Stir-up Sunday

Stir-up Sunday is a Christmas tradition which dates back quite a few centuries (I really must do some more research on this tradition to find exactly how far back it dates) and always takes place on the last Sunday before Advent begins. This year that is today ;0)

In the true spirit of the day I have started my Christmas prep with vigour, making some mincemeat, gingerbread dough and a special treat for Hubby. The house is smelling very festive, can't wait for the big event now.

Apple, Cherry and Toasted Hazelnut Mincemeat

250g cooking apples

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Zest and juice of 1 orange

250g dried apricots

125g dried dates (I prefer dried figs myself so will replace the dates with figs next time)

50g natural glace cherries

25g glace stem ginger

25g chopped candied lemon and orange peel

50g chopped toasted hazelnuts

110g vegetable suet

250g sultanas

110g raisins

175g soft dark brown sugar (or muscovado sugar)

1 tsp ground mixed spice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

100ml Grand Marnier

Peel, then finely grate the apples into a large bowl. Mix in the lemon and orange zest and juice.

With scissors, snip the dried apricots, dates and cherries into small pieces, then add to the apple. Add the ginger, chopped peel and the remaining ingredients and with two big spoons, mix everything together. Cover with a cloth and leave to stand overnight.

The following day, sterilise your jars and lids. Wash them with hot, soapy water, drain and place them on a baking tray in the oven for 30 mins at 140C/fan 120C.

Give the mincemeat a stir, then spoon into the jars. Cover with wax discs, then seal with the lids. Label and store for as long as possible before using (it should keep until next Christmas).

Makes approx 1.5kg (about 4 jars depending on size)

Adapted from Delicious Magazine, Dec 09

I slightly tweaked a recipe from the latest Delicious Magazine for this one and is the closest to 'real' mincemeat as I've ever made. Personally speaking I'm not a huge fan of ginger or candied peel but Hubby likes all these things so I thought I would give it a go. These jars are now safely stored alongside the jars of Vanilla and Rhubarb Mincemeat that Nigella's Christmas book got me hooked on last year! This year I made it while the rhubarb was in season and have kept it hidden in a dark cupboard until its time to start making the mince pies. I'll post about those babies later ....

Gingerbread Dough (For a Gingerbread House)

1 cup vegetable shortening (I used trex)

1 cup caster sugar

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 cup dark treacle

2 large eggs

2 tbsp white vinegar

5 cups plain flour

In the bowl of a large stand mixer (I used my kitchen aide which stood up to the test well) fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the shortening and sugar with the mixer turned on medium-high speed until well combined.

Add the baking powder, ginger, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and beat until incorporated.

Add the treacle, eggs and vinegar and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice as necessary.

Add the flour, 1 cup at a time and mix on low until smooth. Scrape the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and press into a rough square. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. Can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Makes enough for 1 gingerbread house and some trimmings

The Gingerbread Architect

After Christmas last year I spotted 'The Gingerbread Architect' in my local book store. I loved the idea of the recipes as 'blueprints' and pined after the book all year. A few weeks ago I went back and bought it, determined to make my first ever Gingerbread House this year. The dough is now sitting int he freezer waiting for a spare weekend to dedicate to my creation.

And now to Hubby's treat. Last year for one of our Christmas Day desserts (its Christmas - there are always at least two choices for dessert on Christmas Day plus all the nibbles of the day as well - I blame my family for bringing me up on a very generously laden Christmas table!) I made a White Chocolate and Raspberry Trifle. Hubby loves Trifle, its one of his all time favourite puddings but I have to confess that the traditional Sherry Trifle does little to float my boat! When I came across this recipe I knew we had found a happy medium ... except that Hubby found it very hard to share the Trifle with everyone else and this year he seems to think that he will be getting one all for himself. I can 100% guarantee that this will not be happening but in an effort to meet every one's needs, wants and desires I'm playing around with the idea of individual Trifles served in sundae glasses ... so Hubby doesn't have to share his Trifle!

White Chocolate and Raspberry Trifle

115g caster sugar

115g softened butter

2 large free range eggs

115g SR flour

200g white chocolate, chopped

450g fresh or frozen raspberries, plus extra for decorating

3 tbsp icing sugar

250ml double cream

300g mascarpone

100ml framboise (Raspberry liqueur)

500ml thick, ready made custard

100g plain chocolate

Preheat the oven to 190C/fan 170C. Cream together the caster sugar and butter until light and creamy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Sift over the flour and fold in gently. Stir two thirds of the white chocolate into the batter along with a quarter of the raspberries. Place 12 fairy cake cases in a bun tin and half fill each with the batter. Bake for 12-15 mins, until golden brown.

Lightly crush half the remaining raspberries with 1 tbsp icing sugar in a bowl and set aside. In a bowl, briefly whisk the cream, mascarpone and the remaining icing sugar together until just combined and smooth.

Discard the fairy cake cases, halve the cakes horizontally and use to cover the bottom of a large glass dish, pressing each cake against the side so that there are no gaps (freeze any leftover cakes for up to 3 months). Pour the framboise over the cakes and tap with crushed and whole remaining raspberries and the remaining white chocolate. Top with the custard, then spoon over the mascarpone cream.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water and use a clean paint brush to brush 2 coats of chocolate onto clean, flat holly leaves. Leave to set, then gently peel away the leaf. Use to decorate the trifle along with the extra raspberries.

This dessert can be made up to a day ahead.

Serves 6-8

Adapted from Delicious Magazine Jan 09

This recipe is for the large dessert, for the individual version I reduced the amount of cream and mascarpone for the topping etc, seeing as there is only two of us it seems a bit extreme to be going the whole hog already. I kept to the rest of the recipe though, the leftover cupcakes will now keep until Christmas Day in the freezer. I added a lot more raspberries to the mix though, at least 250g in total, I like raspberries! The end result means that my batter went a lot further than the recipe suggests. In fact I got 24 cupcakes out of it in all.