Apricot Mince Pies

This interesting and somewhat different recipe for mince pies is from our friends at Bonne Maman.

Ingredients

100g unsalted butter, at room temperature and cubed, plus extra for greasing

200g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

1tsp ground mixed spice

1tbsp caster sugar

6tsp Bonne Maman Apricot Conserve

6tsp good-quality mincemeat

1 beaten egg to glaze

icing sugar, to dust

How to make them

Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan oven 180°C), gas mark 6. Lightly grease a 12-hole cake tin.

Put the flour into a mixing bowl, add the butter and rub into the flour until the mixture is like fine breadcrumbs.

Add the mixed spice to the sugar in a pestle and mortar or a strong bowl with the end of a rolling pin and grind together until well mixed and a little powdery. Add this to the flour and butter and stir in.

Using a round-bladed palette knife, mix in 3-4 tbsp cold water, stirring until it comes together. Then, with your hands, work the dough gently into a ball, wrap in cling film and allow to rest for about 20 mins.

Roll out the pastry thinly on a lightly floured work surface. Stamp out 12 circles with a fluted pastry cutter, slightly larger than cake holes, and press the circles into the tin.

Put about 1/2 tsp of apricot conserve into each pastry case, then top with about 1/2 teaspoon of mincemeat.

Re-roll the pastry trimmings and cut out 12 smaller circles and put them on top of the mincemeat. Glaze the tops with a little milk or beaten egg, if available, and bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 mins until the pastry is crisp and golden.

Cool in the tin for 5 mins, then remove and cool on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar to finish.

Spiced Ginger bread Wreath from Bonne Maman

Ingredients

50g unsalted butter, diced

50g Demerara sugar

100g golden syrup

1 tsp mixed spice

1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

30ml beaten egg

250g plain flour

20 tbsp Bonne Maman conserve in many flavours and colours

250g white fondant icing

250g Royal icing sugar

To make the gingerbread dough, put the butter in a large bowl.

In a saucepan, stir together the sugar, syrup, spices and ginger and bring to the boil. Add the bicarbonate of soda (it will puff up) and pour the hot mixture over the butter. Stir until the butter has melted.

Beat in the egg and slowly blend in the flour. It will look as though there is too much flour but it will blend in.

Knead the dough in the bowl until smooth and cut into quarters. Wrap each piece in clingfilm. Roll out a quarter of the dough at a time to make the biscuits.

Roll the dough out between two sheets of baking parchment, to about 3mm thickness. Use a variety of Christmas cutters to stamp out about 50 biscuits of varying sizes. We used snowflake cutters from 12cm across down to 4cm. Remember you will need two of each size, to sandwich together. Re-knead and re-roll the trimmings.

Lay the biscuits out on baking sheets, lined with baking parchment. Stamp out the centre from half the biscuits to create the space for the conserve. We used a 2 1/2cm and 1 1/2cm round cutter. Chill the biscuits for a good hour before baking.

Heat the oven to 170C, 150C fan, gas 3. Bake the biscuits in batches until golden and crisp. They will take between 7 and 10 mins, depending on size. Cool on a wire rack.

While the biscuits are cooling, roll out the fondant icing on a surface dusted lightly with icing sugar and stamp out 6 or 7 snowflakes, using the same cutters. Stamp out the centres, using the same round cutters. Brush the top biscuits with a little conserve and lightly press on the matching icing.

Brush all the base biscuits lightly with conserve and press on the top biscuits. You should now have about 25 snowflake biscuit sandwiches of various sizes, some iced with fondant and some plain.

Put the Royal icing sugar in a bowl with 40ml of cold water. Gradually beat the icing until it forms a stiff but pipeable paste. Spoon into a piping bag with a small nozzle and pipe or drizzle icing across most of the biscuits to resemble snowflakes. Leave the icing to set for 10 mins. Fill the biscuit centres with various flavours and colours of Bonne Maman Conserve. Store the biscuits in airtight containers until ready to use.

To serve, arrange the biscuits in a generous wreath on a large white board and take to the table for Christmas tea.

Rudolph Reindeer Cake from Bonne Maman

Ingredients

400g mixed dried fruit

300ml dry cider or apple juice

225g stoned whole dates

1 tbsp mixed spice

2 tbsp Bonne Maman Apricot, Mirabelle Plum or Fig Conserve

1 large ripe banana

finely grated zest 1 orange and 1 lemon

120g fine polenta

2 tsp baking powder (use gluten-free baking powder if wished)

2 large egg whites or 5tbsp chilled aquafaba, if you wish to make a vegan or egg free version.

2 tbsp brandy or dry sherry, optional

Metod

Put the dried fruit in a large mixing bowl and pour in 100ml of the cider or apple juice. Leave to soak overnight.

Heat the oven to 180C, 160C fan, gas 4. Line an 18cm round, 10cm deep cake tin or 6 small 220g baked bean tins with baking parchment.

Put the dates, spice, conserve and remaining 200ml cider or apple juice into a saucepan and simmer gently for 5 mins. Take off the heat and leave to cool.

In a blender or processor, puree the date mixture with the banana. Transfer to a mixing bowl and fold in the citrus zest, soaked dried fruit, polenta and baking powder.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites or aquafaba into soft peaks and fold into the fruit mixture. Spoon into lined cake tins.

