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Nigella Manger Mince Pies

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Nigella Manger Mince Pies

Nigella Manger Mince Pies made using barquette moulds to look like mangers. The shredded filo pastry looks like straw!

The kitchen is fuggy with Christmassy spices… today I have made Nigella Lawson’s Manger Mince Pies and my first ever stollen.

I shan’t be blogging the stollen just yet, the reason for which will become apparent, but I mention it because it was a German stollen recipe on the Steenberg’s blog which first got me interested in making one.

Sophie and Axel Steenberg run an online organic and ethically sourced herbs and spices business. Yotam Ottolenghi is apparently a fan. They also write a jolly good blog which I was delighted to dip into and find this recipe for traditional mince meat.

Nigella Manger Mince Pies

Shop bought mince pies can be such an abomination that even many people who never bake the rest of the year manage to make some. Given that the traditional versions get handed out everywhere, I had a go at Nigella’s Manger Mince Pies from How to Be a Domestic Goddess which are made in a barquette mould and sprinkled with shredded filo in the fashion of straw in the manger.

This is the first outing of Baking Grandma’s barquette moulds. They’re supposed to represent boats and are often used for little fishy tarts. Fanny Cradock was fond of them.

Possibly I am the first person to blog Nigella’s Manger Mince Pies. A google search is showing up no one else who has published them and no photos either.

I am submitting these mince pies to my own new blogging event, Forever Nigella and in the spirit of the rules, since I have followed the recipe to the letter and there is no link elsewhere online, I merely leave you with the instructions to hunt out a copy of How to Be a Domestic Goddess to find the recipe.

…or you could just take a shortcut and make topless mince pies and sprinkle over this shredded wheat style filo pastry. It’s sometimes called kofana and found in Turkish supermarkets. Snipping up sheets of filo pastry is fiddly but more easily sourced alternative.

Don’t forget if you are blogging seasonal a Nigella recipe you can submit it to Forever Nigella!

Nigella Manger Mince Pies

Finally, I am also submitting these to the Most Wanted Yule-Blog-Bake competition run by Vouchercodes.co.uk

If you’ve not used Voucher Codes before, let me explain that it is a directory of discount codes for online shopping and you should definitely check in there before you buy stuff to see if you can find one of those magic codes to put in that “discount code” box you see just before you pay for your shopping! They can help you save in many top stores including Habitat, M&S, Debenhams, Cath Kidston and White Company.

The Most Wanted Yule Blog Bake competition closes on December 13. That’s today so you better hurry if you want to enter before midnight. Details here.

 

Steenberg’s Giveaway

Steenberg’s Giveaway

Today’s prize is set of Steenberg’s Christmas Spices Survival Kit, Steenberg’s Organic Stollen Spice and Steenberg’s Organic Christmas Tea. The survival kit comprises nine different pots of spices to see you through the festive season and beyond from cinnamon and nutmeg to juniper and fleur du sel.

There is one mandatory way to enter and several ways to get bonus entries.

This giveaway is open to readers with UK mailing addresses. Readers from overseas are welcome to enter provided they can give the UK mailing address of a friend to receive the gift on their behalf with any onward delivery being at their own cost.

The winner will be chosen using an online randomiser and announced in a subsequent post on this blog – the winners of several of the 12 giveaways will be will announced together across 2-3 posts according to their closing dates.

To win:

1. Mandatory. Leave a comment below.

2. Second chance to win, tweet a link to this giveaway as follows: “Win @steenbergs Christmas goodies @maisoncupcake” WITH A LINK TO THIS POST as it may no longer be the home page item if you enter later this week. Then leave a second comment saying you’ve done so telling me your Twitter ID.

3. For a third chance to win, follow @steenbergs on Twitter then leave a comment below saying you have done so.

I’ll also throw extra entries in if you visit the Steenberg’s Facebook page and “Like” it.

You must leave a further separate comment for each bonus entry otherwise they cannot be selected in the draw.

Closing date: midnight GMT on Friday December 17th 2010.
The winner will be notified by email. If the winner does not reply within 48 hours, a new winner will be drawn.
Good luck everyone!

Prize sponsored by Steenberg’s

Also up for grabs during the Maison Cupcake 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways:

Waitrose Christmas goodies RRP £35 Closes Dec 12

Green & Black’s Ultimate Chocolate Chef gift set Closes Dec 13

Nigella Living Collection Measuring Cups Closes Jan 16 (bloggers’ competition, international)

Alex Polizzi’s Little Black Book of Hotels Closes Dec 14

Sainsbury’s Different by Design cookware Closes Dec 15

Chai Caramels from Matcha Chocolat INTERNATIONAL Closes Dec 16

Interflora Christmas Hamper RRP £100

Eric Lanlard’s “Home Bake” from Octopus Books

Cookware from Jamie Oliver and Mum et Moi

Don’t forget to come back tomorrow to see which prize is next!

Comments

  1. Those little mince pies have an original shape! I love the idea.

    A pity the giveaway is only open to UK residents.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

  2. I know I have a drawer full of spices but that’s never enough, I tend to get a bit carried away at Christmas time. Also love the mince pies.

  10. Mince pies look lovely!

    Have tweeted @NFZ0809LOVE

    Following @steenbergs

    Liked the facebook page

  16. I love to use spices in my cooking, but you have to get them right, as I have found out in past experiences, I love chilli but you have to remember that can be an overload if you get carried away

  30. I wonder if I could include the organic stollen spice in a bread dough it might prove to be a very interesting taste when baked!

  31. Anything to help you through the christmas period in any shape or form gets pride of place in the kitchen!

  33. Your little manger mince pies are really cute as are the tins. Would love to try some of these spices, especially as they are organic. I’ve looked at them many a time, but really want to see what they are like before committing myself.

  42. The little spices pots are beautiful! Great for storage after you’ve used them all up 🙂

    I might have a go at making my own mince pies now…

  44. Oh, dear. I wish I hadn’t seen this post. I only clicked on the Steenburg website 10 minutes ago, but the value of my shopping basket is already at £18. Christmas present for my baking partner in crime sorted, though.

  58. Had some stollen in our German class yesterday – it was yum (from Aldi if you don’t have time to make your own).

  64. oh these spices look fabulous – just been for a peak on their facebook page.

    Love your cute little pies too! And your little baby Jesus. He looks like quite a Merry Christ 😉

  74. I love all things christmas and its tradition for me to watch nigella’s christmas on tv

  77. i love using spices in cooking, brilliant prize, keep up the good work. I have seen Steenberg’s and they look fab but never used them this may be my chance

  86. Yet again,your blog has inspired me to try things in a different way. We all love homemade pies here but I need them to look unusual just to ring the changes.

  90. I love making mulled wine with my own blackberry wine and these spices are just the ticket!

  96. How brilliant to find a ready-made Stollen spice mix. I love this Christmas German cake and can’t wait to read your entry on the latter.
    Thanks for yet another brilliant tip.

  103. can’t see if I have left a comment anywhere…so.. just in case..

    I love Christmas spices.. I keep forgetting to buy more Cinnamon sticks though, I have ground cinnamon but that is no good for mulled wine. :((

  114. You always have such gorgeous things. I feel an insane desire to rush out and try them straight away 🙂

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