With Christmas fast approaching I am kicking off my blogs again. After a short absence due to rebuilding my sons website. After my sons site was maliciously hacked after it became fairly successful in the 10 months it was up, obtaining up to around 100,000 hit per month. We know it will take time to rebuild to that status so if you enjoy reviews of just about anything please give it a visit and add your support, you will find that these reviews are not commercial but pure honest opinions of their subject matter and written by ordinary people totally committed to giving their views and opinions. So please visit
http://www.fanglewurzle.com/ and add your support thank you.
That's all for my promo and back to Christmas and my latest recipe I have been doing this recipe for some years now and it is great for all those gatherings over the festive period and can be made in advance and stored in a air tight container I'm not really sure for how long because they never last that long before they are eaten so I suggest make a test batch then when you make the main batch double the amount you originally set out to make, because they won't go to waste and I'am sure you will not have to store them for long and as for the Gluhwien that wont last long either on a cold winters night.
For the pastry
280g
plain flour
25g ground almonds
175g butter
85g golden caster sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
1 egg yolk
3 tbsp whole milk
For the mincemeat
100g sultanas
100g raisins
100g currants
100g semi-dried apricots
50g cacao, finely grated
3 apples, such as russet or cox, peeled and grated
1 tbsp each light brown and dark brown muscovado sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon grated nutmeg and
mixed spice
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4-1/2 tsp ground mixed spice
Zest and juice of 2 lemons or oranges
5 tbsp rum or Calvados or Grand Marnier or cognac
2 tbsp olive oil
Icing sugar, to finish
Instructions
1. Prepare the pastry by putting the flour and almonds into the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until it looks like very fine breadcrumbs.
2. Sprinkle in the sugar and add the lemon zest, egg yolk and milk and pulse until the mixture starts to clump together. Tip the mixture onto a board and gently squeeze the pastry until it comes together into a ball - add water if it feels dry. Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
3. Heat oven to 190°C. Roll the pastry on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of few millimetres. Using a 7cm fluted cutter, cut out 24 discs and line 2 x 12 hole bun tin with them. Use a 6cm fluted cutter to cut 24 discs for the lids.
4. Make the mincemeat by putting the sultanas, raisons, currants and apricots in a food processor. Blitz until evenly chopped. Stir in the remaining ingredients.
5. Spoon 2 tsp of mincemeat into each tart, dampen the edge of the pastry bottom with water and sit a smaller pastry disc on top. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and cool on a wire rack. Finish with a dusting of icing sugar.
The important part Gluhwien
Ingredients
100ml (3½fl oz) golden caster sugar
300ml (½ pint) water
half lemon, sliced
10 whole cloves
2 star annisse
4 small cinnamon sticks
1 orange, sliced for garnish
Macs tip
Adjust the spices to your own personal taste add more or less of one or the other.This all so works with the Gluhwien.please remember Never drink and drive Gluhwien is alcohol around about 14% proof .
Chocolate facts
Antioxidant-rich diets have been linked to a lowered risk of heart attacks, stroke, cardiovascular disease, cancer, high blood pressure, cholesterol problems, arthritis, asthma, Alzheimer's and more. So it stands to reason that if chocolate is chock full of antioxidants, it's actually good for you.
