Try this in Winter :: A day of festive baking.

13.11

Cider-with-Rosie-festive-baking-day Cider-with-Rosie-seasonal-to-do-list Shortcrust-pastry-recipe Cider-with-Rosie-mince-pie-baking Making-shortcrust-pastry Shortcrust-pastry Making-mince-pies-Cider-with-Rosie Rosie-making-pastry Nigella-star-topped-mince-pies Cider-with-Rosie-blogger Homemade-cranberry-mince-pies

For me, there’s nothing better than a baking day. Sure, it means there’ll be mountains of washing up to do. Sure, you might end up feeling queasy from eating so much sugar. And sure, the mess will inevitably spread across your entire kitchen and maybe into the living room as well. But it’ll be worth it, because the fruits of your labour will make it so.

And if a normal baking day is wonderful, then a festive baking day is most certainly on a whole new level of wonderful-ness. Each year the thing I look forward to most about the lead up to Christmas are baking days like this one. Where pans sit simmering on the hob, full of spicy chutneys and fruity mincemeat. Where the house winds up smelling more festive than if you’d lit a thousand Christmas-themed scented candles, and you begin to feel the first flutterings of Christmas spirit.

Earlier in the week, I had such a day. I made a batch of Nigella’s cranberry and port mincemeat, and then some of her famous mini star-topped mince pies. They turned out sort of rustic (I’ve not yet mastered the art of shortcrust pastry, since I only really make it once or twice each year), but tasted no less delicious because of it. The other thing to come out of the kitchen on Tuesday (other than several clouds of icing sugar dust and a dog who tried to run off with a mouthful of dried cranberries), were these white chocolate + coffee popcorn balls. I didn’t quite catch them in time to roll them up, but they taste just as divine in popcorny-clumps. Jason and I can’t leave the jar I’ve stored it in alone…

More from my seasonal to-do list series ::
Try this :: a hot chocolate picnic.
Try this :: go walking somewhere new.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
19 Comments
Posted in BAKING, CHRISTMAS, HOME, RECIPE, TRY THIS, WINTER
  • http://ceciliaintherain.wordpress.com Cecilia

    Baking is such a big thing for me around christmas – I’ve had the “responsibility” of making a certain type of cookies for my family christmases since I was 12-13 years old and so I couldn’t imagine not doing any baking before christmas now! These mince pies look lovely! Rustic is always better I say!

  • http://letuswanderlust.blogspot.com Carly @ Let Us Wanderlust

    Oh I want to make some of these sweet little pies! I adore fruit mince pies this time of year, even though it’s hot here in Australia and I feel like these flavours lend themselves better to the colder weather,but they signify Christmas to me so I love them all the same!

    Carly xo

  • http://blog.pollyrowan.com/ Polly

    I love baking in the lead up to Christmas! Gingerbread is my favourite thing to make. Though I always attempt to make a gingerbread house, and almost always get gingerbread-house-rage when it refuses to stay standing! I agree with Cecilia, that rustic is always better in terms of mince pies. They taste SO much better than shop bought ones.

    Those popcorn balls sound divine too! Were they simple to make?

  • http://www.prettygreentea.com Prettygreentea

    I love baking all year ’round but there’s something a little more special about it at this time of the year. I think it’s the cold weather, dark evenings and cheesy films. These 3 things seem to allow for more delicious treats to be consumed.

  • http://www.thisparticular.blogspot.com Ala Skrakowski

    This has really made me want to make mince pies. I am NEVER one to start feeling Christmassy THIS early but for some reason this year it’s all I can think about. I just want to do all the Christmas things now! These look so delicious Rosie x

  • http://ancaslifestyle.co.uk/ Anca

    They look amazing.

    Anca @ ancaslifestyle | UK

  • http://accooohtrements.wordpress.com becky :: accooohtrements

    it makes me so, so happy that it’s mincemeat season! mince pies = happiness!

    becky :: accooohtrements.wordpress.com

  • http://www.wineandolives.co.uk Chiara

    This looks like so much fun, I must plan in one of these myself x

  • http://mutedmornings.blogspot.com Mimmi

    There’s definitely something extra special about seasonal baking. These look absolutely wonderful! I’ve never made mince pies before (we don’t really have them in Sweden, so that’s probably why), but I’m really tempted to.

    xx Mimmi, Muted Mornings

  • http://mirandasnotebook.com/ Miranda | Miranda’s Notebook

    These look so delicious!! I’m so excited for festive baking – they are such fun days! xx

  • Emma

    So pleased to see I’m not the only one with the festive bug! :) xx

    http://www.alittlefreckle.blogspot.co.uk

  • http://www.laurakathren.blogspot.co.uk Laura

    I absolutely love baking days! I was looking for a festive bake to take into my office soon and these might just be the one!

    Laura | http://www.laurakathren.blogspot.co.uk

  • http://leavventuredellapice.blogspot.it/ Bea

    They look sooooo good!!!!

  • http://www.emilyattemptslife.blogspot.co.uk/ Emily

    these look amazing! im hungry now haha
    Emily
    xx
    http://emilyattemptslife.blogspot.co.uk/

  • http://www.bemylightblog.com Shannon Laugesen

    This looks amazing! And it looks like it tastes amazing. AMAZING xx

  • http://itsohmyblog.blogspot.co.uk withloveshanice

    I love it when it gets to winter times, it always gets me more in the baking mood for the festive period. I normally opt for a simple pudding or shortbread but they look so goodddddd, its making my stomach rumble.

    withloveshanice xo

  • http://www.sevenlivesandmore.com/ Melodie

    Festive baking days are truly the bests! My guy and i spent 4 hours on Pinterest the other day, scrolling through the most delicious holidays recipes and now i’m craving to get cook-ing! Gonna get started this week actually!
    Beautiful photos as always and these pies look delicious!
    xoxo
    Melodie
    http://www.sevenlivesandmore.com/

  • Pingback: Everything Christmas()

  • Pingback: Weekend Reading by Bumpkin Betty, Top Lifestyle Blog.()

Read from the beginning >