Mincemeat Apple Marzipan Wreath Recipes

MINCEMEAT, APPLE & MARZIPAN WREATH

Steps:

• Unravel the pastry, cut off a 4cm strip along the width and chill this piece until later. Cut the remaining pastry in half lengthways. Place the pastry pieces end to end, so you have one long rectangle, squashing the cut ends together to seal. Scatter over the marzipan and orange zest, leaving a border of about 1cm free along one side. Spoon the mincemeat along the centre, like you're making sausage rolls, then top with the apple.
• Brush a little beaten egg over the exposed pastry edge. Starting from the other side, roll into a long sausage, sealing with the eggwashed edge. Use a sharp knife or a pair of scissors to snip almost all the way into the pastry at a slight angle at 5cm intervals, keeping all the pieces attached along one edge. Coil into a ring, with the cut pieces on the outside to help it bend, and tuck one end into the other to give a neat finish. Brush the wreath with egg, then use the trimmings from earlier to make decorations, such as stars or holly leaves, and brush these with egg too. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with baking parchment and chill for 30 mins.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Bake the wreath for 20 mins or until golden brown. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm for dessert, or cold as an alternative to mince pies.

MARZIPAN & MINCEMEAT APPLES

Steps:

• Cut the apples in half widthways. Remove and discard cores, then stand the apples in a microwave-safe dish. Break the marzipan into small chunks and mix with the mincemeat and lemon zest. Spoon into the centre of the apples and pour over the lemon juice.
• Cover the dish with cling film, pierce several times and microwave on High for 4½ minutes. If you don't have a turntable and the apples are not cooking evenly, turn the dish halfway through.
• Remove the cling film and leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

MINCEMEAT, MARZIPAN & APPLE TARTE FINE

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with baking parchment, and unroll the pastry on top. Prick all over with a fork, then spread the mincemeat over the pastry so it's covered in a thin layer, leaving a 1cm border around the edges. Chill for 20 mins.
• Roll the marzipan out on a work surface dusted with icing sugar to a roughly 30 x 21cm rectangle that's about 2mm thick. Drape it over the rolling pin and lay over the pastry, on top of the mincemeat layer. It should fit neatly in the middle of the pastry, within the border. Chill for another 20 mins.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 with a baking sheet inside. Peel and core the apples, but keep them whole. Using a mandoline or sharp knife, thinly slice the apples crosswise, so you end up with thin apple rings. Arrange the apple rings over the marzipan in an overlapping tight spiral shape that goes from the outside into the centre, or in neat overlapping lines. Dot over the butter and sprinkle with the sugar.
• Bake for 35-40 mins until the apples are golden and caramelised, and the pastry is cooked through. Serve in small slices with crème fraîche. Will keep, covered in the fridge, for up to three days.

MINCEMEAT AND MARZIPAN TEA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180c / gas 4 / fan 160c.
• Butter a 2lb loaf tin and line the base with greaseproof paper.
• Tip the flour into a bowl, add the cold butter and rub until the mixture forms fine crumbs. (I do this in the food processor to save time) Stir in the sugar and marzipan cubes.
• In another bowl, lightly whisk the eggs, and then stir in the mincemeat. Stir this into the flour mixture until evenly combined.
• Spoon in to the prepared loaf tin, smooth and sprinkle the flaked almonds over the top.
• Bake for 1 hour until the tea bread is risen and golden brown, or a skewer inserted comes out clean, (except for it you push it through a piece of marzipan!).
• Lightly dust the tea bread with icing sugar while it is still hot.
• Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then tip on to a wire rack to cool completely.