Bake for 25-30 mins for individual cakes or 45-50 mins for a large one, covering with foil after 30 mins. A skewer pushed into the centre of the cake should come out clean when it's cooked.

Drizzle the brandy or sherry over the hot cake, if using, then leave to cool in the tin. The cooked cakes keep well, wrapped in clingfilm and foil, in an airtight tin for up to 3 days, or can be frozen undecorated.

Christmas Carrot Cake from Bonne Maman

For the Cake

200g dark brown sugar

50g Bonne Maman Apricot Conserve

3 large eggs

225ml sunflower oil

80g desiccated coconut

250g carrot, coarsely grated

1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger or 1 tsp ground

200g self-raising wholemeal flour

1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

3 teaspoon mixed spice

grated zest of 1 large orange

For the Frosting

250g tub mascarpone cheese

300ml carton extra thick double cream

180g tub light soft cheese

2 tbsp icing sugar

150g Bonne Maman Apricot Conserve

How to make it

Heat the oven to 170C, 150C fan, gas 3. Line a 20cm round, 10cm deep cake tin with baking parchment.

With an electric whisk, beat together the sugar and 50g of conserve with the eggs and oil for 3-4 mins.

Stir in all the remaining ingredients until evenly mixed and spoon into the prepared tin. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours or until golden brown and firm to the touch.

A skewer pushed into the centre should come out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the tin before turning out.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. Put the mascarpone in a bowl and gradually beat in the cream with a wooden spoon until thick and smooth. Now beat in the soft cheese and icing sugar. Chill the mixture for 15 mins.

Cut the cold cake into three layers. Set aside the top of the cake and spread the bottom and middle layer generously with the remaining apricot conserve. Lightly dollop about a third of the frosting onto the conserve and spread evenly. Layer up the cake again and lightly cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Some of the cake should show through.

Christmastime Vanilla Shortbreads

Everyone likes shortbreads so this special Vanilla Shortbreads recipe courtesy of our friends at Bonne Maman will prove to be a real Christmastime winner with friends and family members alike!

Ingredients

225g unsalted butter

2 tsp vanilla extract

115g caster sugar

340g plain flour

125g custard powder

4-5 tbsp milk

Bonne Maman Conserves

Bonne Maman Hazelnut Chocolate Spread

Icing sugar, to dust

Heat the oven to 150°C, 130°C fan, gas 2.

In a medium bowl, beat together the butter, vanilla and sugar until creamy. Mix in the dry ingredients and enough milk to form a firm dough.

Knead the dough into a ball and put it between two sheets of baking paper. Roll out the dough as thinly as you can, about 5mm, then chill for 20 minutes.

Using whatever cutters you have, stamp out an even number of biscuits. Now stamp out small rounds or stars from the centre of half the biscuits to make the tops.

Mix together all the dough off-cuts and re-roll between the paper as before. Stamp out more shapes.

Once the shapes are cut out, arrange on 2 baking sheets lines with paper and chill for 10 minutes.

Bake the biscuits for about 10-12 minutes or until firm and pale golden. Cool on the baking sheet.

When cool, spread your favourite Bonne Maman Conserve or Hazelnut Chocolate Spread on the bottom biscuits and top with another, pressing them together. Dust with icing sugar.

Black Forrest Roulade with Bonne Maman

Ingredients For the cake

5 eggs, separated

100g caster sugar

60ml vegetable oil

60ml whole milk

80g self-raising flour

25g cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

360g jar Bonne Maman Hazelnut Chocolate Spread

For the filling

150ml double cream

250g tub mascarpone cheese

1 can pitted black cherries in light syrup, drained

icing sugar

How to make it

For the cake. Line a shallow baking tray / Swiss roll tin with non-stick baking paper. Heat the oven to 180°C, 160° fan, Gas 4.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites into soft peaks then gradually whisk in 60g of the caster sugar, a little at a time, until the mixture forms stiff peaks.

Whisk the egg yolks with the remaining caster sugar for 2-3 minutes, then whisk in the oil and milk. When well blended, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and 30g of the Bonne Maman Hazelnut Chocolate Spread. Beat well until smooth, then gently fold in the whisked egg whites with a spatula or large metal spoon.

Spread the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the sponge is risen golden and springy to the touch.

Lay a damp tea towel on the work surface and cover with a large sheet of non-stick baking paper. Dust the paper liberally with icing sugar. When the cake is cooked, remove from the oven, and turn the cake over onto the paper. Slowly and gently peel off the lining paper and leave the cake to cool.

Meanwhile, make the filling. Whisk the cream, mascarpone cheese and 2 tbsp icing sugar together until smooth and the consistency of lightly whipped cream. Be careful not to over whisk it. Spoon a generous layer of filling onto the cooled cake and spread to the edges. Sprinkle over the cherries with a little of the syrup. Spread the remaining filling on top and roll up tightly from the shortest edge. Cover the roulade with the remaining Bonne Maman Hazelnut Chocolate Spread. Decorate with chocolate shards, sugar toadstools and greenery. Chill for an hour before serving.

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