Puff Pastry Ravioli Mince Pies

If you have puff pastry in your freezer and a jar of mincemeat in the cupboard, you are ready for an impromptu potluck invitation or unexpected guests!  These little pies, made ravioli-style, are a welcome addition to the dessert table at any Christmas party or buffet table.

Mince pies are traditional Christmas fare in the United Kingdom and everyone seems to have a favorite family recipe. Historically, mincemeat fillings actually contained minced meat or ground meat as we Americans call it. Nowadays most recipes call for apples, raisins, currants, spices, suet, citrus peel and possibly a splash of brandy. I was going for quick and easy and since I don’t have a granny’s recipe, I used a good quality store-bought brand.

Puff Pastry Ravioli Mince Pies

The puff pastry shortcut makes beautiful little flakey mince pies quick and easy.

Ingredients
1 large sheet puff pastry – I buy a British brand here in Dubai and one sheet weighs 11 1/4 oz or 320g and measures approximately 13 3/4 in x 9 in or 35cm x 22.5cm.
6 tablespoons good quality mincemeat
1/4 cup or 60ml milk
Powdered sugar - optional for serving

Tools: 1 ravioli plaque

Method
Preheat your oven to 400°F or 200°C and prepare your baking sheet by lining it with parchment.

Cover your work surface with cling film and lay out the puff pastry sheet.  Gently roll it a bit thinner until you have a big enough piece to cut two pieces the size of your ravioli plaque, possibly with leftovers.

Trim off any rough or dry edges.  A fresh cut always helps puff pastry rise more successfully.

Use your ravioli plaque as a guide, and cut two pieces of puff pastry to fit.  You may have some leftover but don’t worry because we can use that for decoration.

Sprinkle the plaque lightly with flour and lay the first piece of puff pasty on it.

Gently fill the holes with about 1/2 tablespoon each of mincemeat.

Brush the second piece of puff pastry with the milk.

Carefully place the second piece, milk side down on top of the filled pastry.

Press down all around the filling, starting in the middle first and try to push out any air before sealing the sides.  Just like making pasta ravioli.

Turn the whole tray of little raviolis out onto your cling film and cut into squares.

Brush the tops with more milk.

If you have leftover dough, cut shapes or strips out of it to decorate your little ravioli tarts.  I didn’t have any tiny cookie cutters so I made ribbons.  Stars or holly leaves would be more traditional for mince pies.

Carefully transfer the ravioli tarts to your prepared pan.  If you do ribbons as well, poke the middle with a sharp knife (but don't puncture the top of the ravioli!) so they don’t come “untied” while baking.

Bake for about 12 – 18 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the little pies are golden and puffy.

Allow to cool for a few minutes, and then remove to a serving dish.  Sprinkle with a little powdered sugar, if desired.  I forgot to take a photo of this step!

Enjoy!

This week my Sunday Supper friends are sharing recipes that are perfect for a holiday buffet. If you are throwing a party or just need to bring a dish to someone else's party, we've got you covered. Check out the great list of recipes below. Many thanks to our event manager Christie from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures for all of her hard work.

Abundance of Appetizers

• Buffalo Wing Cauliflower by April Golightly
• Charcuterie Buffet by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Pesto Goats Cheese Filo Parcels by Caroline’s Cooking
• Roasted Beet Dip with Fennel and Garlic by Cooking Chat

Sundry of Savory Dishes

• Honey-Glazed Bacon-Wrapped Ham by Palatable Pastime
• Old Fashioned Potato Gratin by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Squash and Mushroom Gratin with Granola Topping by Take A Bite Out of Boca

Desserts by the Dozen

• Cherry Pie Blondies by Pies and Plots
• Gingerbread Cookie Cups w/ Tapioca Pudding by The Freshman Cook
• Puff Pastry Ravioli Mince Pies by Food Lust People Love
• Raspberry Topped Mini Cheesecakes by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• White Chocolate Christmas Crack Recipe by Sunday Supper Movement

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Warm Gingerbread Syrup

Warm gingerbread syrup is spicy and sweet, made with both fresh and powdered ginger. Put a little zip in your drinks and desserts this holiday season.

