It’s been a long auld exciting, exhausting rocky road for Drew and Beth, I’ve always wanted to write about real people making a difference in Galway’s culinary scene. The struggles, not just getting a business off the ground but knowing you are waiting for someone to give you a kidney so you can sink your teeth into your dream. The same dream your parents had when they returned from America, in somewhat the same street with the same vibe in the most unique neighbourhoods known simply as the west. Let me introduce you to Drew and Beth from the Imperfect bakery.
Words by Jess Murphy
Photography by Ciarán MacChoncarraige
Q. First thing’s first, how’s the health? I feel we’ve all been holding our breath for the last few years.
A. I’m feeling much better now. My mom selflessly donated her kidney to me at the end of January. There were some high highs and very low lows in the few weeks following the operation and I’ve learned that recovery certainly isn’t a straight line but hopefully we’re going in the right direction now.
Q. Let’s talk about your Mom & Dad and growing up in the restaurant industry.
A. So, my parents own Scotty’s, the OG burger restaurant in Galway. They’ve been slinging burgers here for over 30 years now. They actually started out here down The West in my Grandad's fruit & veg shop, Silke’s Fruit Market, where The Blue Teapot is now.
The West holds a very special place in my heart as the three generations preceding me have been in business down here and I hope to eventually make that four.
Q. Now, you are only one half of The Imperfect Bakery, did you ever think that yourself and Beth would start something with such a cult following?
A. I mean we hoped we would, but it being a bakery was a big surprise! The bakery at the time was purely a product of Covid lockdowns. In March 2020, restaurants along with everything else closed and we were all told to work from home. As you know yourself, that’s a tall ask for hospitality workers, especially for someone as restless as myself. We started selling some questionable loaves of sourdough and dodgy hot cross buns that Easter weekend and somehow sold out. We knew we needed something that was truly ours and after a few weeks of R&D, the Wonky was born. A Wonky is a type of donut we invented, the centre hole is offset to create textures in the donut which makes them unique to us. The bakery name then stemmed from that as we wanted to embrace our imperfections and essentially turned a weakness into a strength.
We worked ourselves to the bone, not something we take pride in looking back, but it was humbling to sell out week in and week out. I did all of the prep and baking, while Beth took care of literally everything else. The whole operation would have crumbled in a matter of days if it wasn’t for Beth!
Q. Are there any rules when it comes to donuts and is there anything that should absolutely not be put into a donut?
A. Everyone will have different preferences but at the end of the day it’s an edible vessel made of dough. Much like a sandwich, pizza or pastry – the possibilities are endless.
Q. So we’re making some Imperfect Bakery classics today and some new donuts. Can you tell me about them and where the inspiration came from?
A. We’ll start with one of our most popular donuts from back in the day, The Claddagh Cream. It is our classic Wonky filled with a fresh vanilla pastry cream and dipped in chocolate ganache. We then place a stencil on top and give a generous dusting of icing sugar to give that iconic Claddagh Ring on top. Another Galway inspired creation here are the Pump Lane Bucky Babógs, an ode to my scauldy youth. These are glazed babógs filled with a Buckfast crème diplomat and a chocolate drizzle. Last but not least, we have Smooth as Silke, a tribute to my Grandad and where my family's business began. This is a brioche donut filled with smooth white chocolate cremeux and topped Chantilly cream, fresh fruit and crumbled meringue.
Q. And finally, what’s the plan for the future?
A. Keep your eyes peeled, we’ll be back sooner than expected.
RECIPES
Buckfast Pastry Cream
● 400ml Milk
● 80ml Buckfast
● 70g Caster Sugar
● Pinch of Salt
● 35g Cornflour
● 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
● 3 Egg Yolks
● 40g Unsalted Butter, softened
1. Bring Milk and Buckfast to a gentle simmer in a heavy based pot.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together all remaining ingredients (except for the Butter) until
thick & smooth.
3. Pour ¼ of the heated Milk mixture into the Eggs to temper them - stir to incorporate.
4. Pour all of the Milk mixture back into the pot and whisk constantly over a low heat
until the mixture thickens - for 1-2 minutes.
5. Remove from the heat and pass the mix through a strainer, if needed.
6. Whisk in the Butter at this stage until there are no streaks and then press a layer of
cling film directly on to the custard to stop a skin from forming.
7. Leave to cool and then chill overnight.
Buckfast Chantilly Cream
● 120ml Double Cream
● 25ml Buckfast
● 25ml Icing Sugar, sifted
● 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
● Pinch of Salt
1. Put the bowl and whisk in the freezer for 10 minutes before making the recipe.
2. Place a damp cloth on the counter to secure the bowl when whisking.
3. Add all ingredients to the chilled bowl and whisk for 3-5 minutes until stiff peaks are
achieved. (This is when the cream will stand up straight when the whisk is removed.)
To make the crème diplomat, remove the chilled pastry cream from the fridge and scrape it into a large bowl. Add in 1/3 of the cream and whisk them together to get a smooth mixture. Using a spatula, fold the remaining cream into the mix in stages. This is to ensure the mix retains its volume. Use immediately. (The mixture will keep for 3 days in the fridge albeit with a little less volume.)
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