Christmas is fast approaching! To me, that means lots of food, drink, merriment and lots of good company. It's a well established Christmas tradition in our household that my mum and I spend a day together belting out festive tunes and baking delicious home made treats, which not only fill our tummies with lots of Christmas cheer, but fill our kitchen with the warming aroma of Christmas spirit. Allow me to share with you all our tried and tested recipes that signal the arrival of Christmas every year.
Mince Pies
400g plain flour
200g butter
Tbsp sugar
Pinch of cinnamon
1/2 cup of water
Mincemeat
1 beaten egg
Preheat oven to gas mark 6. Add the cinnamon and sugar to the flour, then rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Slowly mix, adding in enough water to combine the pastry into a ball and knead gently. Leave this to rest in the fridge for a minimum of half an hour. Roll out the pastry and use a cutter to cut out your pastry cases, placing them into a greased baking tin. Fill these with a rough teaspoon of mincemeat, depending on the size of your cases. Then cut lids from the pastry and place these on top. Once coating with an egg wash place in the oven for 20 minutes until the mincemeat is bubbling and pastry is golden.
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Jam Tarts
Preheat oven to gas mark 6. Prepare the pastry in the same way as with the mince pies. Once the cases are cut fill them with 1/2 a tea spoon of jam and place a lid on top. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until jam is bubbling and pastry is golden.
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Mincemeat loaf
300g plan flour
2tsp baking powder
150g butter
150g soft brown sugar
2 eggs
340g mincemeat
Flaked almonds
Preheat oven to gas mark 4. Cream together the butter and sugar, and add flour and baking powder. Beat the eggs together and mix with the mincemeat. Combine wet to dry ingredients until thoroughly mixed. Place in a greased and lined baking tin and sprinkle with almonds. Cook in the oven for 50 minutes until loafs are a deep brown.
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Cupcakes
200g butter
200g sugar
200g self raising flour
4 eggs
Vanilla extract
Cocoa powder
Preheat oven to gas mark 5. Cream together the butter and sugar and mix with the flour. Add eggs one at a time. Separate into two and add a teaspoon of cocoa powder to one half and a small drop of vanilla extract to the other. Divide equally in cupcake cases and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until a pierced knife comes out clean.
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I'm glad we're fully stocked up on delicious treats over the holiday season, and I personally believe there's nothing like a home made mince pie. I hope you are all enjoying the indulgence the festive season allows and are looking forward to Christmas... only 5 more sleeps to go!
