Attention Bakers..Important info for November's Bake!

Attention all Sweet and Simple Bake bakers, for our November bake one of the essential and required ingredients in our bake is mincemeat. For most of us mincemeat is readily available in the stores now and leading up to December. Rosie and I always make our own mincemeat every year but there is nothing wrong in buying a shop-bought jar if this is the easy option for you. If you can’t get hold of mincemeat and would like to make your own then here is a quick, easy and wonderful recipe. Or if your like us who make your own every year then feel free to use your own home-made recipe! We are very excited about our November bake and hope you will join us! If you have any questions or queries, please leave a comment and both Rosie and myself will endeavour to get back to you as soon as possible.

Vegetarian Mincemeat Recipe

To make 2 Ib mincemeat

Ingredients
450g (1 Ib) mixed dried fruit
100g (4oz) melted butter
100g (4oz) cooking apples or apple of choice - peeled and grated (weight when prepared)
100g (4oz) soft brown sugar
50g -100g (2-4 oz) of chopped nuts of choice
100g (4oz) glace cherries
100g (4oz) chopped candied peel
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
4 tablespoons brandy

Method
Add all the ingredients into a large bowl and soak overnight covering with a clean cloth. Mix thoroughly through together either with a large spoon or clean hands. Cover over with a clean tea towel and leave to stand for 24 hours giving the mixture a good stir as you pass by. Next day pack the mincemeat into sterilised jars, and top with greaseproof paper jam covers. Seal the jars tightly and store in a cool place.

*Note*: if you choose not to use glace cherries make the weight up with mixed dried fruit instead. If you wish not to add alcohol use apple juice or orange juice instead. We have given a recipe here for mincemeat without suet, but should you wish to use either beef or vegetable suet in this recipe omit the melted butter.

You can also find the recipe here.

Cranberry and White Chocolate Flapjacks Recipe

For our first bake we are beginning with a white chocolate and cranberry flapjack.

Flapjacks are a quick and simple tray bake made with a base ingredient of rolled oats. Flapjacks come in many guises using a multitude of added ingredients; in this recipe you will find a perfect combination in the white chocolate and cranberries.

I hope everyone will find this recipe easy but if you have any questions or queries please leave your comment under this post and Rosie and I will help in any way we can.

If you are a food blogger, we ask that you kindly write a post about your bake and link back to us at Sweet and Simple Bakes. Let us know that you completed the bake and we'll list all the blogs that accomplished the bake. If you don't have a food blog and care to share how it went, feel free to contact us at sweetandsimplebakes(at)goolemail(dot)com.

This Bake will be running until 1st June. Looking forward to seeing everyone’s entry.

Cranberry and White Chocolate Flapjacks

Makes 12

Preparation time 10 minutes

Cooking time 35 minutes

Ingredients

250g butter

100g demerara sugar

200g golden syrup

250g rolled oats

75g plain flour

100g dried cranberries( other dried fruits can also be used, bluberries, apricots, etc)

100g white chocolate, chopped(dark or milk chocolate can be used)

Method

Preheat the oven to 170C/ Gas 3. Line a 23cm square tin with baking paper (please do not use greaseproof).Melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a large pan over a low heat (stirring occasionally), until the butter and sugar have completely melted.Add the rolled oats, flour and cranberries to the pan, and stir together well. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared tin. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool for a few minutes, then mark into 12 squares – but don’t cut all the way through. Allow to cool in the tin completely.Melt the white chocolate and drizzle over each bar.(When melting chocolate you use a heatproof bowl over a low simmering saucepan of hot water but making sure the water is not hitting the bottom of the bowl.)

Please refer to substitution link on the side panel and if that isn't sufficient enough; I hope you will find this particular site of use The Cook's Thesaurus