MINCE PIE BROWNIE

Hybrids are a fashionable baking trend but chocolate brownies, being one of the most luscious and comforting foods ever, are difficult to improve on – that is unless you add a dash of festive spirit in the form of mincemeat and a whipped brandy topping.

135g butter

90g (¾ cup) cocoa powder

300g (1½ cups) caster sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

95g (¾ cup) flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

200g (scant 1 cup) fruit mince* Brandy butter topping:

150g butter, softened

250g (1¾ cups) icing sugar

1 tablespoon brandy Glaze:

125g milk chocolate, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

Heat oven to 170°C. Grease and line a 20 x 30cm baking pan.

Gently melt butter over low heat or in the microwave. Sift in cocoa and quickly mix to combine. Set aside to cool slightly.

Add caster sugar and stir in until thoroughly combined. Add eggs and vanilla and stir in, taking care not to overwork the mixture.

Sift over flour and baking powder and fold in using a large metal spoon or rubber spatula. Stir in mincemeat.

Spread mixture in prepared pan and bake 25-30 minutes or until the top has a light crust but the middle is still soft to the touch. Set aside to cool.

Brandy butter topping: Beat butter, icing sugar and brandy together until light and fluffy. Spread topping over the cooled brownie.

Glaze: Melt chocolate with olive oil in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Spread over brandy topping. (We then added some gingerbread men sprinkles for decoration.) Leave to set.

Cut brownie into slices using a sharp knife dipped in hot water. Makes about 24 pieces

* If you have trouble finding fruit mince, the Anathoth brand is always available from Barker’s of Geraldine, barkers.co.nz (the Berry Fruit Mince is especially good in this recipe).