You want your Christmas to be special, and without a good mince pie and some interesting family games (like Bingo, for example), it just wouldn’t be the same. Here’s the good news: there are plenty of great recipes out there – easy to make and delicious to eat – so you really don’t have any excuse not to make this holiday season the best it can be. To make the time spent together really special, it’s worth trying some new ideas; get out of your comfort zone and try the recipes recommended by the best chefs on the planet: simple, easy, and delicious! Here are some new ideas to shake it up and make it wonderful.
Try it with chocolate
There’s really no need to stick with the traditional – you can spice up your life (and your meals) in different ways. Try using puff pastry to turn it into mince meat palmiers; for mince pie samosas you can use filo pastry, or give mince pie Eccles cake a chance. And don’t be afraid of mixing it up. Adding 100 grams of chopped dark chocolate, the grated zest of 1 orange and a tablespoon of Grand Marnier does wonders!
Need a boost?
It can be cold, and a little alcohol helps to give that warm feeling. What’s more, a little shot of your favorite drink is not only reserved for cakes or desserts. Food experts recommend adding a little bit of rhum to your favourite mince pies; go for Appleton or Mount Gay – the older, the better.
Plan ahead
When it comes to preparing your pies, it’s always better to plan and prepare ahead of time – on the day itself, you’re supposed to be a good host, after all. Whip up a batch a few days before the event, shape them in their tins, and put them back into the freezer. Cook them on the day with five minutes extra time, and they’re just as good.
Keeping your hands cold
You want your pies to be light and crumbly, so keep your hands cold when you handle them.
And there are plenty of other ideas that could come in handy if you want to make it special – there are many posts on the net about Christmas cooking tips to be found. It seems that every family and every chef has a certain favourite. Have you ever tried to add some cream cheese mixed with a little bit of orange juice and zest on top? How about a circle of marzipan at the bottom of the pie? Half a pint of brandy? Or you can experiment with the size and use muffin tins to make them a little bigger…The possibilities are endless, and your mince pie is only as good as your imagination.