Things are much simpler for a household of two, even though surprises still manage to find us. I've planned to have venison for Christmas eve dinner but it was ran out more than a week ago on the day we went. Didn't realize that venison is still so popular in this country. We got a nice piece of beef instead. You can't go wrong with a proper roast beef.
As for my holiday chemistry, well, I made my first ever batch of mince pies this year. Even though they all came out in a variety of shapes (my ever so
First, I made my own mincemeat following Nigella's recipe. Very easy, very tasty, yielding just the right amount for a small household. Also, no animal fat was used. Not that I am against, it's just I already got enough from the pie crust. Speaking of pie crust, I used my mom's homemade puff pastry. Yes, mince pies in puff pastry. You should try it. It lightens the texture (sadly not calories, but who's counting/thinking that in December?) and is a nice change from the usual shortcrust pastry (pate brisee). As a last minute whim, I decided to add some frangipane in my mince pies (1 egg + 45 g each of ground almond, butter, and sugar). Oh boy oh boy, do I need to tell you how wonderful it tasted? Citrus laced and brandy doused dried fruit surrounded by almond cream on top of flaky pastry. Very Christmassy and very very good. I will have to work on my shaping next year. Yes, there will be a return of homemade mince pies in 2014. Just you watch.
With 2013 coming to an end, I want to thank you for stopping by here this year and I wish you all a happy Christmas/holiday and a prosperous 2014 to come.
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