Nothing says Christmas time like seeing mince pies appear in the shops. These holiday treats are great for dessert, tea time or for a hostess gift.
Last year I posted a super quick Quick Mince Pie Squares recipe , but this year I want to share my recipe for these special little mince pies with an enriched short crust case. I use store bought fruit mince, but add some fresh ingredients to give it a lift.
This pastry will keep in your fridge for a week, so you can make up the pastry and then bake your pies the next day.
(This recipe makes 24 mini pies or 12 full size ones)
350g flour
2ml salt
125g castor sugar
175g butter
6 egg yolks
1 bottle fruit mincemeat
1 apple, grated
zest of 1 orange
15ml orange juice or brandy
Zest of 1 orange and 100ml castor sugar for dusting
Place flour, sugar, salt and butter into a food processor and whizz on high till the mixture resembles crumbs.
Turn processor onto low setting and add one egg yolk at a time, until the dough comes together.
Place dough onto a sheet of clingwrap and wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 mins.
Add grated apple, brandy or orange juice and orange zest to the fruit mincemeat and set aside.
Preheat oven to 190ºC and grease two mini muffin pans
Roll out pastry between two sheets of baking paper, cut out 5cm rounds of pastry with a scone cutter or glass.
Press a round of pastry into each muffin tin. Fill with fruit mince meat.
Cut our snowflakes from remaining dough and place one on each pie.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown..
Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the trays and then transfer to a cooling rack.
Combine orange zest and castor sugar and mix well.
Sprinkle sugar and orange zest over warm pies. Extra sugar can be added just before serving.
Christmas Mince Pies
- 350g flour
- 2ml salt
- 125g castor sugar
- 175g butter
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 bottle fruit mincemeat
- 1 apple, grated
- zest of 1 orange
- 15ml orange juice or brandy
- Zest of 1 orange and 100ml castor sugar for dusting
- Place flour, sugar, salt and butter into a food processor and whizz on high till the mixture resembles crumbs.
- Turn processor onto low setting and add one egg yolk at a time, until the dough comes together.
- Place dough onto a sheet of clingwrap and wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 mins.
- Add grated apple, brandy or orange juice and orange zest to the fruit mincemeat and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 190ºC and grease two mini muffin pans
- Roll out pastry between two sheets of baking paper, cut out 5cm rounds of pastry with a scone cutter or glass.
- Press a round of pastry into each muffin tin. Fill with fruit mince meat.
- Cut our snowflakes from remaining dough and place one on each pie.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown..
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the trays and then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Combine orange zest and castor sugar and mix well.
- Dust sugar and orange zest over warm pies. Extra sugar can be dusted just before serving.
