Fancy making homemade mince pies this Christmas? Debbie Major’s traditional recipe sees homemade buttery apple mincemeat encased in a slightly citrusy shortcrust pastry.
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- Classic mince pie taste: This recipe combines melt-in-the-mouth pastry with lightly boozy homemade mincemeat, made from plump, juicy, good quality dried fruit and lightly toasted fresh almonds. A light dusting of icing sugar is the classic finishing touch. Be careful not to roll the pastry too thick or your pies will taste dry.
- Make ahead recipe: The mincemeat will keep in sterilised jars in the fridge for up to a month. The recipe makes enough for 48 mince pies, so you can enjoy fresh ones throughout the festive season. See Make Ahead below for tips on freezing the pastry or assembled mince pies – and how to sterilise jars.
Folklore tells us that mince pies are Father Christmas’ favourite nibble and that one or two should be left next to the chimney along with a glass of sherry‚ and a carrot for Rudolf, of course!
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Ingredients
For the buttery apple mincemeat
- Finely grated zest and juice 1½ large oranges
- Finely grated zest and juice 1½ large lemons
- 1 large bramley apple (around 225g)
- 75g butter (see Make Ahead)
- 3 tbsp brandy
- 150g raisins
- 110g sultanas
- 110g currants
- 110g chopped candied peel
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¾ tsp ground ginger
- 1½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1½ tsp ground mixed spice
- 125g light muscovado sugar
- 40g blanched almonds, lightly toasted in a dry frying pan, coarsely chopped
For the pastry
- 450g plain flour, plus extra to dust
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 140g cold butter, cut into pieces
- 135g cold lard or white vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces
- Finely grated zest 1 orange
- 75ml cold freshly squeezed orange juice
- Beaten egg and granulated sugar to glaze
- Icing or caster sugar to dust
You’ll also need…
- Sterilised jars and waxed discs
- 7cm and 8cm fluted biscuit cutters and 2 x shallow 12-hole bun tins, lightly greased with butter
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Method
- For the mincemeat, put the citrus zest and juices in a pan. Peel, quarter and core the apple, then coarsely grate it, stirring it into the citrus juices as you go so it doesn’t discolour. Add the butter, brandy, dried fruit, candied peel and spices, then cook over a low heat, stirring frequently, for about 45 minutes until the apples have broken down, the dried fruit have plumped up and all the liquid has evaporated. Cool completely, then stir in the sugar and almonds. If not using straightaway, spoon into cold sterilised jars, press a waxed disc on top, then seal.
- For the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a food processor. Add the cold butter and lard or vegetable shortening, then whizz until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the orange zest and pulse for 2-3 seconds, then tip into a mixing bowl (or rub together the fats, zest, flour and salt with your fingers in a large mixing bowl). Stir in the orange juice with a dinner knife until it comes together into a ball. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead briefly until smooth.
- Halve the pastry, then wrap one piece in cling film and chill. Roll out the other piece on a lightly floured surface to about 5mm thick. Use the 8cm cutter to cut out 24 rounds, then use them to line the bun tins. Spoon 1 level tablespoon (20g) mincemeat into each case.
- Roll out the second piece of pastry, then use the 7cm cutter to cut out 24 rounds. Using a 10mm plain piping nozzle (or the point of a knife), cut a small hole in the centre of each lid. Brush the edges of the pies with water, then press the lids onto the pies, sealing all round. Chill for 20 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Brush the lids with beaten egg, sprinkle with granulated sugar and bake for 25 minutes until golden. Cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or cold, dusted with icing/caster sugar.
FAQs
The tradition of spiced mince pies goes back centuries but the name, mincemeat‚ refers to the filling, which up until the Victorian era would have contained actual meat along with the spices and fruit. The only remnants of the meat in today’s mince pies is the inclusion of suet in the filling, but vegetarians can use vegetarian suet rather than beef suet if the recipe calls for it. Luckily, ours doesn’t!
Nutrition
- 277kcals Calories
- 14.5g (7.2g saturated) Fat
- 3.1g Protein
- 31.7g (16.3g sugars) Carbs
- 1.5g Fibre
- 0.1g Salt
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