Now that we are well and truly into the festive season, I figured it was time to crack on with the Christmas baking! Today I am starting with the classic mince pie, a sweet treat that has been enjoyed as part of a traditional British Christmas since the 16th Century- a long time ago right?! Back then they actually contained a meat filling, hence the name, mincemeat. Makes sense I guess. However, I'm glad that we now make them with a sweet sticky filling of dried fruits, sugar, and spices (plus a little dash of brandy if you're lucky!). The mincemeat is usually encased in a shortcrust pastry crust, although some may prefer to use puff pastry, and top with frangipan, crumble or even marzipan and icing. My mum always bakes mini versions with a viennese shortbread topping and they are an absolute delight!

The recipe I am sharing with you today is very much a traditional one, but please do feel free to experiment with your own variations- I love to hear about your ideas!

I have included a recipe for homemade mincemeat, but if this is too much faff then a good quality shop bought version is absolutely fine. If I'm pushed for time, I buy a jar of mincemeat and add more of my favourite fruits and nuts (plus a dash of alcohol if I want them a little boozy!)


for the pastry:
240g plain flour
60g unsalted butter
60g lard
pinch of salt

for the mincemeat:
625g dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, currants work well but try adding apricots or cranberries to mix it up a little!)
100ml brandy
zest of one orange (plus the juice of half)
300g shredded suet
250g dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1 large Bramley apple, peeled, cored, and grated

Start by making the mincemeat. Soak the dried fruits in the brandy and orange juice for at least one hour (or overnight if you can wait that long!). Mix together the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl.
Once your fruits are nice and plump, add them to the remaining mincemeat mix and stir in the brandy. Transfer into sterilised jars, seal, and leave for a week or two before using.

For the pastry, rub the fat into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs, then stir in the salt (you can also add a tablespoon of caster sugar for a sweet pastry, although this is not necessary). Sprinkle in 2-3 tbsp of cold water and gradually bring the pastry together into a ball. Wrap your pastry in clingfilm and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Remove the pastry from the fridge, knead gently and roll out on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of around 3mm. Using a pastry cutter, stamp out 12 rounds and press these into your tart tin.
Dollop around a tablespoon of mincemeat into each tart shell, then cut out 12 more slightly smaller rounds of pastry (or stars/whatever other shape takes your fancy!) to place on top.
Carefully seal the edges of each tart, using a little beaten egg or milk if you need, and then snip the top of the pastry with a small pair of scissors (or make a small hole- I used a mini star cutter for mine!). Place the pies in the fridge whilst you pre-heat your oven to Gas mark 6 (200C).
Bake your pies for 15-20 minutes until they are golden brown. Leave for 5 minutes in the tin, then remove and sprinkle with a dusting of caster sugar.

I find that mince pies are particularly tasty when eaten whilst still warm from the oven, so go ahead and tuck in!

NB: If you have any left over mincemeat, it will keep in the fridge for up to six months and is versatile enough for use in many other sweet recipes. I love stirring it into my favourite vanilla ice cream!

I'm going back to basics today, and starting with the classic Victoria Sandwich- a cake that many of us will be very familiar with. Whether you're an experienced baker, or a complete novice, this cake is always a joy to make. It makes the perfect addition to an afternoon tea and is popular with both children and adults alike.

What makes the perfect Victoria? I believe it should be a light, moist and tender cake with a generous filling of raspberry jam, the seeded kind, and a jolly good dusting of icing sugar. For a slightly more indulgent cake, butter icing or freshly whipped cream are wonderful (but not necessary) options as an additional filling.



Let's start with the big question- butter or margarine? Now although I'm very much an all-butter kind of girl, I actually prefer to make my cake with baking margarine. I find that this gives a slightly lighter, moister cake in comparison to using butter. If you do choose this option, ensure that you use a 'baking' margarine with at least 70% fat as the flavour is far superior to other spreads. Do not use a low fat spread- believe me it is just not worth it! The type of fat you choose to use will be a matter of personal preference. If you like a really buttery tasting sponge, then butter will of course be the obvious choice. If you're not sure, I suggest that you experiment with both to get an idea (plus this gives you an excuse to make two cakes!).

For the sugar, use caster, as the fine grain makes it ideal for creamed cakes. Golden caster sugar can also work well if you want a slightly more intense caramel flavour.

Free range eggs are a must if you want to produce a high quality, tasty cake. You may also want to use organic, but again this will be a personal preference. For my recipe, I use large eggs that weigh around 60 g without their shell.

Always use self-raising flour. I have found that plain flour with the addition of baking powder just doesn't give the same rise. If you have beaten enough air into the mixture, it should not be necessary to add any baking powder but it can be used for an extra boost!



My Perfect Victoria Sandwich Recipe:

225g butter or margarine (at least 70% fat)
225g caster sugar
4 large eggs, beaten
225g self-raising flour
Raspberry jam
Icing sugar for dusting

Butter icing (optional):
80g unsalted butter
160g icing sugar

1. Pre-heat the oven to Gas mark 4 (180C) and line two 8" round sandwich tins with baking parchment.
1. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (an electric whisk or stand mixer is best for this!)
2. Gradually beat the eggs into the mixture a small amount at a time- don't worry too much if the mixture curdles, it should not affect the final texture of the baked cake.
3. Sift the flour into the mixture and gently fold in until you have a smooth mixture.
4. Divide equally between your two sandwich tins, place into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until well risen and golden brown.
5. Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, before removing and allowing to cool completely.
6. Fill the cooled cakes with jam and butter icing, then finish with a sprinkling of icing sugar.

So that's it! Pretty simple right? Please do leave your thoughts and comments below as I love to hear your opinions. What makes the perfect cake for you?

Until next time!

Claire Elizabeth x

Hello there! It's certainly been a while hasn't it?

Now I say this is a 'sort of' fudge as it actually began as chocolate icing for a cake. I had a little excess icing and rather than just eating it as I normally would (terrible I know) I thought I'd make something useful (although I'll now just be eating it in a different form so I guess that's not any better!)

I recently received some lovely bunting from one of my favourite online shops, Dot com gift shop. I love their range of gifts and homewares, and I often use their products at my place of work, Tiffin Tea House. Now if you have ever visited Tiffin, you will know that we always have a string of pretty bunting on display and it forms quite a key part of our image. The bunting I was sent is made of a variety of different materials, each with a different design on each flag. I found this to be a nice change from the plain pastel coloured materials I am used to seeing, and it still matched our vintage English tea room theme that we have at Tiffin.

This English Rose design bunting is made of cotton and measures 800 cm- long enough to stretch quite a fair distance which is perfect for a street party!

Dot com gift shop have a great range of bunting available on their site, perfect for any occasion. Choose from paper or fabric, spotty or lace, patterned or plain- you can even buy a 'make your own bunting' set which is brilliant for the crafty ones amoungst us!

 
I also love this cute baby bunting which would make a great decoration for a child's bedroom, party or even a baby shower.
As much as I love all this bunting, I am all about the baking, and so I was very happy to come across this mini bunting made especially for decorating cakes-perfect!


To check out the full range of bunting available, please click here!

Happy New Year to all my lovely readers!

I thought I'd begin 2013 by looking back at some of my best cakes from 2012, so here are my favourites: