Mince Pies and Mulled Cider for Christmas Eve

It was the night before Christmas and all through the house wafted the warm scent of cider mixed with vanilla and anise ... OK OK, poetry is not my forte!

Today has been spent in the kitchen getting a head start on tomorrow's feast. I'm sure I'll be very thankful tomorrow but right now I'm exhausted! But I just wanted to share with you some of today's adventures in the kitchen.

Jamie Oliver's Filo and Puff Pastry Mince Pies - My Way!
1 sheet ready rolled puff pastry
1 packet filo pastry
Home made mincemeat (I used the Apple, Cherry and Hazelnut mincemeat for this)
Melted butter
Icing Sugar, for dusting

Heat the oven to 180C.

Roll puff pastry to roughly 3mm thick. Cover with a thin ish layer of mincemeat and then roll the pastry up along the long edge, swiss roll style. Trim the edges and then slice the roll into approx 2cm wide slices.

Use melted butter to layer 3-4 sheets of filo together. Use to line a shallow bun tin. Sit a slice of the puff pastry and mincemeat mixture into each bun cavity and then brush more melted butter around the edges of the filo.

Bake for 20 to 25 mins. When you are ready to eat these simply snap the filo sheets into mince pie portions and dust with icing sugar.

Makes 21

If you'd like to see Jamie's original recipe then head over to Ruth's blog for the full ingredient list and instructions.

And if you're not quite fed up with Mince Pies just yet then please try the next recipe - this afternoon was the first time I've ever made them but I've decided this is the best ever Mince Pie recipe, especially for the Vanilla and Rhubarb Mincemeat.

Mincemeat Custard Pies
300g ready made custard
375g ready rolled puff pastry
Homemade Mincemeat (Vanilla and Rhubarb - mmmm)
Icing Sugar, for dusting

Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C. Unroll the pastry, then cut out circles using a 7cm plain round cutter. Gather up the pastry trimmings, re-roll, then cut out more circles. You should get 16-18. Use to line a couple of bun tins.

Spoon a heaped tsp of the custard mix into each tart case, then top with a scant tsp of mincemeat. Bake for about 10 mins until puffy and golden. Cool briefly in the tin, then dust with icing sugar and serve slightly warm.

Makes 16-18 pies
Adapted from BBC Good Food Website

And the last recipe was made for my Hubby to welcome him home on Christmas Eve ;0)

Mulled Cider
2 litres good quality traditional cider (scrumpy)
6 cloves
3 star anise
1/4 nutmeg finely grated into the pan
1 cinnamon stick
1 vanilla pod, halved
juice of 1 orange
juice of 2 clementines
juice and seeds of 1 pomegranate
4-5 tbsp caster sugar (I've not added any)

Pour the cider into a large pan on a low heat and let it warm through for a few mins. Add all the spices and juices and turn the heat up. Once boiling, turn down to a simmer and leave to tick away for 5-8 mins. Taste and add sugar as you like - you don't want it sweet. Ladle into glasses or mugs and serve while warm.

Serves 15
Jamie Oliver Magazine - Dec 09 /Jan 10

Rhubarb and Vanilla Mincemeat

I know I'm leaving it a bit late to finally be posting this recipe but trust me when I say its worth waiting for. This is another Nigella recipe that I came across last year and it completely opened the door to the world of Mince Pie's for me. Before then mince meat was booze sodden mixed peel with some suet mixed in for good measure. Bless that Nigella!

Rhubarb and Vanilla Mincemeat
1kg rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 5mm slices
300g soft dark brown sugar
2 vanilla pods
2 tsp ground mixed spice
225g raisins
225g sultanas
225g currants
2 tbsp brandy (I replace this with either orange juice or grand marnier)

Put the sliced rhubarb with the sugar into a large pan. Cut the vanilla pod in halves length ways and scrape out the seeds, then cut each half into pieces, adding seeds and pod slices to the pan. Add the mixed spice and cook for about 5 mins.

Add the dried fruits and simmer the pan for about 30 mins. Stir in the brandy and take off the heat. When it's cool enough to handle, bottle in jars.

