Xmas and butter tarts!

The month of December is about birthdays and xmas in my house - and cooking! We did the annual gingerbread cookies earlier in the month (I posted the recipe last December), made birthday cake for my husband shortly after and decorated the tree last weekend. My last ceramics workshop of the year took place last Thursday, and my husband & I were gifted with this beautiful wreath by a fellow workshopper who has also been taking a flower arranging course! 

I have plans to make my annual butter tarts in the next few days. The filling recipe is courtesy of my Newfie sister-in-law, and I only started making the tarts when she moved back to Canada about ten years ago. [Prior to that, the butter tarts were her annual "Canadian" xmas treat!]

Use your favourite pastry recipe for a dozen tarts. I use an easy one from DK's The Ultimate Cooking Book by Jane Bull: 1) Rub 125g/4 oz butter into 250g/8 oz plain flour 2) Add 4-8 tsp water to flour-butter mix 3) Squeeze into a dough ball, roll out, and cut with a pastry cutter or the floured top of a glass (that's what I use!).

For the filling: 1) Cream together 50g/2 oz softened butter and 120g/4.5 oz brown sugar 2) Beat in 1 egg, 1/2 tblsp lemon juice and 40g/1.5 oz  currants or raisins. 3) Add mix to pastry shells (in greased tart tin) and 4) Bake at 190C in preheated oven for about 15 mins (edges of pastry are delicately browned).

Yum! Happy Christmas and a safe, healthy and wondrous 2018!

Mini quiche recipe

I had overseas visitors arriving after midnight last Friday, so I wanted to prepare some nibbly food to have with a relaxing chat and glass of wine before they headed for bed. A few small snacks and also something light but sustaining - I thought mini quiches would fit the bill. I added some dried basil to my usual pastry recipe, but basically use your favourite pastry recipe or pre-made puff pastry to fill a tart tin (usually 12 shallow places). Preheat the oven to 180 C.

For my filling, I cut only about a  tablespoon or 2 of purple onion and two mushrooms in small pieces and divided among the pastry shells. If I didn't already have the onion waiting for use, I would have used a scallion (green onion) instead. By all means, use your own favourite fillings but remember these are 2-bite size, so you only need a small amount (eg, 1/2 cooked sausage, 1/2 cooked slice of bacon - chopped and divided between all!).

I beat 2 eggs with a splash of milk and divided between the pastry shells (about 2 spoons each).

The egg doesn't have to cover the fillings (as it will in cooking) and be careful not to overfill the pastry shells.

Slices of cheddar cheese are placed as the last ingredient and I have cracked some black pepper on top as a finishing touch.

Bake in the oven at 180 C for 15-20 mins. They will look like little souffles when fully cooked.

Once they start to cool, they deflate. Remove them from the baking tray and they can be served hot or room temperature. They are delicious!