Here the warm refers to the spiciness that the fresh and ground ginger add to this gingerbread syrup, although you can certainly warm it to serve as well. Pour it over ice cream, drizzle it on a Victoria sponge cake, add some to your hot cocoa, tea or warm apple juice. A tablespoon or two of gingerbread syrup is also delightful poured in a Champagne flute and topped up with bubbly.

As a person who makes jams and chutneys and syrups, I know the work that goes into them. That’s why I am always grateful to receive a homemade food gift. Heck, who am I kidding? I am always happy to receive a food gift if it is special, even if it’s store bought.

This week my Sunday Supper group is sharing recipes for homemade food gifts. I’ve got to tell you that I am thrilled with how this warm gingerbread syrup turned out and I am having a hard time parting with it. We love spicy food at our house but I tend to think of chilies bringing the heat. I forget how spicy and warming ginger can be! This stuff would be wonderful simply added to some hot water on a chilly night. It’ll warm you up from the inside.

Ingredients
2 3/4 cups or 615g golden caster sugar
1 tablespoon ground ginger (make sure it’s fresh – old spices lose their flavor and potency)
2 thick slices of fresh ginger
1 cinnamon stick

Note: Golden caster sugar is fine, free flowing dry sugar that is unrefined so it adds color and a bit of a buttery flavor to this syrup. If you can’t find it where you live, you can use regular fine white sugar but replace a tablespoon or two with brown sugar to get the same effect. This is the brand I used, available on Amazon. Unfortunately, the shipping makes it a pretty expensive option though.

Method
Put the sugar, ground ginger and fresh ginger into a pot with the cinnamon stick. Pour in 1 2/3 cups or 385ml water. Bring to a low boil. Stir occasionally to help the sugar dissolve.  Boil gently for about 8-10 minutes or until the syrup has reduce a little.

Strain the syrup through some cheesecloth set in a fine strainer over quart- or liter-sized measuring cup. The above ingredients yielded 2 1/2 cups or 600ml of warm gingerbread syrup.

Pour into sterilized bottles and decorate with fabric or ribbons.

Enjoy!

If you are looking for some homemade food gift recipes to make for your loved ones this year, Sunday Supper has got you covered. Check out this major list of options. Many thanks to our host this week, Christie of A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures and our event manager Cricket from Cricket's Confections.

Baked Goods

• Cinnamon and Spice Granola by Simple and Savory
• Coconut Macaroon Tarts by Asian In America
• Cranberry Coffee Cake by Food Done Light
• Mini Pumpkin Breads by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Snowman Poop by Palatable Pastime

Candy

• A Trio of Brittle by The Freshman Cook
• Grandma’s Peanut Butter Balls by Cricket’s Confections
• Homemade Peanut Brittle by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Homemade Twix Bars by Pies and Plots
• Peanut Butter Fudge by Family Around The Table
• Superfoods Fruit & Nut Bites by My Life Cookbook
• Toffee Candied Peanuts by New South Charm
• Turron de Jijona (Spanish Soft Nougat) by Caroline’s Cooking

Chocolate

• Espresso Fudge by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Peppermint Bark Candy by Life Tastes Good
• Peppermint Bark Popcorn by A Mind “Full” Mom
• Red Wine Hot Fudge Sauce by The Crumby Cupcake

Jams, Syrups, Drinks

• Blood and Sand Jam by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Creamy Lemoncello by Monica’s Table
• Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix by My Imperfect Kitchen
• Warm Gingerbread Syrup by Food Lust People Love

Mixes and Spices

• Cherry Almond Scone Mix by Baking Sense
• Cranberry Almond Quick Bread Mix by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

 

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Nectarine Kumquat Habanero Chutney

Nectarine Kumquat Habanero Chutney has the perfect blend of sweet and sharp and spicy. The tart kumquats add an extra bite to the sweet nectarines and the heat of the habaneros complements the dried spices, giving this chutney a distinctly Indian flair.