Makes 1.25 litres
From Nigella's Christmas Cook Book

This year I made the mincemeat when the Rhubarb was in plentiful supply and kept it in a dark cupboard until now. Last weekend I used some of it to make Crumble Topped Mince Pies which didn't last long at all.

Crumble Topped Mince Pies
1 quantity shortcrust pastry
200g mincemeat
25g ground almonds
25g flaked almonds (I didn't have any so I just left them out)
Pinch of ground cinnamon
25g soft light brown sugar

Turn the oven to 180C/fan 160C. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the pastry out to a 2-3mm thickness. Using a 9-10cm flutted cutter, stamp out discs from the pastry. Re-roll any trimmings and stamp out more discs until the pastry is used up. Line two 8 hole muffin tins with the pastry discs, then fill each pastry shell with 1 heaped tsp mincemeat and spread out to smooth.

Combine the ground and flaked almonds, cinnamon, brown sugar and the melted butter in a small bowl, then sprinkle a little over the top of each mince pie. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 20 mins, until the pastry is cooked and golden brown. Cool in the tins for 5 mins.

Serve with brandy butter or creme friache.

* To make ahead, freeze , uncooked, in trays for up to 1 month. Defrost overnight and bake as above.

Makes approx 16
Easy Cook Mag - Christmas 2009

Rhubarb, Vanilla and Custard Mince Pies ~ Chocolate Teapot Style

Was it just me or was the rhubarb crop this year a little on the poor side?  As a result, I was resigned to the idea of a Christmas without Rhubarb and Vanilla Mincemeat.  A week before Christmas this concept became too much for me to handle so I resorted to buying some frozen rhubarb ... and I don't feel guilty about it at all ;0)

On Friday afternoon I whipped up a batch of regular sized Rhubarb, Vanilla and Custard Mince Pies.  We were happily munching our way through them when I got to thinking ... if I made these in a muffin pan ... more custard ... more Rhubarb and Vanilla Mincemeat ... I had to try it!

And here they are.  To make them I used my regular sweet shortcrust pastry to line 9 cups from a muffin
 pan.  Then I dolloped in 1-2 tablespoons of custard (I used a ready made variety) and topped this with a teaspoon or two of the mincemeat.  All this was completed with a pastry lid, gingerbread man shape optional and then baked them for 10-15 mins in a 200C oven.

These guys have pretty much spoiled me for life now, no other mince pie will ever compare!!

Chocolate Mince Pies

I'm on a never ending search for non traditional mince pies. There is nothing wrong with the traditional variety, except for the mixed peel! This version comes from Willlie Harcourt-Cooze's book and uses some of his cacao which has been sitting in my cupboard for far longer than I care to admit.

Unwrapping the cacao from its gold wrapping I was surprised by how wonderful the chocolate smelt (and tasted ... ahem), the typical chocolate smell reached me first and was then quickly followed by a fruity waft. Mmmmmmmm, lovely. This product maybe expensive but I am very impressed by the quality and will be purchasing more.

Chocolate Mince Pies

For the Pastry

280g plain flour

25g ground almonds

175g unsalted butter

85g golden caster sugar

Zest of 1 lemon

1 egg yolk

3 tbsp whole milk

For the Mincemeat

50g cacao, finely grated

3 apples, such as russet or cox, grated

100g semi dried apricots, roughly chopped

100g sultanas

100g raisins

100g currants

1 tbsp each light brown and dark brown muscovado sugar

1 tsp each ground cinnamon, grated nutmeg and mixed spice

Zest of juice of 2 lemons or oranges

5 tbsp rum or calvados or Grand Marnier

5 tbsp cognac

2 tbsp olive oil

Icing sugar, to finish

Prepare the pastry by putting the flour and almonds into a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until it looks like very fine breadcrumbs. Sprinkle in the sugar and add the lemon zest, egg yolk and milk and pulse until the mixture starts to clump together. Tip the pastry mixture on to a board and gently squeeze until it comes together into a ball - add water if it feels dry. Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill for 30 mins.

Preheat the oven to 190C (fan). Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a few millimeters. Using a 7cm cutter, cut out 24 discs and use to line two 12 hole bun tins. Gather up and roll out the pastry again and use a 6cm cutter for the lids.

