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Archive of BBC Food Recipes

Mince pies

Prep time overnight
Cook time overnight
Makes 12 mince pies (plus leftover mincemeat)
Dietary Vegetarian
Make your own mincemeat and you won’t be disappointed. Add a grating of orange zest to your pastry for a unique flavour.

Method


  1. Combine all of the ingredients for the mincemeat in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Cover with cling film and leave for 24 hours.

  2. 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.

  3. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

  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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

Ingredients

For the mincemeat

  • 150g/5½oz raisins
  • 150g/5½oz currants
  • 75g/2½oz chopped mixed peel
  • 3 tbsp brandy
  • 150g/5½oz cold butter, grated
  • 125g/4½oz dark brown soft sugar or muscovado sugar
  • 1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped
  • 1 tsp ground mixed spice
  • 1 Bramley apple, peeled, grated, core discarded
  • 1 orange, juice and zest
  • 1 lemon, juice and zest

For the pastry

  • 350g/12oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 150g/5½oz unsalted butter, softened, cut into cubes
  • 50g/1¾oz icing sugar, sifted
  • 1 orange, zest only
  • 2 free-range egg yolks

To glaze

  • 2 free-range eggs, beaten
  • 50g/1¾oz demerara sugar

Shopping List

Mince pies

Fruit and vegetables

Tins, packets and jars

Cooking ingredients

Drinks

Dairy, eggs and chilled


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