This week my Sunday Supper group is sharing recipes that save the summer harvest. I love adding peppers, especially habaneros, to sweet condiments. There’s something special about that hit of heat and sweet that goes so perfectly with pork or chicken. I just can’t resist. One day soon I’ll share the recipe for my confit pork belly, shown here, because it’s my favorite thing to eat with nectarine kumquat habanero chutney. But meanwhile, serve it along side grilled chicken breasts or pan-fried pork chops.

Ingredients
12 1/3 oz or 350g kumquats
3 cups or 710ml apple cider vinegar
3 lbs 12 oz or 1700g nectarines
2 tablespoon canola or other light oil
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
12 fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon kalonji
4 in or 9cm piece of cinnamon stick
1 cup or 240ml fresh orange juice
2 large, thick thumb-sized pieces fresh ginger
6 cups or 1200g sugar
3-4 habanero peppers – about 38g

Method
Wash your kumquats and remove any stems.  Finely slice them, removing any large green seeds.

Pile them in a bowl and cover them with the vinegar. Push them down into a little if necessary. Cover the bowl with cling film and let marinate for at least one hour or overnight in the refrigerator.

When you are ready to proceed, chop your ginger finely. Mince your fresh habaneros. You can discard the seeds but know that even doing that, this is going to be pretty spicy. Be very careful with the habaneros. I recommend you use gloves. Do not, I repeat, do not touch anything – face, eyes, nose, etc. – before washing your hands very thoroughly with full strength soap, or better yet, an abrasive scouring powder, just in case.

Measure out your spices, putting the mustard seeds in one bowl and the rest of the spices in another.

Seed and thinly slice your nectarines. No need to peel them.



In a large pot, heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. When they start to pop, add in the other spices and give the whole thing a quick stir.

Now add in the chopped ginger and stir again. Pour in the orange juice.

Now add in the kumquats and the vinegar they marinated in. Bring to a low boil and cook for about 10 minutes.

Add in the nectarines, habaneros, the stick of cinnamon and sugar.

Bring the mixture to a boil and then turn the fire down.  Be careful at the beginning because the sugar really makes it bubble up.  You do not want this to boil over!

Cook until the chutney thickens to your desired consistency. Remember that once it cools, it will thicken even more so stop before you can stand a spoon in it or it will be too thick cold. I cooked mine for almost one hour over a low heat. If you are a thermometer using type, I find that jam or chutney will set when cooled if heated to just under 220°F or 105°C.

Turn off the fire and remove the cinnamon stick.

Transfer the boiling chutney to sterilized jars, popping in clean teaspoons to make sure the jars don’t break. Screw the sterilized lids on tightly.  I use the inversion method to seal my jars but experts like Rebecca Lindamood, author of Not Your Mama’s Canning Book does not recommend this. She advocates processing the jars in a boiling water bath or pressure canner.

Enjoy! If you like kumquats, you might also like my spicy tangy sticky kumquat chutney.

Check out all the fabulous recipes our Sunday Supper tastemakers are sharing this week to save the summer harvest. Many thanks to today's host Caroline of Caroline's Cooking and our event manager Renee of Renee's Kitchen Adventures.

Condiments

• Blackberry Lemon Thyme Syrup by Sunday Supper Movement
• Brinjal pickle (Indian eggplant relish/aubergine chutney) by Caroline’s Cooking
• Freezer Mixed Berry Puree by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Ginger Fig Jam by Palatable Pastime
• Herbed Salsa by What Smells So Good?
• Homemade Giardiniera by Curious Cuisiniere
• Homemade Sriracha by Monica’s Table
• Hot Pepper Oil by Feeding Big and more
• Mediterranean Chutney by Wholistic Woman
• Nanny’s 7-Day Sweet Pickles by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
• Nectarine Kumquat Habanero Chutney by Food Lust People Love
• No Pectin Mixed Berry Jam by My Imperfect Kitchen
• Peach Butter by Redhead Baker
• Pear Ginger Jam by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Simple Basil Butter by Momma’s Meals
• Spicy Mango Jam by Family Foodie
• Stove Top Roasted Garlic by Cricket’s Confections
• Tomato and Chili Pepper Jam by Delaware Girl Eats

