Mincemeat biscuits

I love making edible gifts for Christmas presents and this is one I’ve made many times. This recipe makes about 24 biscuits.

Ingredients

200g unsalted butter, softened

100g soft brown sugar

200g porridge oats (I use Stringer porridge oats, from a local farm in Bishop Wilton)

100g plain flour

6 tablespoons of mincemeat (I made my mincemeat using the River Cottage apple, pear and ginger mincemeat recipe)

Method:

Heat the oven to 170c

Mix the butter, sugar and flour together, then stir in the oats and mincemeat.

Take small amounts of the mix and roll into balls. You should have enough mix to make about 24 balls.

Place them on a baking tray lined with parchment. Flatten each ball slightly.

I like to sprinkle them with a little Demerara sugar.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden. Take them out of the oven and leave on the tray to cool for 5-10 minutes before putting on a cooling rack to cool completely.

I like to put them in an airtight jar with some ribbon and a nice label and give as a gift.

Mince pies

Mince pies are a favourite in our house. Mr Frivolitea has been asking for days when I’m going to make some. Well today was the day. Here’s my recipe.

Rich shortcrust pastry

250g plain flour

175g butter ( cold and cubed)

2 tbsp caster sugar

1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp cold water

I make my pastry in my thermomix:

Put the flour, butter and sugar in the thermomix and pulse on turbo until it resembles breadcrumbs.

Add the egg mix and pulse until just coming together to a dough. Tip it out and bring together to a ball, wrap in clingfilm and put in the fridge for 30 mins before using.

If doing by hand, rub the butter and flour together to resemble breadcrumbs, mix in the sugar then add the egg mix to bring together into a dough.

I make mine the traditional way with a pastry bottom and top. I put a larger circle of pastry in each mince pie tin and prick with a fork. I add about 1-2 small spoonfuls of mincemeat (this year I made River Cottage apple, pear and ginger mincemeat). I dampen my finger and run it round the pastry before adding the smaller circle of pastry on top, pinching to close. I finally add a little cross with a knife before baking for 12-15mins at 200c.

Mincemeat biscuits

I love making edible gifts for Christmas presents and this is one I’ve made a couple of years in a row now. This recipe makes about 24 biscuits.

Ingredients

200g unsalted butter, softened

100g soft brown sugar

200g porridge oats ( I use stringer porridge oats, from a local farm in Bishop Wilton)

100g plain flour

6 tablespoons of mincemeat ( I made my mincemeat using the river cottage Apple, pear and ginger mincemeat)

Method:

Heat the oven to 170c

Mix the butter, sugar and flour together, then stir in the oats and mincemeat.

Take small amounts of the mix and roll into balls. You should have enough mix to make aobut 24 balls. Place them on a baking tray lined with parchment. Flatten each ball slightly. I like to sprinkle them with a little Demerara sugar.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden. Take them out of the oven and leave on the tray to cool for 5-10 minutes before putting on a cooling rack to cool completely.

I like to put them in an airtight jar with some ribbon and a nice label and give as a gift.