To make the mincemeat, first mix the cacao and apple in a large bowl. Blitz the dried fruit together in a food processor and add to the bowl. Add all the other ingredients except the icing sugar and stir well. Spoon 1-2 teaspoonfuls into each pastry case, dampen the edge of the pastry bottom with water and sit a smaller pastry disc on top. Pierce each lid to allow steam to escape and bake for 12-15 mins until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Finish with a dusting of icing sugar.

Note: This makes more mincemeat than you need but the leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to a couple of weeks.

Makes 24 and lots of leftover mincemeat

From 'Willie's Chocolate Factory Cookbook' by Willie Harcourt-Cooze

If you like a boozy mince pie then this is the recipe for you. Apart from the colour of the mincemeat though the chocolate flavour is lost with all the Grand Marnier and Cognac. The pastry is wonderful though, especially with the lemon zest in it so I'll be making that again. The mincemeat? Maybe ...

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.

Stir Up Sunday Comes Early

Did you know that Stir Up Sunday is this coming Sunday?  That's only 6 sleeps away ... not sure if this helping you or not, sorry if it's not!  The thing is that I'm not going to be anywhere near the close and comfy confines of my wee kitchen on Sunday, I'll be in the Lake District instead for a nice long weekend, so I decided that I had better get ahead of the game and start to get myself organised. 

We are not huge mince pie fans in this house, although it just doesn't seem to be Christmas without the little blighters.  Every year I try to find new recipes to try out for alternative mince pie filling, Rhubarb and Vanilla is my all time favourite but owing to a particularly bad rhubarb season for me this year I'm having to go without ... sigh.  Then when I was flicking through the December issue of Delicious I spotted a recipe that, with a few tweaks, I could make my own and hopefully find a new alternative.  This is what I came up with;

Buttery Apple, Hazelnut and Chocolate Mincemeat
Finely grated zest and juice of 2 large oranges
Finely grated zest and juice of 2 large lemons
1 large (about 300g) bramley apple
100g butter
50ml frangelico
200g raisins
150g sultanas
150g currants
150g chocolate, grated (I used Willie's Supreme Cacao - Indonesian Black)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp mixed spice
175g light brown sugar
50g lightly toasted hazelnuts, chopped

Put the orange and lemon zest and juices into a medium pan.  Peel, quarter and core the apple, then grate ot, stirring it into the juices as you go so it doesn't discolour.

Add the butter, frangelico, dried fruits, vanilla extract and spices, then cook over a low heat, stirring frequently, for 1 hour until the apple has broken down, the dried fruits have plumped up and all the liquid has evaporated.  Leave to cool, then mix in the sugar, chocolate and toasted hazelnuts.

Spoon into cool, sterilised jars, press a waxed disc onto the surface of the mixture and seal.  Refrigerate and use within 1 month.

Makes about 1.2kg mincemeat

Adapted from Delicious, Dec 10

* Because this mincemeat is made with butter instead of suet, it keeps in the fridge for no more than a month.  However, it freezes well for up to 6 months.  For a mincemeat with a longer shelf life, omit the butter and stir in 100g shredded suet at the end, along with the sugar, chocolate and nuts.  This will keep for up to a year in a cool dark place.

The smell from this mixture bubbling away on the stove for an hour was so Christmassy and comforting.  The mincemeat is now sitting happily in the freezer at the moment, can't wait to sample it in pie form! 

Jumbo Fruit Mince Muffins

When Johanna from the Green Gourmet Giraffe posted her recipes for Fruit Mince Scrolls and Fruit Mince Muffins a couple of weeks ago, I knew I would have to give one (if not both) a try!  Yesterday afternoon I found myself with no baking plans and itchy feet so I wondered into the kitchen and made my version of Johanna's seasonal fruit Mince Muffins.

Jumbo Fruit Mince Muffins
300g plain flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
50g vanilla caster sugar
265g fruit mince (I used Rhubarb and Vanilla)
1 egg
1 cup milk
80g melted butter

Preheat oven to 180C and line a jumbo muffin pan with paper cases. Place the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix in the fruit mince, breaking up any clumps with your spoon. Lightly whisk the egg, milk and melted butter with a fork in a bowl. Add to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Spoon into muffin cases and bake for 35-40 mins or until golden brown and a skewer inserted in a muffin comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Can be frozen.

