Mince pies are the traditional pastries that are served in England at Christmas time. This tradition goes back to the Middle Ages. In the past, mince pies were actually made with finely chopped meat, or "minced meat". Some historical recipes from the 17th and 18th century have finely chopped ox tongue, beef suet and hard-boiled eggs added to the candied fruits, apples and spices. In other recipes, the bitter Seville oranges are recommended as an ingredient instead of the sweet oranges. As always, it's a matter of taste. What is certain is that this juicy, brandy-enriched mincemeat, baked in a crispy almond shortcrust pastry, is a real treat.
For the mincemeat (1 litre mason jar):
225 grams cooking Apples, finely chopped or grated
50 grams blanched almonds, chopped
225 grams raisins
87 grams sultanas
87 grams currants
25 grams candied citron/ lemon peel
25 grams candied orange peel
50 grams suet
225 grams brown raw cane sugar
1 lemon, unwaxed, grated rind and juice
1 orange, unwaxed, grated rind and juice
1 teaspoon Mixed Spice (coriander, cinnamon poweder, all spice, nutmeg, ginger powder, cloves)
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, grated
75 millilitres brandy
For the pastry:
450 grams flour
Pinch of salt
100 grams almonds, grated
100 grams icing sugar
70 grams sugar
350 grams butter, chilled and diced
2 egg yolks
8-9 cm round cutter and a star-shaped cutter
mince pie or muffin tin
For the mincemeat:
1. Peel and core the apples and finely chop or grate them.
2. Finely chop the freshly blanched almonds.
3. Mix the dried and candied fruits, the lard, the sugar, the lemon and orange peel as well as their juice and spices in a bowl.
4. Cover the mixture with a kitchen towel and let it soak in a cold place for two days.
5. After the two days add the brandy, mix well and pour into a tall, sterilized 1 litre mason jar.
6. Let it stand for at least a month and then use it as a filling for the mince pies. It can be normally be stored for at least three months. I had some of my mincemeat in the fridge for a year and it was still perfect.
For the short crust pastry:
1. Knead the flour, salt, ground almonds, sugar, butter cubes and egg yolks quickly together to make a short crust pastry and leave to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before using.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
3. Remove the dough in portions and roll it out on a floured work surface about 4 mm thick.
4. Cut out the same number of round and star-shaped shapes.
5. Place the round dough shapes in the lightly greased mince pie or muffin tins, fill with about 1 teaspoons of mincemeat and cover with a short crust pastry star on the surface of each pie.
6. Bake the pies in the oven at 180°C for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool, carfully unmould and serve them with a good cup of tea.
Instagram
Facebook