Christmas Chocolate & Fruit Mince Pies
Spot the photo from 2009, I’m pleased to look back and see my photography has improved over the years.
I can’t believe it is only a few days till Christmas, this week has flown by. It has been a busy December for me with a work trip to Aussie ( the job that pays the bills) and a busy month for my cooking school (my second job that I hope one day can pay the bills) and Christmas group bookings. With the final class for the year behind me today it’s time to get organised for our own festivities. We are hosting Christmas lunch at our house, there will be eight and I and haven’t even decided on the main course. I tend to start at dessert and work the menu back, not surprising really. Having been given crayfish and whitebait that has sorted out the entree. Heston’s Christmas pudding and vanilla Panna cotta with pomegrante and pistachio for desserts but I am still procrastinating on the main course. What about you, are you all organised?
Here is my recipe for chocolate mince pies if you haven’t yet made any.
Ingredients- fruit
2 tbs brown sugar
¼ cup brandy
1 small Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, coarsely grated
100g raisins, coarsely chopped
100g currants
100g sultanas
zest & juice of one small orange
(1/3 cup) orange marmalade
1/2 tsp mixed spice
50g 70% choc, chopped
Method
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.
Set aside, and soak over night, stir occasionally
Ingredients – pastry
Ingredients-pastry
110g Butter
180g flour
60g icing sugar
1 egg
Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees centigrade.
Place the flour, butter & sugar in a bowl.
Work the ingredients together until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.
Add the egg and bring dough together.
Rest dough in fridge for an hour before rolling out.
Roll the dough out thinly and use a cookie cutter that will fit your cupcake tins, making sure it is large enough to cup the filling.
Add about one heaped teaspoon per case and then cut out star shape out of the pastry for the lids.
Egg wash the star shaped pastry.
Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
I like the photo
, although I understand, when I look back at my old photo mostly I am not impressed! And I think that I would like mince pies with chocolate, plus I like home made, as mince pies from shops have all sort of animal pieces.
They look perfect and ever so tempting!
Happy Holidays!
Cheers,
Rosa
It’s the recipe that counts and this one’s a keeper!
I thought fruit mince pies were already pretty good… but adding chocolate? Awesome. They look lovely Alli! Have a lovely Christmas
Alli, these look fantastic, I like the chocolate twist ! I never made fruit mince from scratch…it’s a nice recipe. Have a wonderful Christmas and best wishes for the new year
Louise & Doug
White bait1, but what are you going to do with all the little eyes and tails! You are making me miss a good beachy christmas! in NZ. (sad face) c.
Recipe is so important as well — and that is one drool worthy photo
As year’s go by my Christmas menus get simpler – I am so over juggling saucepans and balancing fiddly bits on desserts. Not to mention feeling like a beached whale after having eaten it all. So, this year we’re going even lighter and simpler – Walnut, Feta and Herb Salad, Rib of Beef and Gooseberry Fool. Although I rather like the idea of these mince pies to go with a tipple of port as the sun goes down!
it sounds like the perfect Christmas lunch. I’m not very good at going simple, I have now added five spice chicken wings, BBQ poussin and ribs to our long lunch. I like the idea of port too as the sunsets over Muriwai, always feel blessed to watch that.
I’m sure you’ll find an idea for the main. The rest of the menu sounds already really great !
Have a merry Christmas Alli !
Ooooh chocolate in mince pies sounds delish! I’ve still got a batch of my filling in the fridge which now has a chocolatey destiny, thanks! And your pictures from 2 years ago look great. I did a xmas round up on my last post and was seriously embarrassed to link to some of the recipes from a year ago, scary!! Have a fabulous xmas in the sun Alli xx
Hope u have decides your main course for Xmas lunch for your family! Always a great pleasure and good surprises to read your blog and new recipes throughout the year,your photography skill is amazing now,Master! Have a great xmas my friend and hope to catchup sometimes( sorry we have been busy too,working-try to pay the bills !!)
This is a lovely recipe – will need to try this as we are getting bored of traditional mince pies already!