A stunning festive dish to wow your friends and family

Wow friends and family with this Christmas themed dish.

Preparation time: 10 minutes.

Cooking time: 30 minutes.

Will make +/- 12 crackers.

You will need:

For crackers:

• 6 sheets of phyllo pastry
• melted butter for brushing
• white sugar for sprinkling
• icing sugar, for dusting
  Filling:
• 60ml of currants (or raisins or sultanas)
• 15ml of brandy
• 15ml of boiling water
• 80ml of slivered almonds
• finely grated zest of half a lemon
• juice of half a lemon

• 2 red apples, cored
• 4 juicy red plums, stoned and cubed
• 80ml of ground almonds
• 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
•  pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• pinch of ground cloves
• 125ml of icing sugar
• 15ml of butter

You will then:

Soak the currants in the brandy and boiling water for 15 minutes.

Put the slivered almonds in a dry frying pan and toast them lightly, tossing frequently.

Set aside.

Put the lemon juice and zest into a large saucepan, and grate the apples directly into the pan.

Toss well to coat and add the cubed plums, ground almonds, spices, icing sugar and the currants plus their soaking liquid. Mix well.

Cook, over a brisk heat, for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture has thickened and is beginning to pull away from the edges of the pan.

You’ll know when it’s ready when you smell caramel and see the edges beginning to turn golden. Stir in the butter and slivered almonds and set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

Unroll the phyllo pastry and remove six sheets.

Place a sheet of pastry on a piece of greaseproof paper or a clean tea towel (cover the remaining sheets with a damp cloth) and brush all over with melted butter.

Sprinkle with a little granulated white sugar.

Place another sheet on top of the first, brush with butter and sprinkle with sugar.

Now add a third sheet of pastry, but don’t brush with butter.

With the long side of the stack of pastry facing you, and using a sharp knife or a pair of scissors, cut the pastry sheets in half vertically, and then into thirds horizontally, so you have six equal rectangles.

Place about two tablespoons of the filling on each stack, brush the far edge with melted butter, and roll into a cylinder.

Press down gently to seal, and then crimp and push in the ends to make a cracker shape.

Trim the ends with a pair of scissors.

Repeat the process with the remaining three sheets of pastry.

Place the crackers on a non-stick baking sheet and brush all over with melted butter.

Bake at 180ºC for 10-12 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and golden.

Dust with icing sugar and serve warm.

Recipe: Scrumptious South Africa.