The festive season is a great time to savour traditions, try something new, and indulge in the joys of home cooking. With that in mind, our wonderful team here at Santhem Residences have put together three delightfully simple Christmas recipes to enjoy at our luxury retirement village this year. Whether family are coming to visit, you’re baking for friends, or are simply treating yourself to something delicious, these easy ideas are sure to bring warmth and cheer to your celebrations!
1. Classic Mince Pies
Nothing says Christmas quite like comforting aroma of freshly bakes mince pies. This easy Christmas recipe combines buttery pastry with a rich, spiced fruit filling—a timeless treat that’s as fun to make as it is to eat.
Ingredients:
- 150g cold butter, diced
- 300g plain flour
- Pinch salt
- 3 tbsp icing sugar
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 300g mincemeat
- 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tbsp very cold water
- 1 medium egg, beaten (to finish)
Method:
- Combine the flour and salt in a food processer. Add the butter and pulse until resembling breadcrumbs. Add the icing sugar and pulse briefly, before mixing in the beaten egg mixture to form a rough dough.
- If making the pastry by hand, place the flour in a bowl and grate in the butter. Lightly mix with your fingertips until resembling breadcrumbs. Stir in the caster sugar and salt, then add the beaten mixture and mix with a table knife to form a rough dough.
- Form the dough into a ball, wrap in cling film, and chill for 20-30 minutes in the fridge.
- Brush a 12-hole bun tin with melted butter and place in the fridge.
- Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface to a thickness of around 5mm. Cut 12 rounds slightly larger than the bun tin holes, re-rolling the scraps as needed. Press these rounds into the tin holes and fill each with 1 tbsp of mincemeat, being careful to avoid overfilling.
- Cut 12 smaller rounds for the lids, brushing the edges with the medium-sized beaten egg mix before sealing on the lids. Brush the tops with remaining the remaining egg mix, sprinkle with caster sugar, and add decorative shapes if desired. Be sure to make small incisions for steam release.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C Fan/Gas 5, then bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
2. Christmas Biscuits
For a creative yet deceptively simple Christmas recipe, why not bake a batch of biscuits? These spiced treats are not only delicious but also make wonderful gifts when beautifully wrapped. Plus, they’re an excellent way to spend an afternoon in retirement with grandchildren or friends.
Ingredients:
- 100g butter at room temperature
- 50g caster sugar
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 150g plain flour
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 150g icing sugar
- 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
Method:
- Whisk together the butter, caster sugar, cinnamon, and ginger until light and fluffy. Mix in the flour and cornflour, stirring until crumbly, then use your hands to form a dough ball.
- Roll the dough on a floured surface until it’s roughly 1mm thick. Cut shapes with biscuit cutters, re-rolling the scraps as needed, and place these shapes on lined trays.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes in a preheated oven at 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas 4, swapping the trays round halfway to ensure the Christmas biscuits cook evenly. Biscuits should remain pale but cooked. Pierce a whole with a skewer while the biscuits are still warm, then leave to cool on trays.
- Mix the icing sugar with the lemon juice, adjusting for thickness, and decorate the biscuits.
3. Mulled Wine
What better way to toast the season than with a glass of warm, spiced mulled wine? It’s a quintessential Christmas drink that fills your home with a festive fragrance while keeping the winter chill at bay. If you’re after something a little stronger, you can also find our recipe for Homemade Irish Cream.
Ingredients:
- 1 large orange
- 3 lemons
- 12 cloves
- 2 satsumas or clementines
- 2 bottles of red wine
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 150g caster sugar (optional)
Method:
- Thinly peel the zest from the orange and lemons, then squeeze out the juice and set aside for later.
- Stud the satsumas/clementines with cloves.
- In a large saucepan, mix the wine, 1.2L/2 pints of cold water, citrus zest, and juices. Add the clove-studded satsumas and cinnamon sticks.
- Bring the mix to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, gradually stirring in the sugar to taste.
- Strain the mulled wine and serve in hot cups.
Enjoy the Festive Season at Santhem Residences
Our luxury retirement village is the perfect place to embrace the joys of Christmas, whether trying out these easy Christmas recipes in your kitchen or sharing festive treats with your friends and neighbours. And of course, if you don’t fancy trying out the baking yourself, you can always pop over to our homely village café for a home-baked cake put together by our in-house team!
Why not explore more ways to celebrate this Christmas in retirement? Visit our website or contact us to learn how we can enhance your lifestyle all year round. Happy baking and merry Christmas from all of us at Santhem Residences.