Christmas Mincemeat And Oat Squares/slices

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 5 ounces butter or 5 ounces margarine
• 3 ounces soft brown sugar
• 8 ounces whole wheat flour
• 4 ounces porridge oats
• 12 -16 ounces mincemeat

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 200°c or 400°f.
• 2 grease a shallow baking tin, 11 x 7 inches.
• 3 melt the butter or margarine gently in a large saucepan. add the sugar and mix well.
• 4 while the butter and sugar are being heated up, mix the porridge oats & flour together in a bowl.
• 5 when the butter & sugar mixture have turned to liquid, take the pan off the heat and add the flour & oat mixture gradually, stirring all the time.
• 6 when it is all thoroughly mixed and blended, spoon half the mixture into a well greased shallow baking tin.
• 7 with the flat of your hand, press the mixture down firmly all over - making sure it gets into all the corners!
• 8 the firmer you press, the less crumbly it will be when it has been cooked & therefore easier to pick up and eat!
• 9 next, using a tablespoon, spread all the mincemeat over the top - making sure it is evenly spread and goes into all those corners again! press it down with the back of the spoon.
• 10 then spread the remaining oat & flour mixture over the top - again pressing down firmly and making sure it is evenly spread.
• 11 bake the mincemeat slices in the centre of the oven for about 20 minutes or until the top is tinged brown - not too dark and brown.
• 12 remove from the oven & with a sharp knife, cut into 12 squares - but make sure to leave them in the tin until they are cold. it is easier to remove them this way.
• 13 sprinkle with icing sugar if you want and store in an airtight tin, that's if they are not gobbled up straight away!
• 14 these can be re-heated in a warm oven or microwave - then serve with cream or brandy butter as a nice, festive dessert.
• 15 be careful not to overheat in the microwave as mincemeat can really burn your mouth if it gets too hot!