![Heston's Hidden Clementine pudding Waitrose heston hidden clementine pudding](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitoYVlkwdTfdLannZNiEXpiy7jSPXXxxy4_7SuIKDHkiCbbfTAghJASBMKrudAzX0LsTjLkJacnWPUEo2Ovki7eY77RLGjyJ9MIDKaS62TEwSg99KvQ1CBFdtpCSX8YjeyzjPTAI-vySPc/s200/blogger-image-1159844473.jpg)
Years ago I used to make my own mince pies and took great pride in sharing them out. Nowadays it seems there are a lot more fussy folks out there as people don't like the mince filling or the pastry or something and with so many types for sale: gluten free, icing topped, puff pastry, etc. I just skip it and if we fancy a mince pie I buy some luxury butter pastry mini ones. I think I might make some with my boy this year. I'm sure he'll love rolling the pastry and spooning out mincemeat. Once I've popped a cute little ribbon on the box they'll be the perfect gift for grandparents complete with teeny tiny fingerprints in the pastry.
![easy peasy cake in a box Waitrose Christmas Cake making kit](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8fQOnyqfmwRKGE5NpQ1DTNZ4zSgce0PNBuF-7hSxWUCjH55SNZpIIfoU7RoJ3Yy_XFhjMSCnTZ_Ihthxzq2cSQUmr2XJZ9UoalBLMaW9vF0pKIpFTh0xKLyuEtKPS9CYC3mIglhk6jxr1/s200/blogger-image--405832645.jpg)
![gingerbread with kiddie friendly decorations Waitrose Gingerbread tree kit](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQgt3aHgKECX_q6PHdt1rU1ouQ8rB65G5xxaq4Am18sjWAMVK0xxr66uyE8ke0Tl3oZj7-2Ak68jrs-Wx9tZ7pJZw-G_CZH_w1cwm7L4ufzzgMyWnLtC78gnRSLu7n-SLwt4FvYeH63Cne/s200/blogger-image-190104449.jpg)
I've also branched out with the Waitrose gingerbread tree kit complete with icing and edible glitter. When I opened the box I felt like a bit of an amateur as it wasn't even a mix, but an actual bag of dough ready to roll out. Now I'm all for short cuts, but this was a little shorter than I was expecting. If I'm using a kit I like to be involved in some way whether it's to add eggs and butter or to mix a few packets together. Of course baking from scratch gives a genuine homemade taste, but sometimes it's just too tempting to try a kit and see how it goes. I'm going to freestyle it with the gingerbread by using a fabulous intarsia shaped baking mould that I was given by a friend last year. It is meant for shortbread, but I think this kind of crazy renegade behaviour is what makes home baking so exhilarating !
The fridge is packed with ready made pastry; all butter puff, pizza dough, shortcrust, croissant dough and I think I've got some filo somewhere. I spent last Saturday lying on the sofa watching cookery programmes and Lorraine Pascale was making canapes and treats on her show, so I decided that if ready made is good enough for her (and is on special offer) then who am I to argue ?
So I'll post photos as I go. If you want to know how the homemade sausage rolls (meat and veggie), Christmas cake, Christmas cupcakes and gingerbread tree turn out keep tuned to www.twitter.com/SwaziRodgers. Comments appreciated, marks out of ten optional :o)
p.s. this post isn't sponsored by Waitrose, but it would be lovely if it was :o)
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