2020 Vision - Christmas Cheers!
For the final chapter in our 2020 Vision series, we wanted to end with a sprinkling of Christmas cheer! So we asked caterer extraordinaire, and queen of the canapés, Milli Taylor, to share a couple of her favourite festive recipes. (Some of you may well have already made her delicious Brown Butter Banana Bread which was somewhat of a lockdown sensation.)
Milli's Christmas recipes:
Normally at this time of year, Christmas parties would be in full swing with everyone in excited anticipation for Christmas itself.
Dates stuffed with goat’s cheese, pistachios and pomegranate
20 pitted dates
80g soft goats cheese (no rind)
2 tbsp slivered pistachios
grated zest of one orange
2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
Split the dates in half lengthways and fill them with the goats cheese.
Sprinkle over the pistachios, orange zest and pomegranate seeds.
Shallow Mince pies
I love a short, crumbly pastry, a little mincemeat and an orange zest frangipane lid. I cheat, and buy a good quality jar of mincemeat.
🌬
Makes 12 -14 shallow mince pies
If you like a deeper filled mince pie, the recipe will make less than above
For the pastry
150g plain flour
80g butter
1 medium egg yolk
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
25g caster sugar
1 - 2tbsp splash of milk/water
For the Frangipane topping
100g ground almonds
100g butter
100g caster sugar
1 medium egg
zest of 1 orange
pinch of salt
I heaped tbsp plain flour
Jar of mincemeat 410g
Icing sugar for dusting
You’ll need a 12 hole mince pie/muffin tin and an 8cm scone cutter
180c (160 fan)
Method
Add all the ingredients for the pastry into the food processor and pulse until the mix appears as damp breadcrumbs. Tip out into a large bowl and bring together with your hands until it is in a ball. It will come together well as the dough relaxes in the fridge. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for an hour.
In the same bowl of the food processor, you can make the frangipane. Add all ingredients and whizz until you have a smooth paste. Scrape the frangipane out into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for an hour.
Take the pastry out of the fridge and work it a little in your hands into a ball and then flatten the ball in-between two sheets of greaseproof paper. Roll out until 3mm thick and then cut out rounds with the scone cutter. Bring the leftover pastry together and roll out again to cut more rounds.
Place each disc of pastry into the tin and press gently into the tin. Spoon 1tsp of mincemeat into each pie allowing room on top for the frangipane.
Spread the frangipane on top with a small spatula or knife and then bake in the oven for about 25 minutes or until nice and golden brown.
Allow to cool slightly before dusting with a little icing sugar.
Follow Milli and see more of her incredible creations here: @millitaylor