#Ava's Mincemeat recipe

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Ava's Mincemeat

Last year, my girlfriend devised a Mince Pie recipe with a light hand on sultanas, knowing that I don't much care for them, and the little beauties went down a treat! Today is her birthday, and I've been making Ava's Mincemeat, only adding a little Cognac to the mix, for its a festive concoction after all! My touch, if you will. And whilst it will make beaut mince pies, I suggested to Ava, she had some of it it, hot, on top of Hokey Pokey Ice Cream, to celebrate. Which she did, and deemed "banging as"!

Ingredients (makes two large jars):

1/2 cup sultanas

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup soft dried apricots

1/3 cup demerara sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 apples, rinsed

1 1/2 heaped tablespoon almonds

2 heaped tablespoons Manuka Honey

½ lemon

1 teaspoon Mixed Spice

1/4 cup good Cognac or brandy

In a large saucepan, combine sultanas and dried cranberries. Roughly chop dried apricots, and stir them in as well. Add demerara sugar and the butter, cut into small chunks. Finally, core and dice the apples, and stir them in.

Heat over a low flame, stirring occasionally until butter melts, and apples and dried fruits soften, and the mixture starts boiling.

Roughly chop almonds, and stir them in, along with Manuka Honey.

Grate in the zest of the lemon halve and thoroughly squeeze in its juice. Add Mixed Spice and half of the Cognac. Give a good stir.

Cook, simmering, for about 15 minutes, until the fruit are soft, and the syrup, slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and immediately stir in remaining Cognac.

Spoon hot mincemeat into two large, sterelised jars, and close tightly.

Once opened, use within three weeks, keeping the jar in the refrigerator.

Use Ava's Mincemeat to fill Mince Pies, generously spread onto buttered toasts, or serve hot, onto thick yoghurt or Hokey Pokey Ice Cream, Brandy Ice Cream or Whisky Ice Cream...

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Mincemeat Kings' Crown

When I visit someone, I never come empty-handed. Whomever that someone is: a friend, family, a co-worker, an overseas landlady, a brief lover, an Airbnb host... I can bring flowers, Chocolates, or a small gift, a good bottle of wine, or home-brewed Cider or Liqueur, perhaps. But more often than not, it's cake. Cake makes people happy, doesn't it? Thus, as we are visiting my sister, Jules, in Dijon this weekend, and she's said she hadn't had a Kings’ Crown or Cake yet, I baked this beautiful Mincemeat Kings' Crown to bring her. A delicious way, we found, of toasting (with home-brewed Cider) to her new table, bench and chairs after spending an arvo assembling them!

Ingredients (makes 1 brioche):

4 cups strong white flour

1/3 cup caster sugar

4 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast

2 teaspoons salt

4 large eggs

½ cup milk

1 cup unsalted butter, cut into small chunks

1/2 cup Ava’s Mincemeat 

a fève*

1 egg, lightly beaten

½ tablespoon milk

1/4 cup Honey Syrup 

1 tablespoon pearl sugar

The day before, combine strong white flour, caster sugar, yeast and salt (they shouldn’t touch at this stage) in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment. Turn on low speed until well-combined.

Turn on medium speed and add the eggs and milk, and mix 4 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough will be quite sticky at this stage. Gradually add butter, a few chunks at a time until fully incorporated. When all the butter is incorporated, increase speed to high and mix, 4 to 6 minutes, until dough is soft, shiny and slaps the sides of the bowl.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly to form a ball. Pop the dough ball in a lightly oiled large bowl and cover with cling film. Let rise at room temperature for an hour.

Again, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly. Shape into a ball, and return dough to the lightly oiled bowl. Cover with cling film, and prove once more a couple of hours or until the dough has tripled in size. Place the bowl in the refrigerator overnight. The dough will continue proving, which will give the brioche a light and airy texture.

In the morning, remove the bowl from the refrigerator, and allow the dough to come back to room temperature, for 1 hour.

Line a baking tray with baking paper. Set aside.

