Must Try Mince Pies
I never liked mince pies until I was a teenager working in my Uncle’s corner shop. A local couple would make mince pies with the best pastry ever. I spent each Christmas season trying different recipes but nothing quite hit the mark so I experimented with my own recipe until I came up with this result which we love.
It also works great for Jam Tarts and really any recipe where sweet pastry is called for.
Look out for the gluten free version coming soon.
Ingredients
300g (10.5 oz or 2 1/3 cups) Plain Flour (all purpose flour)
50g (1.75 oz, 1/2 cup) Cornflour (cornstarch)
230g (8.75 oz, 1 cup) Softened Butter (just spreadable but not too soft)
120g (4.25 oz, 1/2 cup) Golden Caster Sugar (fine sugar) (plus a little to sprinkle on top)
1 standard jar of Mincemeat
Method
Heat oven to 200C (180 fan, Gas mark 6, 390F)
Put the plain flour and cornflour into a bowl and mix.
Cut the butter into cubes and rub it into the flour. I use either my mixer with the paddle attachment or a dough cutter.
Stir in the sugar.
Bring the dough together and knead it on a lightly floured surface just enough so that it can be rolled out.
Roll the dough out thinly and cut into circles and gently push each circle down into cupcake moulds. (If you get any little cracks just press a little of the waste dough on to cover the crack.)
Fill each pastry case with mincemeat, top with a star and bake for 16-20 minutes until the edges of the dough are golden.
Once the mince pies are nearly cool take them out of the moulds and put on a wire rack until completely cold.
Sprinkle with caster sugar.
Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. These mince pies freeze really well and can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Enjoy!
With Love