Main dishes

• Grilled Peach and Burrata Pizza by An Appealing Plan
• Oven Roasted Tomato Basil Marinara Sauce by Renee’s Kitchen Adventures
• Tomato-Zucchini Pesto Flatbread with Chevre and Balsamic Drizzle by The Weekend Gourmet

Sides

• Garden Rice by Basic N Delicious
• Pickled Asian Vegetables by A Mind Full Mom

Snacks

• Homemade Fruit Leather by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Slow Cooker Cinnamon Apple Sauce by Books n’ Cooks

Dessert

• Chocolate Zucchini Banana Muffins by The Bitter Side of Sweet
• Drunken Peaches by Nosh My Way
• Freeze and Bake Blueberry Pie by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• How to Freeze Peaches and Make Peach Sauce by The Freshman Cook
• How to Make Chocolate Zucchini Bread by Asian In America
• Mom’s Zucchini Bread by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Peach Yogurt Popsicles by Food Done Light
• Summer Fruit Crisp by Pies and Plots
• Summer Fruit Popsicles by Powered By BLING

Beverage

• Berry Shrubs + A Cocktail by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Pin this Nectarine Kumquat Habanero Chutney!

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Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy Apple Bundt #BundtBakers

Light yet full of fruit, this easy peasy lemon squeezy apple Bundt reminds me that bright summer sunshine always fades into sweet cooler autumn. Eventually.


Go ahead, laugh with me. Or at me. I deserve it. I made this cake batter twice in two days because the first time, I completely forgot to add the apples in at the end. Yes, they were all peeled and sliced and chopped and just waiting, ready, but I was so taken by the lovely golden yellow batter that I spooned it right in my prepared baking pan – this Duet Bundt* from Nordic Ware – and popped it in the oven. The timer was 10 minutes down before I realized that the apples and lemon juice were still just sitting there. And I temporarily lost my will to live.

So here’s what I can tell you: If you want a simple vanilla lemon cake that doesn’t need a machine to mix and that would bake up beautifully in a Duet pan, just skip the apple steps.

Today, however, there need to be apples. Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm is hosting Bundt Bakers this month and she chose apples as our theme. How could I have forgotten to add the one ingredient I have to use? Yeah, I don’t know either.

Once the apples are added, the batter of this delicious easy peasy lemon squeezy apple Bundt is fluffy from the interaction of the baking soda, sour cream and lemon juice so spoon it carefully into your baking pan. We don’t want to lose any of the air inside.

Ingredients for 5- or 6-cup Bundt
1 1/2 cups or 190g flour, plus more for pan
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-2 apples, depending on size about 170g each (I ended up using 1 1/2 apples)
1/4 cup or 60ml lemon juice
zest 1 lemon
1/3 cup or 75g butter, melted and cooled, plus more for pan
3/4 cup or 150g caster sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup or 115g full fat sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional: confectioner’s sugar for decoration

Method
Preheat the oven to 325°F or 163°C. Prepare your 5 or 6 cup Bundt pan by greasing it with butter and coating that with flour.

Zest your lemon and then squeeze the juice into a small mixing bowl, being careful to remove all of the seeds.

Cut the apples in half, core and peel them. Slice them as thinly as you can, then give the whole pile of slices a couple of rough chops. The point here is that we don’t mind some larger pieces, but they should all be thin so they cook faster.  Make sense?

Put the cut apples into the lemon juice bowl and stir well. The acid in the lemon juice will help stop the apples from turning brown as you get on with the rest of the recipe.

Measure your flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add in the butter, eggs, sour cream, lemon zest and vanilla.

Beat well with a whisk, until the batter is smooth and creamy. Resist the urge to eat it. (It’s so good!)

Fold in the chopped apples along with the lemon juice.

Spoon the batter into your prepared pan.

Bake for 35-40 minutes in the preheated oven. Check it occasionally and if the top begins to brown too quickly, you can cover it with some foil.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 15 minutes before attempting to remove the cakes from the pan.

Once completely cool, you can add a light dusting of confectioner’s sugar, if desired.

