Mincemeat Twists Food

EASY MINCEMEAT

Steps:

• Put all the ingredients, except the brandy, in a large saucepan. Cook over a low heat for 10 mins, stirring occasionally, until the sugar and suet have completely dissolved.
• Remove from the heat and leave to cool to room temperature before stirring in the brandy. The mincemeat may look loose at this stage, but it will continue to thicken. You can encase it in pastry as soon as it's cooled. Alternatively, spoon the warm mincemeat into a large sterilised jar or several smaller ones (see tip, below). Will keep in a cool, dry place for up to six months.

MINCEMEAT BREAD TWISTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, & lightly grease two cookie sheets.
• FOR THE TWISTS, unroll crescent rolls & separate into triangles, cutting each triangle lengthwise into thirds to make 3 triangles (24 total).
• In small mixing bowl, combine mincemeat & pecans.
• Spoon 1 teaspoon of mincemeat mixture onto each dough triangle, spreading to cover surface of dough.
• Fold in corners, overlapping slightly in center.
• Place 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake 12 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Transfer to wire rack, & let cool.
• FOR THE ICING, in small mixing bowl, stir together powdered sugar, vanilla extract & enough milk to make a mixture of drizzling consistency.
• Drizzle over cooled cookies.
• The twists can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days in layers separated by wax paper in an airtight container. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

MINCEMEAT TWISTS

Steps:

• Stir together flour, brown sugar, mace and baking powder. Cut in butter till mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle water, 1 tablespoon at a time over mixture until all is moistened, tossing gently with a fork. Form dough into a ball. Cover and chill 30 minutes or till easy to handle.
• Combine mincemeat and orange peel (if using) in a small bowl. Set aside. Divide dough into quarters. On a floured surface roll two of the quarters into 12X4-inch rectangles. Spread each with half of the mincemeat mixture. Roll the remaining quarters into 12X4-inch rectangles and carefully place over the mincemeat. Trim uneven edges.
• Cut each rectangle into twelve 4X1-inch strips. Twist each strip twice. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Me, I am a huge fan of laying down parchment paper.
• Bake in a 375*F oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Return to oven and bake 5 to 8 minutes more or till golden. Remove from pan and cool on wire racks. Makes 24.