Mince Pies
Every year, since I can remember, mince pies have been made in copious dozens and consumed at alarmingly fast rates in my family. Combined with a dry sherry, there is nothing else that makes me feel more Christmassy than this. They are to be eaten at all times of the day, including for breakfast. In our home, Santa gets a glass of Sherry and two mince pies on Christmas Eve. No milk and cookies for that old gent. And because I have to phone my mum EVERY year to ask the same question about baking temperature, I thought I might as well post the directions etc. to making delicious mince pies (or mince tarts).
There are some vital tools that you will need, many of which I have only found in the UK. My tart pans and cutters came from England but I'm sure you can use something else. Before I had the cutters I used different drinking glasses.
Make your favourite pastry (I use the "flaky pastry" recipe from the Joy of Cooking) and roll it out on a floured surface to about 2 mms thick. Cut out 12 large circles (bottoms) and 12 smaller circles (tops). Grease the tart pan and line each tart section with a bottom. Fill each tart with about 1.5 tsps of Crosse and Blackwell's mincemeat. This is the key. Almost all other mincemeats are pretty awful tasting but the Crosse and Blackwell line is delicious. Using warm water, wet the edge of a top and place wet side down on the filled tart. Push/tuck the top into the bottom. Snip the top with scissors and paint the top with milk. Bake in a 400F oven for about 20 minutes. Tarts should slide right out of pan, or you didn't grease them enough. Cool and serve.
Being filled:









Snipped and milked:









Ready to bake:









Ready to eat:

Stirring the Friendship Cake
Clara helps me stir this beast every year at this time. Then, close to Christmas, we'll make two delicious fruitcakes. I'll post the recipe too, but you need the starter to, well, start it. I have leftover starter and will end up with more starter, so if you live nearby and want some, let me know. It will be too late for Christmas this year, but not too late for New Years.

Friendship Cake
This is a delicious, moist golden cake with nuts, fruit, and coconut. It makes a delightful gift at anytime of the year, but is especially nice during the holiday season. This starter will keep in your freezer indefinitely, but only in your fridge for a couple of weeks. Don’t forget to start the process around the 21st of November, to have your cakes made in time for Christmas.

Day 1
Pour 2 cups of starter into a glass gallon jar or large bowl (don’t use plastic). Add one 16 oz. can of sliced peaches. Stir in 2 cups of white sugar and cover with a plate or tray. Leave at room temperature and stir every day for 10 days. Don’t cover air tight or refrigerate.

Day 10
Add one 16 oz can of chunk pineapple (cut into little pieces) and juice. Stir in 2.5 cups of white sugar. Leave at room temperature and stir every day for 10 days. The colour of the liquid will change and foam when you stir it.

Day 20
Add two small jars of marachino cherries, cut in half (6 oz jars). Don’t add the juice. Add 2.5 cups of white sugar. Leave at room temperature and stir every day for 10 days. The cherries will return the liquid to its pink colour.

Day 31
You are now ready to bake your cakes. There is enough fruit for two cakes and enough liquid for 3-4 ‘starters’ to give away or keep. It is better to make each cake individually, rather than one batch. Use all the fruit for both cakes.

1. Preheat oven to 300F. Grease and flour a bundt or tube pan.
2. Drain fruit into a bowl. Pour the liquid into glass containers for future starters.
3. To make one cake you will need:
Duncan Hines Butter Recipe Golden Cake Mix
Instant vanilla pudding mix (small)
4 eggs
2/3 cup oil
1.5 cup of drained fruit
1 cup each walnuts, pecans, raisins
1 cup coconut
4. In a large bowl, mix the above ingredients well. DO NOT USE AN ELECTRIC MIXER. Bake for 55-75 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
5. Cool completely, and turn out onto a cake tray or dish. Sift icing sugar over cake and put a votive candle in the middle.

Christmas Stollens
Aunty Karen, wonderful person that she is, traditionally makes masses of these to give to the folks in her life like teachers and bus drivers. I had high hopes of starting this tradition last year as I love to give baked delights for holiday presents but for reasons I cannot recall, it didn't happen. But I have managed to try out the recipe for Stollen finally, and while I've not yet tasted it, can you agree that the pictures make it look divine. I think I should test it before giving it away, don't you?