MANGO CHUTNEY

Recipe taken from Jams, Preserves & Chutneys by Marguerite Patten

12oz onions finely chopped
1½lb mango (weight stoned and peeled - usually 2)
1lb cooking apples (weight peeled and cored)
2tsp pickling spices
½ pint white wine vinegar
1 orange
1¼lb sugar

Put onions into pan
Cut approx 2/3 of mango and all apples into small dice, add to onions.
Cut remaining mango into larger dice and set aside.
Tie spices in muslin and add to pan with the vinegar
Simmer gently until onions and fruit are getting soft.
Grate zest of orange finely, halve and squeeze juice; add both zest and juice to pan, along with remaining mango.
Cook for 5 mins
Add sugar and stir over low heat until dissolved, the boil steadily until consistencey of a soft jam.
Remove spices.
Allow to cool for approx 10 mins then stir to evenly distribute fruit pieces.
Spoon into hot jars and seal down.

MINCEMEAT

This is the recipe I have used to make the mincemeat this year.

Makes 6lb

1lb cooking apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
8oz shredded suet
2lb dried mixed fruit
12oz soft dark brown sugar
grated rind and juice 1 orange
grated rind and juice 1 lemon
2 tbsp lemon juie
2 tsp mixed spice
½ tsp ground cinnamon
half a nutmeg grated
6 tbsp brandy

Mix all ingredients apart from brandy together in a bowl, and leavecovered with a cloth for 12 -18 hours.
Mix through then place in a very low oven 120°C/225°F/gas ¼ for 3 hours.
Allow to become completely cold then stir in brandy, spoon into clean dry jars and seal.

ELDERFLOWER CORDIAL

Ingredients:
1.5 litres of boiling water
1 kilo of white granulated sugar
20 large elderflower heads (if they are small, pick more)
4 lemons
55g of citric acid

Method:
1. In a Pyrex bowl (or deep saucepan) pour the boiling water onto the sugar and stir. Leave to cool, stirring every now and then to dissolve the sugar.
2. When cool add the citric acid, the lemons (zested and sliced) and the elderflower heads.
3. Leave to steep for 48 hours.
4. Strain twice through sterilised muslin (how do I sterilise muslin? See Tips and tricks below)
5. Using a jug and funnel carefully pour into hot sterilised bottles (how do I sterilise bottles? See Tips and tricks below)
Tips and tricks:
How do I sterilise a jelly bag or muslin square?Both can be scalded with boiling water. If you are using a clean muslin bag or square you can iron them with a hot iron. This also works with tea cloths.
How do I sterilise bottles?The sterilising method that we used is simple. Just before making the syrup, I quickly wash and rinse the bottles and place them upside down in a cold oven. Set the temperature to 160° (140° fan-assisted). When the oven has reached the right temperature I turn off the heat. The bottles will stay warm for quite a while. Sterilise the lids by boiling these for a few minutes in water.

FIVE CUP FRUIT LOAF

This recipe is coutesy of the "Netmums.com cookery book"

FIVE CUP FRUIT LOAF

1 cup sugar
1 cup dried fruit (any mixture you like)
1 cup robust breakfast cereal (oats,bran flakes,muesli etc)
1 cup milk
1 cup SR flour

Oven 180°C/Gas 4

Line 2lb loaf tin with greaseproof paper

In a bowl mix together first 4 ingredients leave to soak for at least an hour

Add flour and mix well. It will be very runny.

Pour into tin, bake approx 1 hour until cake is firm and knife comes out clean.

Allow to cool and store in airtight tin

CHOCOLATE CONCRETE

450 g margarine
620g flour
425g sugar
115g cocoa,

Oven temp 325oF, 170oC or Gas No.3.

Melt margarine in saucepan.
Add vanilla essence if you like, 2 tspns.
Mix all dry ingredients in mixer bowl, add margarine.
Mix well.
Divide between greased tins and spread evenly.
Make a pattern with a fork.
Brush with water and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake in a slow oven for about 40 minutes.
Portion whilst warm and cool on a wire tray.

MILLIES COOKIES

3oz butter
3oz granulated sugar
3oz brown sugar (can just use all white granulated, works just fine)
vanilla essence
1 egg
6oz s/r flour
pinch salt
4oz choc chips

Preheat oven to 180c

Mix all ingredients together.
Put spoonfuls on greaseproof paper and cook for 11 mins precisely.
Cookies should still be soft when they come out of the oven, they will harden a bit.
Peel off greaseproof when they cool.

MILLIONAIRES SHORTBREAD

175g/6 oz plain flour
125g/4 ½ oz butter cut into small pieces
50g/1 ¾ oz soft brown sugar sieved

Topping
50g/1 ¾ oz butter
50g/ 1 ¾ oz soft brown sugar
400g/14oz can condensed milk

150g/5 ½ oz milk chocolate

oven 190c/ 375f/ gas5

1. Grease a 23cm/9inch square cake tin.

2. Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl and rub in the butter with your fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and mix to form a firm dough.

3. Press the dough into the prepared tin and pr1ck with a fork.

4. Bake for 20 minutes until lightly golden. Leave to cool in the tin.

5. To make the topping place the butter, sugar and condensed milk in a non-stick saucepan and cook over a gentle heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to the boil.

6. Reduce the heat and cook for 4-5 minutes until the caramel is pale golden and thick and is coming away from the sides of the pan. Pour the topping over the shortbread base and leave to cool.

7. When the caramel topping is firm, melt the milk chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Spread the melted chocolate over the topping leave to set in a cool place then cut the shortbread into squares or fingers to serve.