Mincepies
Mincepies (also Mince Pies) is a traditional British recipe for individual pies containing a matured fruit filling that are typically served at Christmas time. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of Mince Pies.
prep time
20 minutes
cook time
20 minutes
Total Time:
40 minutes
Makes:
24
Rating: 
Tags : Baking RecipesCake RecipesBritish Recipes
The mincepie is a classic British
Christmas treat. The following recipe gives you everything you need to make mincepies from scratch. The pastry here is very 'short' and crumbly (and extremely indulgent). If you wish you can make the pastry and brandy butter but use commercial mincemeat preparations.
Ingredients:
For the Mincemeat:
235g currants
235g sultanas
235g raisins
120g dark soft brown sugar
175g cooking apples — peeled and finely chopped
120g mixed
candied peel
120g grated suet
50g walnuts, coarsely chopped
50g pecan nuts, finely chopped
115ml dark rum (or brandy or whisky)
finely-grated
zest of 1 orange
finely-grated
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon
1–2 tsp mixed spice (pumpkin pie spice)
pinch of freshly-grated
nutmeg
50ml good-quality port wine
For the Pastry:
235g plain flour
30g caster sugar
½ tsp salt
145g butter
½ tsp white wine vinegar
2–3 tsp water
For the Brandy Butter:
120g unsalted butter
120g caster sugar
grated rind of 1 lemon
4 tbsp brandy
Method:
For the mincemeat, mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Store in airtight containers for at least 2 weeks before use. Mincemeat keeps a long time .. after all it is virtually pickled in all that alcohol (this should be sufficient for about 72 pies).
To make the pastry, sift the flour, salt and sugar into a bowl. Add the butter and cut into the flour with a knife then rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs in consistency. Add the water a little at a time and mix in until the dough comes together as a stiff, crumbly, paste. Turn this out onto a lightly-floured board and knead quickly until smooth and crack-free. You can either use immediately or store refrigerated in a polythene bag (indeed, the pastry is easier to roll out if refrigerated for 30 minutes).
Roll the pastry on a lightly-floured board then cut out the bases of the pies with an 8cm cutter and the lids with a 6cm cutter. There should be sufficient pastry to make approximately 24 pies. Fill pies two-thirds full with mincemeat and use a little milk to seal the lids onto the bases. Brush surface of each pie with milk and pierce the lids with a fork to allow steam to escape. Bake in an oven pre-heated to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4) for about 20 minutes or until the pastry has turned a golden brown in colour. Remove the pie from the tin whilst still hot and cool on a wire rack.
One traditional way to serve mince pies is with a dollop of brandy butter which is made by creaming the butter until soft, adding the sugar and lemon rind (beating this in again) before gradually adding the brandy. Be careful here to beat constantly whilst adding the brandy otherwise the butter can curdle. Refrigerate for at least ten minutes before serving.
Find more Christmas Recipes Here
