Traditional Christmas Mince Pies | ExpatWomanFood.com
 
 

Posted on

9 October 2012

by

ewfood

Traditional Christmas Mince Pies

Traditional Christmas Mince Pies

Ingredients

<em><strong>FOR THE FILLING</strong></em>
450 green apples - cored and chopped
1 cup each - sultanas, currants
1 cup whole mixed candied peel - finely chopped
1 cup vegetable or beef suet
1 1/2 cup each - raisins and soft dark brown sugar
1/2 cup almonds - chopped
2 lemons - juice and zest
2 oranges - juice and zest
4 tsp mixed ground spice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Grated nutmeg to taste
<em><strong>FOR THE PASTRY</strong></em>
1 1/4 cup plain flour
3 tbsp milk
1 eggyolk
5 1/2 tbsp caster sugar
3/4 cup almonds ground
1/2 cup or 11 tbsp butter
1 lemon - rind

Preparation

  • <em><strong>FILLING</strong></em>
  • To start off with...for the filling, mix all the ingredients well in a large bowl.
  • Once done, cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.
  • Then cover the bowl with foil and bake for 3 hours in a preheated oven at 120 degrees C or 248 degrees F.
  • Once done, stir well and keep aside.
  • Allow it to cool.
  • <em><strong>PASTRY:</strong></em>
  • Sift the flour well.
  • Add ground almonds.
  • Then add the butter.
  • Mix well.
  • After that add the sugar and lemon zest.
  • Pour in the eggyolk and milk.
  • Mix properly till it forms firm dough.
  • Wrap in clingwrap.
  • Refrigerate - allowing it to rest for 40 minutes.
  • After that roll out dough and cut into round shapes - the size of discs.
  • Then use only half the quanity made - placing it into greased tart tins.
  • <strong><em>MINCE PIE:</em></strong>
  • Take a spoon of the minced filling and place in each case - make sure it isn't filled right till the top.
  • Then dampen the edges of the pastry.
  • Cover with another disc-shaped pastry dough.
  • Seal the edges.
  • After that cut 2 slits in the middle of the pie - to allow steam to escape.
  • Preheat your oven at 180 degress C or 356 degrees F.
  • Then place the pies in and turn the oven up to 200 degrees C or 392 degrees F.
  • Allow the mince pies to bake for 20 minutes.
  • Best eaten warm.
Cooks Note

The mince pie filling needs to be made 1 - 2 months before (allowing the flavours to infuse and mature) preparing the pies for Christmas.

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