Mice Recipes

BEST TRADITIONAL MINCEMEAT

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients except for the brandy and rum in a medium-sized pot and slowly bring to a simmer to prevent scorching. Reduce the heat to LOW and simmer uncovered for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, more towards the end to prevent burning. (If the liquid reduces too soon and the mincemeat starts to stick/scorch on the bottom, add a little bit of apple juice or water.) Stir in the brandy and rum. (Note: If you prefer to have the alcohol cooked out, add them at the same time as the other ingredients.)
• Spoon the hot mincemeat into sterilized jars (spooning it in the jar while hot will ensure the suet rises to the top to create a layer of fat). As the mixture cools the suet will harden, creating a seal to help preserve the mincemeat. *If you're including the beef be sure to refrigerate the mincemeat. If you're storing it for more than a couple of weeks follow the directions in the blog post for pressure canning the mincemeat for longer-term storage.See blog post for additional ways of storing your mincemeat.
• Makes about 1 quart. Feel free to double, triple, etc, as needed.
• Use this mincemeat to make Homemade Mince Pies! (click link for recipe)
• Note: Mincemeat is traditionally stored for several months before using to allow time for the flavors to deepen, however this mincemeat is also delicious eaten within just a few days.

SUGAR MICE

Steps:

• Put the egg white in a large bowl and whisk until foamy. Stir in the lemon juice.
• Gradually stir in the icing sugar with a wooden spoon until really stiff, like dough. Or, dust the work surface with some icing sugar and knead the sugar into the mixture until you get the right consistency.
• Divide the mixture in half. Add a dot of pink food colouring to one half, then knead in to evenly distribute the colour. Add a tiny bit more colouring if you want a stronger colour. Leave the second half plain.
• Break off a walnut-sized piece of the mixture and roll into a rounded cone shape, then flatten one side so that the mouse can sit on a flat surface without toppling over. Pinch out little ears on top of the narrow end, then squeeze the same end into a nose. Press chocolate sprinkles into the face below the ears to make eyes. Cut a length of kitchen string about 4cm long, and push it into the round end of the mouse to make a tail.
• Use a cocktail stick to dab a tiny amount of pink food colouring onto the nose, then put the mouse on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment.
• Repeat the process with the remaining pink and white mixtures, then leave the mice to dry out for at least 12 hrs.

MICE

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Chop the confectioners' coating into chunks, and place into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat the coating in the microwave oven on High for 30 seconds; then heat again 4 or 5 more times for 10 to 15 seconds each time until the coating is warm (not hot) and melted. Stir well until the chocolate coating is smooth and free of lumps. The coating should be about 95 degrees F (35 degrees C).
• Dry the cherries well with paper towels. Holding each cherry by the stem, dip it into the chocolate coating to just reach the bottom of the stem. Carefully lay the cherry on its side, so the stem sticks out the side. This will be the tail. Before the coating sets up, stick the flat side of an unwrapped chocolate kiss opposite the tail, to make a pointy-nosed face. Pick out two nicely shaped slivers of almond, and insert them between the chocolate kiss and the dipped cherry to make little ears. Use a toothpick to make two small dots of melted coating on the face for eyes; stick two little red candies to the coating dots. Repeat with the rest of the cherries. Allow the coating to set until firm and cool, about 30 minutes.