A Taste of Christmas – Mincemeat Cakes and Spiced Streusel Pies

Happy days – getting ready for tomorrow’s coffee morning and book sale. I’ve got Supertramp playing, the kitchen is warm, and I’m rolling out beautifully soft butter pastry for the mince pies. It takes me straight back to my days at Robert Carrier’s all those years ago, when I first learned to make pastry properly. My version, shared in Stirring Stuff at Christmas, is soft, velvety and never fails to elicit a compliment.

The kitchen has been full of the scent of brandy, spice and citrus this week as I’ve been baking for the event. On offer will be slices of Christmas Mincemeat Fruit Cake, platefuls of warm Spiced Streusel Topped Mince Pies, and a bowl of Russian meringue cookies filled with chopped pecans and chocolate. All the recipes can be found in Stirring Stuff at Christmas.

The cake is a deep, moist little number, rich with mincemeat, prunes and a hint of orange brandy. It’s the sort of recipe that can be made well in advance and tucked away, or baked at the last minute when you realise you’ve promised to bring “something Christmassy”. Its warmth comes not only from the spices but from the ease of it – no elaborate soaking or stirring, just honest, fragrant ingredients doing their thing in the oven.

The mince pies are another twist on tradition. Rather than the usual pastry lids, they’re topped with a buttery, spiced streusel crumble that turns golden and crisp as it bakes, giving a lovely contrast to the dark, rich filling beneath. They’re just as good warm from the oven as they are the next day with a spoonful of brandy cream.

I’ll be taking a few photos on the day – the clatter of coffee cups, books stacked high, and a table fragrant with fruit and spice. It’s always a joy to share homemade bakes with friends and fellow food lovers, especially as Christmas draws near and kitchens hum with stories as much as recipes.

If you’d like to sample these and other festive treats, join me at The Pavilion, Henley, on 20 November for an evening of canapés, bubbles and book signing from Stirring Stuff at Christmas.