mince pies
Nothing says it’s Christmas like a warm mince pie and a big pour of brandy cream. I get so excited when I see mince pies start to appear in the shops, even if it is always a little too early, and can’t help myself but buy a box. This year, however, I decided to try making everything from scratch. It took a little bit of time, I won’t lie, but the results were 100% worth it. Plus, as I made it in batch, I now have enough mincemeat for the whole festive period.
Take the time to make the mincemeat yourself, layering in all your favourite festive flavours, then jar it and keep it in the fridge. You can use it again and again to make quick mince, spoon it onto ice cream, spread it onto a sheet of shop-bought puff pastry, or anything else that tickles your fancy. It is bound to bring back memories of cold wintery nights, snuggled under a blanket, watching a cheesy Christmas movie.
Below is my recipe, but feel free to adapt however you see fit. I like the pastry to be super short, and a little thicker than normal.
for the mincemeat
1 braeburn apple
800g mixed dried fruits (currents, raisins, sultanas, etc.)
225g mixed dried citrus peels
225g suet
1.5 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp mixed spice
0.5 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger
200g dark brown sugar
1 tbsp golden syrup
zest & juice of an orange
zest & juice of a lemon
6 tbsp dark spiced rum or brandy
2 tbsp triple sec
for the dough
375g plain flour
260g butter
125g caster sugar
1 egg (+1 egg for glaze)
method
Start by making your mincemeat. Core the apple then chop it up into small pieces (no need to pee it). Combine it with all the other ingredients (except for the alcohol) in a large bowl and mix together with your hands until everything is evenly distributed.
Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let sit overnight so that all the flavours combine.
The next day, heat your oven to 130c, replace the tea towel with silver foil and bake for 2.5 hours.
Remove the mincemeat from the oven and allow it to cool. It will look like it’s drowning in melted fat, so stir a few times a it cools to make sure that the fat coats all the lovely mix.
Once it has cooled, add your alcohol, mix together, then spoon into jars and refrigerate until you need it.
When you are ready to bake, bring your butter to room temperature then add it to a bowl with the flour. Use your fingers and thumbs to crumb these together.
Add the sugar and 1 egg, then bring it all together. Tip out onto a counter and bring the dough into a ball, making sure not to overwork the dough.
Wrap it in cling film, then refrigerate for 15 minutes whilst you preheat your oven to 220c.
Roll the pastry to 0.5cm thick (or, a little thinner if you prefer) and use a round cutter to cut 24 circles, or double the number of holes you have in your muffin tray.
Place 12 into the muffin holes, making sure to remove any air trapped underneath, then scoop mincemeat into each base.
Brush a little egg around the edge of each (to act as a sealant) then place the other 12 discs on a the lids, trying to join the lid to the base as much as possible.
Brush the tops with a little more egg wash, then sprinkle with a touch more caster sugar. Use the tip of a knife to stab a little hole into the top of each.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops are a lovely golden brown.
Remove and let cool before attempting to remove from the muffin tin.
These can be reheated when you want to eat them. Devour with brandy cream, normal cream, ice cream, custard, or whatever else floats your boat.
