CHRISTMAS BREAD & BUTTER PUDDING

A few years ago now I entered the Women's Institute Cook of the Year Competition, it was in November and entrants had to create an alternative Christmas menu.  It was to be judged by Brian Turner and I had to cook the meal in front of an audience at the Good Food Show in Birmingham.

It was all very daunting but the most difficult part for me was coming up with something that could top trifle or Christmas pudding.  as far as I'm concerned they are the puddings you have on December 25th and they should not be messed with.  In the end I thought about what Brian might like and decided he's quite a traditional man with very classic taste.

My dessert was this Christmas bread and butter pudding made with mince meat and a touch of advocaat in the custard for and added yule tide touch.  It's so very comforting and cosy, he loved it.

45g Butter
8 White Bread Slices
360g Mincemeat
300g Milk
50g Double Cream
50g Advocaat
2 Eggs
2 tbsp Sugar
Cinnamon to Dust

Use some of the butter to grease the base and sides of a 2 pint oven proof dish.

Use the remaining butter to spread over the slices of bread.  Divide the mincemeat into 4 and make sandwiches with it.  Remove the crusts and cut the sandwiches into 1/4's then place them into your buttered dish.

In a jug, whisk together the milk, cream, Advocaat and eggs then pour it over the bread.  Sprinkle on the sugar and cinnamon and leave to stand for 30 minutes.  This will allow the custard to soak into the bread.

Bake in the oven at 180C for 30-40 minutes till set, brown and crunchy on top.

My winning pudding, thanks Brian Xx

MINCE MEAT SLICE

I'm going to come right out with it, I don't like mince pies.  There, I've said it.  I think they're just too rich but this alternative has the perfect balance of fruit and pastry.

I have used one dough for the top and bottom a bit like a shortbread then added flaked almonds for a little more crunch and texture, the end result is a bit like a crumble slice.

In a processor mix 250g Self Raising Flour, 220g Sunflower Margarine, 50g Light Brown Sugar and 2 tsp Mixed Spice.  This will make a soft dough.  Take two thirds of the dough and press it into the base of an 11" x 7" rectangular baking tin lined with parchment.

Now cover the base with a 400g Jar of Mincemeat spreading it evenly up to the edges.  Next use a large size grater and grate the remaining dough over the top of the mincemeat.  Lastly sprinkle over 30g Flakes Almonds and baked at 170C for 25-30 minutes.

Once it has cooled dredge with icing sugar

CHRISTMAS MINCEMEAT WREATH

Ok, I'm really getting into christmas now and I love love love this recipe!  It's got it all - quick and easy to make, tastes delish and looks fabulous.  Apart from the final bake, there's no cooking, just assembling and all the ingredients you can just have in, brilliant if great aunt Beryl drops by unexpectedly.

2 Pkts Croissant Dough

1 Apple thinly sliced

1/2 Jar Mincemeat

200g Full Fat Cream Cheese

60g Icing Sugar

Icing Sugar & Cinnamon to dust

Mix together the cream cheese and icing sugar.

Arrange the dough on your baking sheet in a ring with the short sides joining together and the long sides pointing out like a sun.  Press the joining edges together slightly. 

Spread half the mincemeat on the dough topped with the sliced apple then the cream cheese mixture.  Finish it off with the remaining mincemeat.  Don't worry too much if you use a little more than half the jar, it will just be a little richer.

Now bring the points of your dough over the top of the filling into the centre tucking the ends under to form a wreath.  It sounds more complicated than it actually is.

Cook for 25 minutes at 180C.  Remove from the oven and dust with icing sugar and cinnamon.  

As it's christmas I also added a bit of edible glitter and some snowflake sprinkles.  You could also try it with some icing sugar mixed with a little lemon juice drizzled over the top.