Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Preheat your oven to 180C/160C fan/350F/Gas 4
Take 4 sheets of filo pastry and cut in half, leaving you with 8 x 9inch squares.
Brush the filo sheet with melted butter and at one end spoon on some stuffing and cranberry sauce.
Roll the filo sheet up like a sausage and pinch both ends to create a Christmas cracker shape.
Place these on a lined baking tray, brush over with some melted butter and pop in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown all over.
Allow to cool slightly before serving.