Mixed spice is one of my Top 10 favourite additions when baking. Although most shops back home usually stock it, it is rather hard to find here in Spain.

I’m an avid cook and baker, which means I always have a good selection of herbs and spices. So why buy pre-mixed packages when you can make your own?

This is where your spice cupboard really comes in handy! There’s nothing extra-special included in mixed spice, it’s more about the quantities and the combination of spices used. Therefore, if you’re ever in need of this combination of flavours, here is the perfect answer. To create this Mixed Spice should be simple for any self-discerning baker. Moreover, the ingredients are quite common for those who spend a lot of time with the oven, so what are you waiting for?

Mixed spice is something I use most of around Christmas time, which can be difficult to get a hold of if you’re beaten to the shopping-rush. In fact, any Holiday-dishes can be a pain to buy for – so it can be best to make your own! My Christmas cakes, sweet mincemeat, and anything using apples, always has Mixed Spice in. It’s such a lovely fragrant addition to your baking. So if you aren’t familiar with it, give it a try – once you’ve tasted it, I bet you’ll be hooked!

I will just add that Mace is the one thing I tend to struggle to get hold of. If you see it out here in Spain, grab some!

What else can we use Mixed Spice for?

As I mentioned above, you can use this mix in Christmas cakes – but why stop there? You can try it in other cake recipes too! (Mm.. Carrot cake?) A nice little rule to consider is: does the recipe call for ginger? Yes? Then you can probably substitute for this Spice Mix for that delicious boost of flavour.

Additionally, there are a variety of dishes where the Spice Mix can really add some dazzle. For example:

• Pies
• Puddings
• Breads
• Cupcakes
• Gingerbreads

It looks like we have some experimenting to do!

For larger ingredients – or to give a more milled feel to your spice – you can always use a pestle and mortar to really combine the spices together and release even more flavour. Additionally, don’t forget a nice, air-tight jar to store it in!

Finally, a quick way to gather what we need when we can’t get out to the shops! Have you made your own Mixed Spice? Did yours turn out how you expected? Also, did you tweak the recipe for an extra boost of something else in the flavour? Let us know how you got on in the comments below!

Be sure to keep an eye on our Back To Basics page for more homemade tricks!

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