Home-grown treats at Christmas

Try quince (not mince) pies this year

Quince trees (Cydonia oblonga) are similar to apple trees in appearance, and the quince does look rather like a cross between an apple and a pear. Unlike apples and pears, however, quince can’t be eaten raw – but they are deliciously sweet and aromatic when cooked.

Like the apple, the quince has long been associated with love. In Greece it was sacred to Aphrodite, the goddess of love and fertility, and some sources claim that Greek brides would chew it to make their breath smell sweet. For the Romans, the goddess Venus is often depicted holding a quince in her right hand, and the fruit was apparently given to newly married couples to feast on.

Grow your own?

• Quince trees self-fertilise, so you’ll still get a good crop of fruit with just one tree.

• If you’ve only a small garden, you can even grow a quince tree in a large pot.

Membrillo is a sweet quince paste – also referred to as a cheese – and is a traditional Spanish delicacy. It takes its name from the Spanish word for the young branches of a quince tree (mimbre), which are tender and flexible but resilient, just like willow. Absolutely delicious with all sorts of soft, hard and blue cheeses, look out for quince paste, jelly or jam in your local deli and serve it with your cheeseboard at the end of a Christmas meal.

How to make quince-meat pies

Ring the changes for Santa this year and pop a couple of quince-meat pies on his plate instead of the usual mincemeat ones. Believe us, he’ll put you on the nice list!

You’ll need:

• 80g unsalted butter
• Pinch of salt
• 180g light muscovado sugar
• Grated zest of a lemon and a clementine
• 80ml of medium-sweet sherry
• 200g raisins
• 2 large quinces – peeled, cored and cut into small pieces
• 1½ tsp ground spices – a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger is ideal

Method:

1. Cook the quince gently in a pan of water over a low heat – stir occasionally and add more liquid if you need to. You want the quince to be pink and very soft – this can take around 40 minutes.

2. Drain off the water and mash the fruit, before adding all the other ingredients.

3. Keep cooking over a low heat for another 10 minutes or so, stirring occasionally until nice and syrupy.

4. Taste for sweetness and then allow to cool before putting in hermetically sealed jars.

5. If you’ve the time and energy, you can make your own pastry, otherwise go for shop-bought – we won’t judge!

6. Roll out to the thickness of a pound coin, cut circular tops and slightly bigger bottoms, and lay the bottoms in a lightly greased muffin tin.

7. Fill with a generous spoonful of quince-meat (the above quantities should fill about 12 pies) and dampen the edges before popping on the pie tops, pressing well to seal. Don’t forget to make a couple of slits in the centre to let steam escape.

8. Brush with eggwash and bake in a pre-heated oven at 190C until golden – around 12–15 minutes. Write your list for Santa while the pies cool, then dust with icing sugar.

Feasts for feathered friends

Christmas is a time for giving, so we’ve even got some ideas for sharing the festive spirit with your feathered friends! Although you can buy seedballs at the supermarket or pet shop, if you’ve got a little time on your hands over the festive break, why not have a go at making your own?

Method:

1. For fat balls, mix one part suet to two parts seed in a saucepan and heat gently, stirring until the fat melts.

2. Using an ice cream scoop (or your hands!), mould into balls.

3. Once cool, thread string through them if you want to hang them from branches or pop them in a bird feeder.

4. For apple balls, simply core an apple and thread a piece of string through the hole, attaching an ice lolly stick to the base to act as a perch.

5. Fill the hole with sunflower seeds and hang your apple from low branches.