Makes 6 jumbo muffins (or 12 regular muffins and 11 mini muffins)
Stolen from Green Gourmet Giraffe Blog

These are possibly the most amazing muffins I've ever made - although the photos don;t do them any justice at all.  The smell of them baking was like torture.  And then I had to wait for them to cool ...... of my goodness!!!  I can resist everything except temptation, so I had to tear into one while it was still warm.  AMAZING!

A Mincemeat and Apple Tart for First Footing

Let me start this first second post for 2011 by saying that I've never been a fan of New Year, I guess I could be called the "Christmas-Bah-Humbug" equivalent for Hogmanay .  I don't know why but its just never really floated my boat at all (note to self:  this is the Eeyore coming out in me, really must try harder to be more like Tigger).  You'll find no posts wrapping up 2010 and none containing my New Year resolutions either ... although I dare say that the resolutions I do manage to adhere to will trickle through at some point! 

And as if any of this weren't bad enough then there are the traditions!  Over here there are many traditions that can be followed at this time of the year, one of them is called the First Footing.  First Footing is when somebody calls on the household ~ preferably a tall and dark male, women allegedly bring bad luck (!!!!) and the male needed to be tall and dark as this is the polar opposite of vikings who were invading the country at the time this tradition dates back to.  Traditionally the tall, dark male would call unexpectedly carrying a bottle, a lump of coal, some shortbread and a silver coin. 

According to this tradition, my Father In Law lucked out when we went to visit yesterday!  I am tall and dark but very definitely a female, I did bring food but it was in the shape of this Mincemeat and Apple Tart and not shortbread, there was no booze except for that in the mincemeat, no lump of coal either (the man has brand spanking new gas central heating system after all!) but the tart was still warm from the oven and no silver coin either, although the tart was carried in on a silver tray.  Do you think the tradition will be fooled?

This recipe comes from Nigel Slater's latest book Tender Volume II which Santa very kindly left behind for me on Christmas Day.  He left me quite a few cook books actually (must have been that Rum and Raisin Pudding lol), but this was the only book I managed to smuggle in my overnight bag as we hurried off to Sis In Laws for Christmas.  As soon as I saw this recipe I immediately thought of the two large bottles of Rhubarb and Vanilla Mincemeat sitting in the fridge, rhubarb and apple is a match made in heaven so I knew I had to give it a try!

A Tart Of Mincemeat and Apples
400g cooking apples
2 heaped tbsp caster sugar
500g puff pastry
400g mincemeat
Beaten egg

Peel the apples, core them and cut them into small, thin slices.  Put into a wet saucepan with the sugar and leave to simmer gently till the sugar has melted and the apples are tender but not quite collapsed.  Set the oven at 200C.

Cut the pastry in half and roll out each piece to measure 36 x 16cm.  Place one half on a non stick baking sheet, or one lined with baking paper, then place the mincemeat in a wide line down the centre of the pastry, leaving a margin around the rim.  Place the apples on top (any juice should be left in the pan), then brush the edges of the pastry with some of the beaten egg.  Lay the second piece of pastry on top, pressing the edges firmly to seal.  Trim any ragged edges, crimp them with a fork, then decorate with any trimmings of pastry.  Brush with more of the beaten egg, cut 4 or 5 small slits in the top of the pastry and bake for 20-25 mins, until golden and crisp.  Serve warm with cream.

Serves 6
Taken from Tender, Volume II

Nigel never fails, this was delicious!  We had it without cream (cause I forgot to pack any!) and it was still lovely, the Rhubarb and Vanilla mincemeat worked a treat.  This one is being filed away for future use ... and in some perverse way I've managed to stick to one of my resolutions before the first firework is even lit ... the cook books will once again be getting more of a work out this year (as will my backside)!

And now my Grinch like ranting is done all that is left is to wish you all a very happy New Year!  I hope 2011 sends all your hopes and dreams your way ;0)