TREAT TIME

Angela Casley whips up some Christmas treats, perfect for gifts or enjoying on the spot

Every December I dedicate an afternoon to making Christmas treats. Christmassy sweets like mince tarts and figgy logs make the perfect gifts. I love having the music loud, the doors wide open with the sun pouring in, happy in the knowledge that I’m not at the mall shopping with all the crowds. Plus, it’s such a nice feeling thinking about the pleasure these gifts will give family and friends. After all, who doesn’t like to receive gifts made with thought and love?

A gifted jar of homemade Christmas mince is a blessing. It’s even better when placed into a sweet pastry decorated into a little festive shape. The lucky recipient just needs to warm through, dust with icing sugar and serve. Use any leftover pastry to make extra decorations for nibbling on or decorating your table. Ask your local butcher for suet. If that is not an option, butter will suffice.

These Christmas balls are a sweet delight. Placing a few ingredients into a processor, blitzing, shaping and rolling in coconut has to be the easiest assembly and will appeal to all ages. They’re also a great addition to a picnic basket, at any kind of celebration or simply with afternoon tea.

A little on the decadent side, these fig and nut logs are perfect sliced and served with cheese or a coffee, making occasions extra special. Get on to making them now and they will last for a month in the fridge. Not that they’re likely to hang around long.

CHRISTMAS MINCE TARTS

Makes 24 Pear and Pecan Mince

½ cup grated suet or butter 1 pear, chopped small

60g pecans, chopped 120g raisins

100g apricots, chopped small 40g dried figs, chopped small

½ cup brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon ½ tsp nutmeg ½ tsp ground ginger

Zest and juice of 1 lemon Zest and juice of 1 orange

½ cup brandy

Pastry

150g flour 100g chilled butter 2 Tbsp icing sugar 1 egg

1. Into a large bowl place the suet, pear, pecans, raisins, apricots, figs, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, lemon, orange and brandy stirring well. Cover and place in a cool place overnight. Then store in jars until ready to use. 2. Lightly grease 2 x mini muffin trays. 3. For the pastry blitz the flour, butter and sugar until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and continue to mix into a dough. You may need a tablespoon of cold water. Roll on a lightly floured bench to 3mm thick. Using a cutter make 24 rounds to fit the tins. Using the remainder of the pastry cut shapes to place on the top.

4. Fill the pastry cases with your pecan mince. Any remainder keep for another occasion or wrap and gift. Dampen the edges of the tarts, place on the tops. Refrigerate until ready to cook.

5. Preheat the oven to 180C. Cook the tarts for 20 minutes until golden. Cool.

6. Dust with icing sugar and they are ready to give or enjoy.

DATE AND WHITE CHOCOLATE BALLS

Makes 20 140g skinless almonds

3/4 cup dried dates, soaked for 10 minutes then drained ½ cup white chocolate chunks ¼ cup dried cranberries

3 Tbsp coconut oil

2 Tbsp crystalised ginger

1 cup shredded coconut

1 tsp lemon zest

Extra coconut for rolling

1. Into a kitchen blender place the almonds and dates, blitzing until well combined. Add the chocolate, cranberries, oil, ginger, coconut and lemon zest. Blitz again until the mixture is sticking together.

2. Roll into small balls, then roll in coconut. Store in the fridge until ready to wrap and give.

FIG AND NUT LOGS

Makes 3 logs 200g dried figs 200g nuts (I used pecan)

½ cup dates

150g dark chocolate

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1 Tbsp brandy

1. Into the bowl of a kitchen processor place the figs, nuts and dates and process until almost smooth. Add the chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg and brandy and blitz until well combined.

2. Place onto the bench, divide into thirds and roll into even-sized logs. Wrap in paper and refrigerate.

3. Slice to serve.