Remove cling film and turn dough out on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into three equal portions. Roll two of the portions into large rectangles onto a lightly floured surface.

Spread half of the Mincemeat onto the first dough rectangle, leaving at least an inch on the outward edge, and roll it tightly like you would a Swiss roll, seal the seam, and gently roll into a long “sausage”. Set aside.

Spread remaining Mincemeat onto the second dough rectangle, leaving at least an inch on the outward edge. Again, roll gently but tightly.

Roll the plain portion into a long “sausage” the same length as the others. Hide the fève* in it!

Place them all vertically on the work surface, pinching the end of all of them firmly together. Plait, and shape into a crown. Place on prepared baking tray. Leave to prove for 30 minutes to one hour in a warm, draught-free room.

Whisk the egg and milk together.

Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F. Once the brioche has risen, brush thoroughly with egg wash. Bake at 190°C/375°F  for 35 minutes, until a nice golden brown colour.

Meanwhile, heat Honey Syrup in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat.

Remove Mincemeat Kings’ Crown from the oven, and immediately brush all over with the Honey Syrup, to glaze. Sprinkle generously with pearl sugar. Transfer to serving plate and let cool for a bit before serving and finding out who’ll be crowned Queen or King! Serve with chilled Cider (Brut or Doux).

*A fève is a tiny porcelain figurine traditionally hidden in Epiphany Galette des Rois or Kings’ Brioche in France. Whoever finds it in their slice is Queen or King for the day. Before it was a figurine, a dried fava bean (”fève”, in French) used to be hidden, hence the name.

[askwhatsforlunch]

Mincemeat Foie Gras Terrine

This festive Mincemeat Foie Gras Terrine is a delicious and elegant way to open your Christmas Lunch! Happy Christmas to you all!

Ingredients (serves 6 to 8):

340 grams/12 ounces whole raw Grade A duck foie gras at room temperature, cleaned and deveined

½ teaspoon fleur de sel or sea salt flakes

½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

6 tablespoons good quality Cognac

3 heaped tablespoons Mincemeat 

Separate foie gras lobes and place them in a shallow dish. Season with fleur de sel and black pepper on all sides.

Pour Cognac over the foie gras and gently rub onto the lobes. Place dish in the refrigerator, to marinate and infuse overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 100°C/210°F. Place one of the foie gras lobe, plump-side down into a 600-millilitre/20-fluid-ounce terrine dish, pressing gently to fit and level. Spoon Mincemeat on top, levelling into a generous layer.

Place remaining foie gras lobe on top, pressing gently and rubbing the edges to seal. Close with the lid and place in the middle of a large baking dish. Fill baking dish to three-quarters with warm water, to make a bain-marie.

Place baking dish in the middle of the oven, and cook in the bain-marie, 1 hour, at 100°C/210°F.

Once cooked remove bain-marie from the oven, and let cool, half an hour. With a spoon, scoop out excess fat at the top of the terrine, leaving enough to make a thin yellow layer when it cools down and congeal. Cover with the lid once more, and place foie gras terrine in the refrigerator, to chill and infuse, overnight to four days.

Serve Mincemeat Foie Gras Terrine, cut in slices, with slices of toasted Brioche, or Soft White Bread, and a slightly sweet, well-chilled white wine, like a moelleux Sauternes or Loupiac.

[askwhatsforlunch]

Ava’s Mince Pies

My girlfriend, knowing that I am not too fond of sultanas and currants, rang me the other day, and told me to listen as she gave me the recipe for delicious --”if I say so myself!”--mince pies she had imagined, and tested, only for me! Ava’s Mince Pies are a delicious treat indeed, and she is, most certainly, my most treasured gift this year!

