5 Delicious Christmas Bakes

Try our easy three-in-one fruit mix, studded with festive dried cranberries and rich with brandy, to create a traditional Christmas cake, pudding and cute mince pies

THREE-IN-ONE BASIC FRUIT MIX

Prep 40 mins (+ standing) | Makes 9 cups

Ideally, make this recipe one month ahead. This basic fruit mix is enough to make 12 mince pies (see page 118), a regular-sized cake (see recipe, page 119), and boiled pudding to serve 10 (see recipe, page 120).

170 g packet Ocean Spray Craisins (dried cranberries)

21⁄2 cups sultanas

2 cups currants

21⁄3 cups raisins, coarsely chopped

1 cup pitted dates, finely chopped

2⁄3 cup pitted prunes, finely chopped

1 cup dried figs, finely chopped

2 large apples, grated coarsely

¼ cup golden syrup or treacle

2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar

11⁄2 cups brandy

2 tsps ground ginger

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Combine ingredients in a large bowl; cover tightly with plastic wrap. Store in a cool, dark place for a month (or longer, if desired) before using. Stir the mixture every two or three days.

CHEF’S TIPS:

You can customise the flavour of the fruit mix by substituting other dried fruit. To make the substitutions, ensure the substitute is the same weight as the fruit you are replacing.

In place of brandy, you could also use a 50:50 mixture of rum and amaretto.

To turn the fruit mix into a gift, pack in sterilised jars and label with date.

THREE-IN-ONE MIX MINCE PIES

Prep & Cook 1 hour (+ refrigeration) | Makes 12

You need a 7 cm-round cutter and 4.5-cm star cutter for this recipe, or you can cut the stars out freehand using a sharp pointed knife. Pies are best baked up to one day ahead.

1 cup plain flour

1 tbsp icing sugar

75 g cold butter, chopped coarsely

1 egg, separated

1 tbsp iced water, approximately

1 cup Three-In-One Basic Fruit Mix (recipe on previous spread)