Home Made Mincemeat and Mincemeat & Apple Parcels

For the last few years I've been making my own mincemeat at Christmas, and I don't know why I didn't start making it sooner, as it's one of the simplest things. All it takes is a little soaking and mixing and then into sterilised jars, ready to use over the holiday period.

My first mincemeat was chocolate flavoured, which added to the richness of it, and it was great in recipes such as mincemeat palmiers, mincemeat pancakes, mincemeat ice cream and mincemeat slices. 

You don't need to be a culinary genius to make mince pies, especially if you use ready rolled puff pastry to make these mincemeat and apple parcels. If you want to have a go at making your own mincemeat, my recipe can be found at the end of the post.

Mincemeat & Apple Parcels - makes approx 20 small parcels

320g pack of ready rolled puff pastry

200g mincemeat

1 small Bramley apple, peeled, cored & finely chopped

1 egg, beaten

caster sugar

• open out the pastry and cut into approx 20 equal squares 
• mix together the mincemeat and Bramley apple
• spoon a small amount (approx 1 tsp) of mincemeat/apple into the centre of each square
• brush around the edge of the pastry with beaten egg
• fold one corner of the pastry diagonally across to the other corner and seal around the edges with a fork
• lay onto a baking sheet and brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with a little caster sugar
• (at this point you can freeze a few to bake at a later stage)
• bake in a preheated 200C oven for approx 15 minutes, until golden brown and puffed up

Home Made Mincemeat - makes approx 6 large jars (recipe can be scaled down as required)

1500g dried mixed fruit (raisins, sultanas, cherries, mixed peel, currants)

450g soft brown sugar

200ml dark rum

200g vegetable suet

1 Bramley apples, peeled, cored & grated

juice & zest of 1 lemon

juice & zest of 1 orange

1 tbsp mixed spice

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp ground ginger

• mix the dried fruit, sugar & rum together in a bowl
• cover and leave overnight to soak
• stir in the remaining ingredients until well combined
• spoon into sterilised airtight jars and store in a cupboard until needed

Scandinavian Inspiration for Your Home

Ever since I bought my first home back in the nineties, I’ve loved getting inspiration from, and shopping in, Ikea. There’s something about the clean look of Scandinavian furniture and homes that really appeals to me. Throughout the past 17 years of home ownership I’ve gone through many styles of décor, including bright orange and dark blue walls in my dining room (what was I thinking!), but more recently I’ve returned to that crisp Scandinavian look, with clean white walls and white furniture, and that ‘Hygge’ feel. Hygge is a word that I’ve seen a lot of this year, and it roughly translates as ‘cosy feel’.

We’ve recently had the lounge painted, and gone are the floral brown wallpaper clad and teal walls, replaced by fresh white walls, a newly painted fireplace in winter grey and grey accessories.  This Christmas I’ve completely embraced the Scandinavian look with red, white and grey bunting, cushions and decorations on the tree. I’m absolutely loving the way the lounge looks at the moment and can’t wait to get a few pictures up on the wall to give it even more ‘Hygge’. Our 12 year old carpet will be replaced in the new year and I’m crossing my fingers for a new sofa, but not holding my breath!

Although I love browsing the shops for home interior ideas, I find much of my inspiration on the Internet, in places such as Pinterest, Houzz, Polyvore and Homify. I could get lost for hours on these sites looking for lounge, bedroom and kitchen ideas, in particular the white rooms with pops of colour.

I’ve fallen in love with a few of the collections on Homify, and I can spend ages dreaming of having these homes for myself. As well as showcasing dreamy images the site is full of tips and advice on how to create your perfect style. A few of the tips for creating a Scandinavian feel in your home include the following :

• Choose warm and cosy fabrics
• Use natural materials in their raw state
• Limit colours to no more than 3 tones
• Use clever solutions to  maximise space
• Make the most of natural light

Photo credit :Ekaterine Donde Design/ Homify

Photo credit : Daria Baranovych Interior Design / Homify

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