MERRY CHRISTMAS AND THANK YOU for supporting the food dept's first year!

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Fig and pear fruit mince cinnamon tarts

Nothing says Christmas more than the smell of dried fruit, brandy and sweet spices. These delicious little tarts can be made in round base patty pans or a selection of decorative, vintage tins.

• 1 1/3 cups plain flour
• 1/3 cup icing sugar
• 125g butter, diced
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• a pinch salt
• 1 egg yolk
• Fig and pear fruit mince
• Icing sugar, for dusting

1. Combine the flour, icing sugar, butter, cinnamon and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process until combined and looks like fresh breadcrumbs.

2. Add the egg yolk and pulse until it comes together into a ball.
3. Remove the processor and shape into a disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 200ºC (400ºF). Remove the pastry from the refrigerator and roll out between floured baking paper to 3mm thickness.
5.Using a cutter slightly larger than the tins you are using cut out the pastry. Use a palate knife to gently lift the pastry into the tins, press into the tins and trim if necessary.
6.Place heaped teaspoons of fruit mince into the pastry and cut a smaller decorative piece to top the pies.
7. Bake in the hot oven for 8-10 minutes or until the pastry is golden, this will depend on the size tins you decide to use.
8. Serve warm or cold sprinkled with icing sugar. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

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Fig and glace pear fruit mince

This delicious fruit mince recipe makes enough for you and plenty to package up to give away! Make into fruit mince pies or simply serve warm over vanilla ice cream for a quick festive dessert.

Makes 5 cups fruit mince

• 2 large granny smith apples, peeled and coarsely grated

• 200g raisins, finely chopped
• 200g sultanas
• 200g currants
• 100g dried figs, finely chopped
• 100g glace pear, finely chopped
• ½ cup marmalade
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup brandy
• 2 teaspoons mixed spice
• 125g butter, softened
• extra, 2 tablespoons brandy

1. Combine the fruits, marmalade, brown sugar, brandy and mixed spice in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over a medium low heat and cook for approximately 15 minutes until the fruits are softened and the mixture is thick.

2. Add the butter and stir until melted. Stir though the extra brandy.
3. The fruit mince can be used immediately or it can be bottles in sterilized jars and stored in a cool dark place for up to 3 months. Refrigerate once opened. The longer it is stored the better the flavours will develop.

MORE MILK – Ruffle some feathers with our simple dessert.

Ruffled Filo Pie with Honey and Pistachios

This wonderful recipe is an adaptation of a Greek dessert with a creamy baked custard base and crispy fillo pastry top. Don't be intimidated by the it's milky frills and ruffles, it really is easy to make and even easier to eat.
Serves 8

• 60g butter, melted

• 8 sheets filo pastry

• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1½ cups milk

• 3 eggs

• ½ cup caster sugar

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 2 tablespoons honey

• ¼ cup roasted pistachio nuts, roughly chopped

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Grease and line a 20cm (8inch) cake pan.
2. Lay out the fillo pastry on the bench and cover lightly with a damp cloth, this will prevent the pastry from drying out and cracking. Take out one sheet of pastry and lay it lengthways on the bench. Lightly brush the pastry with the melted butter. Ruffle up the pastry so that you bring the long sides closer together, then coil up the length of ruffled filo to create a rosette. Place this into the greased cake pan and continue with the remaining pastry and butter. Place 7 rosettes of pastry around the outside of the cake pan and then one in the centre.
3. Liberally brush the top of the pastry with the remaining butter and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake for 30 minutes. 
4. While the pastry is cooking, place the milk in a saucepan over a medium heat and bring to a simmer. While the milk is warming place the eggs, caster sugar and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl and whisk well. Gradually pour over the hot milk while whisking the mixture until all the milk has been added.
5. After the 30 minutes remove the cake pan from the oven and pour over the egg custard mixture. Return to the oven and cook for another 30 minutes or until custard sets..
6. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for a few minutes before pulling apart into the rosettes for serving. While still hot drizzle with honey and sprinkle with pistachio nuts.

Recipe: Sally Courtney.