Holiday Out Of The Frying Pan!

A big thank you to Velveteen for a special holiday version of Out Of The Frying Pan!

Gingerbread!

Equipment

Baking tray

mixing bowl

Wooden spoon

Rolling pin

Baking parchment

Cutter

Clingfim

Ingredients

350g/12oz plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

125g/4½oz butter

175g/6oz light soft brown sugar

1 free-range egg

4 tbsp golden syrup

add flour, bicarbonate, ginger and cinnamon to bowl. Mix until it resembles breadcrumbs, mix in sugar, beat egg and golden syrup together separately, add in and mix, tip out and knead until homogeneous, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Roll out, cut to shape, bake at 180C/350F for 12-15 minutes, decorate.

Mince Pies!

Equipment

Mixing bowl

Wooden spoon

Rolling pin

Muffin/cupcake tin

Pastry brush

Little bowl

Clingfilm

(Blender/mixer/brute force and a strong plastic bag or towel/ pestle and mortar/Fist of fury!) - if grinding your own almonds.

Pastry ingredients

200g/7oz plain flour, sifted

40g/1½oz golden caster sugar

75g/2¾oz ground almonds

125g/4½oz unsalted butter, diced

1 large free-range egg, beaten

milk, to glaze

Minemeat ingredients (350g required for this recipe)

225g/8oz vegetarian suet

225g/8oz Bramley apples, peeled, cored and chopped

125g/4oz candied peel, chopped

225g/8oz sultanas

225g/8oz raisins

225g/8oz currants

175g/6oz demerara sugar

1 tsp mixed spice

1 orange, zest and juice

60ml/2fl oz brandy

rub butter into dry ingredients, stir in egg, kneed together, clingfilm and refrigerate for an hour ish, roll out, cut out 12 circles and push gently into buttered tin, fill with mince meat, cut 12 smaller circles for the tops, press edges to seal, brush with milk, bake at 200C/400F for 20 minutes ish.

Mulled Wine!

Equipment 

Large pan

Chopping board

Knife

Grater

Shinwa/fine sieve

Ladle

Resolve to save some red wine for the pan

Ingredients

2 oranges/clementines

1 lemon

1 lime

200 g caster sugar

6 whole cloves

1 stick cinnamon

3 fresh bay leaves

1 whole nutmeg, for grating

1 vanilla pod, halved lengthways

2 star anise

12 cardamom pods

12 juniper berries

2 bottles of red wine

add sugar, spices large peel strips and juice of an orange, lemon and lime into a pan, pour in just enough red wine to cover the sugar, heat and stir until sugar dissolves, then bring to the boil. cook for 5 minutes ish, until thick and syrupy. Turn heat to low, add the rest of the red wine and a whole orange sliced into rings, gently heat and stir. after 5 minutes, serve.

Cranberry Sauce

Equipment

Saucepan

Wooden Spoon

Ingredients 

100ml fresh squeezed orange juice

100g muscovado sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

250g cranberries (or Domberries if you prefer)

Put orange juice and sugar into a pan, heat on medium until it reaches the boil, add cranberries and cinnamon, cook for 8-10 minutes, remove from heat and cool, serve.