Ingredients (makes a dozen):

For the mincemeat

1/3 cup sultanas

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup soft dried apricots

1/4 cup demerara sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 apples, rinsed

1 heaped tablespoon almonds

2 heaped teaspoon Manuka Honey

1/2 lemon

1 teaspoon Mixed Spice

For the pastry

300 grams/ ounces plain flour

2 tablespoons caster sugar

a pinch of salt

100 grams/3.5 ounces cold unsalted butter

50 grams lard (or duck fat which, as I found out, works out brilliantly)

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons cold water

1 egg

Icing Sugar

The day before, make the mincemeat. In a medium saucepan, combine sultanas and dried cranberries. Roughly chop dried apricots, and stir them in as well. Add demerara sugar and the butter, cut into small chunks. Finally, core and dice the apples, and stir them in.

Heat over a low flame, stirring occasionally until butter melts, and apples and dried fruits soften, and the mixture starts boiling.

Roughly chop almonds, and stir them in, along with Manuka Honey.

Grate in the zest of the lemon halve and thoroughly squeeze in its juice. Add Mixed Spice. Give a good stir.

Cook, simmering, for about 15 minutes. Then, remove from the heat and let cool slightly, before spooning mincemeat in a large, sterelised jar. Close tightly.

On the following day, combine flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Cut butter and lard (or duck fat) into small chunks, and rub between your fingers into the flour, until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Dig a hole in the middle and add the egg yolk. Stir with a wooden spoon, gradually adding cold water until dough comes together into a ball. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 200°C/395°F.  Butter a 12-cup muffin tray, and line each cup with a sqare of baking paper, if necessary. Set aside.

Divide pastry in half.

Onto a lightly floured surface, roll out the first portion thinly. Using a large round cookie cutter or pastry circle, cut out a dozen circles, and gently fit one into each cup of the muffin tray. Spoon a heaped tablespoon mincemeat into each pastry case, to fill them generously.

Roll out the remaining pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Using a star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out a dozen pastry stars, and delicately place them onto mincemeat-filled pastry cases, gently pressing the star points onto the pastry edges, to seal.

Lightly whisk egg, and gently brush the top of the pies. Place in the middle of the hot oven. Bake, at, 20 minutes until just golden.

Remove from the oven, and allow to sit about 10 minutes, before lifting the pies out of the muffing tray and peeling off baking paper. Arrange them on a plate, and dust lightly with Icing Sugar .

Serve Ava’s Mince Pies warm, with a small glass of chilled Spiced Pear Liqueur.

[canadachronicles]

If you wish to make this for New Year's Day, there's still time!

Mincemeat Foie Gras Terrine

This festive Mincemeat Foie Gras Terrine is a delicious and elegant way to open your Christmas Lunch! Happy Christmas to you all!

Ingredients (serves 6 to 8):

340 grams/12 ounces whole raw Grade A duck foie gras at room temperature, cleaned and deveined

½ teaspoon fleur de sel or sea salt flakes

½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

6 tablespoons good quality Cognac

3 heaped tablespoons Mincemeat 

Separate foie gras lobes and place them in a shallow dish. Season with fleur de sel and black pepper on all sides.

Pour Cognac over the foie gras and gently rub onto the lobes. Place dish in the refrigerator, to marinate and infuse overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 100°C/210°F. Place one of the foie gras lobe, plump-side down into a 600-millilitre/20-fluid-ounce terrine dish, pressing gently to fit and level. Spoon Mincemeat on top, levelling into a generous layer.

Place remaining foie gras lobe on top, pressing gently and rubbing the edges to seal. Close with the lid and place in the middle of a large baking dish. Fill baking dish to three-quarters with warm water, to make a bain-marie.

Place baking dish in the middle of the oven, and cook in the bain-marie, 1 hour, at 100°C/210°F.

Once cooked remove bain-marie from the oven, and let cool, half an hour. With a spoon, scoop out excess fat at the top of the terrine, leaving enough to make a thin yellow layer when it cools down and congeal. Cover with the lid once more, and place foie gras terrine in the refrigerator, to chill and infuse, overnight to four days.

Serve Mincemeat Foie Gras Terrine, cut in slices, with slices of toasted Brioche, or Soft White Bread, and a slightly sweet, well-chilled white wine, like a moelleux Sauternes or Loupiac.