recipes

Vegetarian Mincemeat 

8oz 225g sultanas
8oz 225g raisins
8oz 225g dried figs chopped
8oz 225g dried apricots chopped
3 green apples peeled, cored and chopped
juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsps orange marmalede
6oz soft brown sugar
2 tbsps ground cloves
2 tbsps mixed spice
3 tbsps rum or brandy

place all dried fruit and apples in food processor and mix until coarsely chopped
Add remaining ingredients and mix well - spoon into air tight container and store in fridge - will keep for two weeks

Mince pies - 24 pies
10oz 275g plain flour
1oz 25g ground almonds
6oz 175g butter
3oz 75g icing sugar
zest of 1/2 lemon
1 egg yolk
2 tbsps  30ml milk

Mix flour with the ground almonds. Cut the butter into pieces and rub in. sieve in the icing sugar and add the lemon zest.
Mix together the egg and milk and pour over the dry ingredients
Mix into a dough
Leave to chill in fridge for 30 minutes
Preheat oven to mark 5 / 375F/190C
Lightly grease the bun tins. Roll out pastry thinly, stamp out 24 circles to line the tins.
Fill with mincemeat (1tsp) stamp out 24 circles for tops, dampen edges of pastry and press on tops - bake for 15 -20 minutes

Smiths favourite Farmhouse Fruit cake

8oz self raising flour
1 tsp mixed spice
5 oz soft dark brown sugar
5 oz margarine
2 large eggs
12 oz mixed dried fruit (rinsed)
4 fl. oz milk
demerara sugar for sprinkling on top

grease and line 8 inch round cake tin
rinse dried fruit and place in bowl along with all the other ingredients except the demerara sugar. beat together with a wooden spoon until well mixed/
pour mixture into the cake tin,
sprinkle generously with demerara sugar
bake in pre- heated oven 150C 300F GM2 for 1 3/4 - 2 hours,
 whilst cake is cooking enjoy licking the spoon and bowl!!!!
cool cake in the tin for 15 mins then turn out onto wire rack and allow to cool, before storing,
Once cooled I wrap ours in tin foil and leave for at least a week before eating, but it can be eaten straight away!