The wonderful Maggie Beer is well-known for her no-fuss approach to delicious home cooking. Many of her products have a cult following (have you tried her ice cream?!) which is why we're so pleased she's here to share her Christmas plans, advice for anyone who's taking on the Christmas cooking this year, and two classic festive recipes. Merry Christmas!



This Christmas I'll be serving:
Fresh oysters with a verjuice vinaigrette and a glass of sparkling
Christmas salad
Roast goose with apple, onion and sage stuffing
Apple Aioli
My Christmas pudding and brandy butter sauce
Sparkling ruby cabernet jelly set with cherries



My favourite food at Christmas is: the abundance of fresh, ripe locally grown stone fruit; peaches, nectarines, apricots, cherries - wonderful.

My biggest Christmas indulgence is: very good champagne

My biggest Christmas disaster was: relying on our dam for yabbies before I knew how hit and miss each season is!

The best advice I can give to the Christmas cook is: be organised ahead of time, it makes every difference to how relaxed you are on the day. No one likes a stressed host!

My Christmas playlist includes: Opera, opera and more opera!

After Christmas I'm planning to: relax. Of course I say that every year but there's always the next meal to think about!



Quince Glazed Ham
Ingredients
5.5kg ham on the bone
1/2 cup Maggie Beer Quince Glaze
1/4 cup seeded mustard
1 cup water

Method
Pre heat oven to 240–250C (or as hot as your oven will go).

To remove the skin from the ham, make a small cut just through the skin around the knuckle of the ham, then by using your fingers, push them between the skin and the fat and use the other hand to peel back the skin, then gently work your way from the top of the ham down to the knuckle.

Using a sharp knife, score the skin of the ham just through to the fat creating a diamond pattern.

Place the ham onto a lined baking tray with a trivet and pour the water onto the tray, this will prevent the juices from burning.

Place the quince glaze and mustard into a mixing bowl. Mix well, smother over ham.

Place into the pre-heated oven for 10-15 minutes to achieve a good burnish.

Remove from the oven and carve at the table.



Fruit mince tartlets
Ingredients
60g flaked almonds
3 granny smith apples
1/3 cup Verjuice
200g seedless raisins
200g Dried Moorepark Apricots
100g dried figs
200g sultanas
250g currant
150g dried cumquat slices
100g mixed peel
1 orange
1 lemon
200g brown sugar
2 tblspn honey
2 tspn mixed spice
1 tspn nutmeg freshly grated
150ml cumquat liqueur
175g unsalted butter

For pastry:
150g unsalted butter chilled
225g unbleached plain flour
75g self-raising flour
55g icing sugar
1 free range egg yolk
2 1/2 tbspn iced water

Method
Preheat the oven to 220C. Roast the almonds on a baking tray for about 5 minutes, shaking the tray to prevent the nuts from burning. Allow to cool, then chop.

Peel and coarsely grate the apples, then cover with Verjuice to prevent discolouration. Chop the raisins, apricots and figs. Combine these in a glass or ceramic bowl with the apple and remaining ingredients, except the butter, and mix thoroughly. Cover with plastic film and leave at room temperature for 24 hours, stirring occasionally. Next day, melt the butter and stir it through the fruit mince.

To make the pastry, dice the chilled butter. Blend the flours, icing sugar and diced butter in a food processor until well combined and the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and iced water and, using the pulse button, process until the mixture starts to come together. Shape the pastry into a disc, then wrap it in plastic film and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 210C. Roll out the pastry until 3mm thick on a lightly floured bench. Cut rounds of pastry to line the moulds you are using, then cut a corresponding number of lids (I make 36 tiny tarts in mini-muffin trays). Line the moulds with pastry, then add a spoonful of fruit mince and top with a lid, pressing down on the edges to seal the tarts. Make a small cross in the top of each tart with the point of a knife. Bake for 12 minutes, then allow to cool in the trays. (If you are using larger moulds you will have to bake the tarts for a longer time - the pastry should be golden brown).

Serve dusted with icing sugar.