Enjoy!

Do you love to bake with apples? You are sure to add to your list of favorites when you see what my fellow Bundt Bakers have created this month!

• Apple & Peanut Butter Bundt Cake by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Apple Almond Coffee Cake with Honey Glaze by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Apple and Toasted Pecan Bundt Cake with Rum Syrup by Patty's Cake
• Apple Crumble Bundt by Jane's Adventure in Dinner
• Apple French Cruller Bundt Cake by All That's Left Are The Crumbs
• Apple Honey Blossom Bundt by Living the Gourmet
• Apple Sharlotka Bundt Cake by Spiceroots
• Apple Spice Bundt with Salted Caramel Sauce by kidsandchic
• Apple Streusel Bundt Cake by The Freshman Cook
• Apple~Cream Cheese Bundt Cake by The Queen of Scones
• Chocolate Chip Apple Cake by Making Miracles
• Cinnamon Apple Streusel Cake by Tea and Scones
• Cinnamon Pecan Applesauce Bundt Cake by Magnolia Days
• Clotted Cream & Apple Spice Bundt by Baking in Pyjamas
• Double Caramel Apple Bundt by The Crumby Cupcake
• Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy Apple Bundt by Food Lust People Love
• Jewish Apple Cake by I love Bundt Cakes
• Jewish Praline Pecan Apple Cake by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Lighter Jewish Apple Cake by Cookaholic Wife

BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on the BundtBakers home page.

Pin Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy Apple Bundt!

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Sweet Corn Muffins #MuffinMonday

Just a little cornmeal adds a lovely flavor to these tender sweet muffins, without making them as heavy as cornbread could be. It’s all a manner of ratios, more flour to less cornmeal. 

It’s Muffin Monday time again! Somehow the last Monday of the month always seems to sneak up on me but I am delighted to say that my Muffin Monday bakers are clearly more organized than I am and are turning out in force this month. We’ve got seven wonderfully creative muffins for you and my rather normal sweet corn muffins. That said, sometimes normal can be terrific.

My younger daughter is home for a visit so I let her choose the muffin I’d make this month. After all, she’d probably be the one eating most of them. She told me of a sweet corn muffin they used to serve when she was still in school. It was sweet, but not too sweet, with a subtle corn flavor. It did not have any actual corn in it. In fact, when I asked that question, she looked horrified. You might remember my discussing her assertion that everybody likes plain things. Anyway, if there wasn’t actual corn, I had to presume that it was made with cornmeal. Last but not least, it was light in texture, not heavy like cornbread.

So, here you go. I think this muffin fulfills all of her requirements: A tender, light, fluffy, sweet corn muffin. Perfect for breakfast or snack time. As a bonus, the muffin top edges are almost crunchy from the cornmeal. She's still sleeping as I post this so I'll have to report back later on her verdict.

Update: She says the muffins are very good but the ones at school had more corn flavor. Next time I'm going to up the ratio of cornmeal to flour a little.

Make sure you scroll down to see the link list of the other more creative muffins!

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups or 190ml flour
1/2 cup or 100g sugar
1/2 cup or 85g yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 or 300ml cups milk
1/2 cup or 120ml canola or other light oil
2 large eggs

Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C. Grease or paper-line your 12-cup muffin pan.

Whisk together your flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl.

In a smaller mixing bowl, whisk together your milk, oil and eggs, until fully combined.

Fold your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients, until just combined.

Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups. They are going to be pretty full but you can manage to fit it all in.

Bake in your preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until muffins are golden brown around the edges and a toothpick stuck in the middle of one comes out clean. Cool in the pan for a few minutes then remove the muffins to a wire rack.

Enjoy!

Check out all the great muffins we have for you this month!

• Banana Bread and Chocolate Muffins from Making Miracles
• Chocolate Chip Blood Orange Muffins from Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Grilled Cherry Muffins from Farm Fresh Feasts
• Jamaican Me Hungry Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Margarita Sour Cream Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Pancake Muffins from Passion Kneaded
• Sweet Corn Muffins from Food Lust People Love

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all our of lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board.

Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday, can be found on our home page

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