A fabulously festive bake designed to pull apart and share. Filled with delicious mincemeat and topped with sweet icing, cherries and nuts. Taken from Dairy Diary.
Ingredients
Glacé cherries 100g (3½oz)
Golden marzipan 100g (3½oz)
Self-raising flour 250g (9oz), plus extra for dusting
Baking powder 2 tsp
Lightly salted butter 50g (2oz), softened
Whole milk 150ml (¼ pint) plus 1 tbsp
Mincemeat 250g (9oz)
Icing sugar 65g (2½oz)
Shelled pistachios 1tbsp, chopped
Directions
Preheat oven to 200ºC/180ºfan/Gas 6
Line a large baking tray with baking paper
Chop 75g (3oz) cherries and halve the rest
Grate 75g (3oz) marzipan
Set aside
Put flour and baking powder in a bowl and rub in butter
Stir in 150ml (¼ pint) milk to a soft dough
Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, then roll into a 25 x 32cm (10 x 12¾in) rectangle
Spread mincemeat over dough, leaving a 1cm (½in) border around the edge, then scatter over chopped cherries and grated marzipan
Roll up from one of the longer sides and press gently to seal (use a little milk to stick if needed)
Slice into 12 rounds, then arrange close together in the shape of a Christmas tree on the baking tray
Brush with 1 tbsp milk, then bake for 30 minutes or until risen and golden
Leave to cool for 10 minutes
Meanwhile, mix icing sugar with 1½ tsp water to make a drizzling icing
Roll out remaining marzipan
cut out a star for the top and smaller stars for decorations
To serve, drizzle icing over swirls and decorate with marzipan stars, remaining cherries and pistachios.