Fruit Mince Pies #Christmas #Pies

I remember a time when I used to prepare everything in the House – Turkey, vegetables, stuffing and pudding – and bring it to Grandma on Christmas Eve, ready to be cooked the next day.

Although, these days, most of the Christmas I was at home and youth come back to us with their children, so the preparation and the organization does not seem to be getting a lot less.

Ingredients:

For the pastry:

• 175g plain flour
• 75g butter, cut into cubes
• 25g icing sugar
• Finely grated rind 1 orange
• 1 egg, beaten

For the filling:

• 350g mincemeat
• 1 egg, beaten, to glaze
• Icing or caster sugar for dusting
• Preheat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC fan/gas mark 6.
• These are traditional mince pies with a pastry top and bottom, but I have used
• a star cutter for the top – so much more festive and slightly less pastry, too!
• If you are feeling very creative, you could also cut out holly or Christmas tree shapes and use these to top the mince pies.

Method:

1. To make the pastry, put the flour, butter, icing sugar and grated orange rind into a food processor bowl and process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Pour in the beaten egg and pulse the blade until the dough starts to form a ball. Knead lightly by hand on a floured board.
2. Roll the pastry out thinly on a lightly floured work surface and cut out
3. 18 rounds using a 7.5cm fluted cutter. Use these to line 18 holes of two 12-hole bun tins. Spoon a generously heaped teaspoon of mincemeat into each pastry case.
4. Re-roll the pastry trimmings and cut out 18 stars using a 4.5-5cm star cutter. Put a star on top of the mincemeat, and brush the pastry with a little beaten egg.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden and crisp. Allow to cool slightly and dust with icing sugar or caster sugar before serving.