Mince Pies
Warm your home with the delightful aroma of freshly baked mince pies. These buttery pastries are filled with a rich and aromatic mincemeat mixture that's been left to develop its flavors. The pastry is tender and flaky, encasing the sweet and spiced filling, making each bite a festive delight. Enjoy these homemade mince pies as a delicious treat for the holiday season.
— Constant Cookbook
Ingredients
- 150g/5½oz raisins
- 150g/5½oz currants
- 75g/2½oz chopped mixed peel
- 3 tbsp brandy
- 150g/5½oz cold butter
- 125g/4½oz dark brown soft sugarsugar
- 1 vanilla pod
- 1 tsp ground mixed spice
- 1 Bramley apple
- 1 orange
- 1 lemon
- 350g/12oz plain flour
- 150g/5½oz unsalted butter
- 50g/1¾oz icing sugar
- 1 orange
- 2 free-range egg yolks
- 2 free-range eggs
- 50g/1¾oz demerara sugar
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients for the mincemeat in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Cover with cling film and leave for 24 hours.
- For the pastry, sift the flour into a bowl, add the softened butter, icing sugar and orange zest and gently incorporate with your hands until the mixture resembles rough breadcrumbs. Mix in the egg yolks and then add 2-3 tablespoons of water to help bring it together. Squeeze the pastry together gently until you have a soft ball of pastry. Flatten to a disc, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
- Grease a bun tin or muffin tin, depending on how deep you like your mince pies. Unwrap the pastry and roll out on a lightly floured work surface to the thickness of a one pound coin. Cut out 12 discs of pastry with a pastry cutter slightly bigger than the size of the bun tin holes. Press a round of pastry into the bottom of each hole. Fill each pastry case with mincemeat and then cut a further 12 rounds of pastry (this time one size smaller). Brush the rims of the pastry cases with a little beaten egg and press the lids on, pressing the edges with the ends of a fork to seal shut.
- Brush the lids with beaten egg and then use a small knife or skewer to make a slit in the top of each pie. Sprinkle with demerara sugar and then transfer the tray to the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Bake the mince pies for 20-25 minutes, or until golden-brown and crisp. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and then turn the mince pies out and serve. Any leftover mincemeat should be spooned into sterilised jars and sealed.
Cook Time
1H
Yield
Makes 12 mince pies (plus leftover mincemeat)
Comments
No comments found.