Nutty Little Mice Recipes

COPYCAT NUTTY BUDDY BARS

Steps:

• Spread peanut butter on top of each cracker then double them up (one on top of another) to make 12 double-decker stacks.
• In a small pot over very low heat, melt the chocolate chips and heavy cream together. Continuously stir until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. You can also use a double boiler, but if you keep a close eye and stir frequently, I don't think it's necessary.
• Line a baking sheet or cutting board with parchment or wax paper. One by one dip each cracker stack in the melted chocolate and spoon over top. Take out of the chocolate, scrape the excess off the bottom (with the spoon), and place on the prepared sheet. Repeat until done.
• Place in the entire thing in the freezer until chocolate sets, 1 to 2 hours, and serve. Keep cold.

SUGAR MICE

Steps:

• Separate the egg and whisk up the egg white until it is all nice and frothy.
• Sieve the sugar into the same bowl.
• Using a metal spoon start stirring, and stirring and stirring to make a dough
• If you want some coloured mice split the dough into three parts.In one add some red food colouring to make pink mice.In another add cocoa powder for fawn mice
• Divide up the dough into however many mice you want (size is up to you) and make a sort of short fat sausage shape out of each section. Roll at the front to get a pointy nose and pinch either side to get the ear shape.
• Using the strawberry liquorice lace push a tail into each mouse. You can cut tiny pieces to press in eas eyes or use tiny drops of food colouring gel.
• Put your mousy masterpieces on to baking paper/grease proof paper and on to a tray in the fridge overnight to set completely.

HAZELNUT CRUNCH MINCE PIES

Steps:

• Put the flour, half the hazelnuts, the icing sugar and butter in a food processor and blitz to a sandy texture. Add the egg yolk and 1-2 tbsp water, and blitz briefly until the dough clumps together. Tip out onto a work surface and knead the dough a little until smooth. Flatten to a puck shape, wrap in cling film, then chill for 30 mins.
• Mix the mincemeat, apple and orange zest in a bowl. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Unwrap the pastry and roll out on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin. Stamp out 12 circles with a 10cm fluted biscuit cutter and use them to line a 12-hole muffin tin.
• Fill each pie with the mincemeat mixture. Scrunch up the pastry trimmings and re-roll to the same thickness as before. Stamp out 6 circles using an 8cm cutter, and 6 stars. Put the remaining hazelnuts in a dish and lightly whisk the egg white in another. Brush a little egg white around the inner rim of each pie, then brush one side of each pastry lid, and the stars. Press each lid into the hazelnuts, egg-side down, so they stick, then lightly press on top of the pies, nutty-side up. Repeat with the stars and place these on the remaining pies.
• Bake for 20 mins or until golden and crisp. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 mins, then scoop out and cool on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar before serving. Will keep in a sealed container for 3 days.

GLUTEN-FREE MINCE PIES

Steps:

• To make the pastry, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the icing sugar and orange zest. Spoon in 4 tbsp water, mixing with a knife until the dough starts to come together. Knead lightly, flatten into a disc, wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 mins.
• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the pastry out to a 2-3mm thickness. Using a 9-10cm fluted cutter, stamp out discs from the pastry. Re-roll any trimmings and stamp out more discs until the pastry is used up. Line two 8-hole muffin tins with the pastry discs, then fill each pastry shell with 1 heaped tsp mincemeat and spread out to smooth. Can be frozen, uncooked, in trays for up to 1 month.
• Combine the crumble ingredients in a small bowl, then sprinkle a little over the top of each mince pie. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about 20 mins until the pastry is cooked and golden brown. Cool in the tins for 5 mins, then serve with brandy butter or crème fraîche.

NUTTY LITTLE MICE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350.
• In large bowl, break up cookie dough.
• Stir or knead in chopped peanuts and flour until well blended.
• Work with half of dough at a time; refrigerate remaining dough until needed.
• Place sugar in shallow dish.
• For each cookie, shape dough into 1 inch ball, then shape ball into 1 1/2 inch long egg shape.
• Roll in sugar to coat.
• Place cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Repeat with remaining dough.
• Bake 8 to 11 minutes or until light golden brown.
• Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets.
• Immediately insert string candy piece in end of cookie for tail.
• Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
• On each cookie, use decorating gel to attach 2 cinnamon candies for eyes and 1 chocolate chip for nose.
• With sharp knife, make 2 small slits for each cookie above eyes; insert almond slice for ears.
• Store in tightly covered container.