Chilli and Chocolate Mincemeat Slice

When it came to the Winter Solstice bonfire party a friend was hosting last year, I knew exactly what I wanted to bring along. I'd spotted this fabulous mincemeat slice recipe over at How to Cook Good Food the previous week and thought it would be just the sort of filling treat to keep us warm on a cold and damp winter's night. They would be especially warming as I wanted to use the chilli and chocolate mincemeat I'd made a couple of weeks earlier.

This is how I made them:

• Creamed 190g unsalted butter with 175g dark muscovado sugar until light and fluffy.
• Sieved in 180g wholemeal spelt flour and 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda.
• Added 100g rolled oats and stirred to combine - with difficulty as the mixture was quite dry.
• Put just over half the mixture into a 9'' square mould and pressed it flat to cover the mould. I realised at this point that I didn't really have enough mixture to do this in such a large container (although I did increase Laura's quantities very slightly). Next time I will increase the quantities further.
• Spooned in a jar of mincemeat - about 300g to cover the base.
• Added a small egg to the last part of the dough mixture to make it go a little further and spread more easily.
• Spread this on top of the mincemeat.
• Baked at 170C for 30 minutes.
• Allowed to cool, dusted with icing sugar, then cut into 16 slices.

The slices were a great success and something I may now be baking with monotonous regularity. Even CT, not a lover of mincemeat, enjoyed his slice. They were indeed just right for the evening, as we did get rather chilly and damp; the rain decided to descend just as the bonfire was lit. It was a magical scene however, with lanterns set amongst the trees as though we had surprised a gathering of the local piskies. Maybe they weren't too happy to have their secret revealed; when I went to check my camera, no pictures were to be found. Bowls of steaming soup, hunks of bread and fine company kept us in good cheer and we had a lovely evening.

What mincemeat recipes would you recommend?

I'm submitting this to Bookmarked Recipes hosted by Jac over at Tinned Tomatoes.

I'm also submitting this to Made with Love Mondays, the weekly made from scratch event over at Javelin Warrior's Cookin w/ Luv.