I hate waste, especially with food, and even if I didn’t candied orange and lemon peel is so delicious, and has so many uses it really is worth the time and effort it takes to preserve. At Easter I use candied peel for Hot Cross Buns, Easter biscuits and Pashka (a traditional Russian Easter [...]

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Christmas has not yet really started for me this year, which is odd because it usually starts bang on December the first. At the beginning of the month I managed to get myself to the starting line, I even produced an advent calendar for Dakota, made a batch of mince pies, and then [...]

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The first of this year’s mince pies, still warm from the oven and dusted with icing sugar snow. Customize your special Christmas message - my pies spell out ‘Noel’
 
Check out the Vanielje Kitchen Cook Book (vkcb) on the sidebar for recipes

or go straight to Homemade Christmas Mince Pies

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Make a batch of Rich Shortcrust Pastry , adding a little grated orange zest, or some ground cinnamon, or some ground allspice to give the pastry a festive kick. You could also replace a 1/4 - 1/2 a cup of the flour with ground almonds.
Put your pastry in the fridge to chill
Tip your mincemeat into [...]

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My mother’s house has always been a treasure trove for children. Countless corners filled with whimsy and every where you turn little vignettes designed to lead the imagination down paths hitherto unexplored. At Christmas time this all takes on a festive air as little nativity scenes spring up everywhere. Not [...]

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