We have reached the end of our 12 Days of Christmas and we hope you have had a delicious time! Our final recipe is for traditional mince pies – a perfect Christmas treat. This recipe makes 12 delicious mince pies. ‘Mincemeat’ is a classic Christmas ingredient made from dried fruit, candied peel and spices. Shortcrust pastry is traditionally used to make mince pies.
Watercolour by Chris Vine 2011 ©
Ingredients
- 300g plain flour
- 75g butter
- 75g white vegetable fat
- approximately 3 tablespoons cold water
- flour for rolling out
- 400g mincemeat
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- table knife
- measuring jug
- tablespoon
- flour dredger
- rolling pin
- pastry brush
- 80mm fluted pastry cutter
- 60mm fluted pastry cutter
- teaspoon
- 12 hole bun tin
Method
- Heat the oven to 200ºC/Gas 6.
- Sieve the flour and salt into the mixing bowl. Add the butter and white fat.
- Cut the fats into the flour with the table knife. Using your fingertips, rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Sprinkle the cold water on to the rubbed-in mixture. Mix with the table knife until a dough starts to form.
- Draw the mixture together with your hand until it forms a ball. If the mixture is dry add a few more drops of cold water.
- Sprinkle the work surface with a little flour. Roll the pastry to 4mm thickness.
- Cut out 12 small (60mm) and 12 larger (80mm) pastry ‘discs’ with the fluted cutters. Line the bun tin with the larger discs.
- Use a teaspoon to fill the pastry cases with mincemeat. Dampen the smaller discs and press each down lightly on to the mincemeat, sealing the edges.
- Bake for 10 – 15 minutes until golden.
Merry Christmas from Focus on Food. See you in 2012!
To order any of the illustrations from our 12 Days of Christmas – visit Chris Vine’s website at www.chrisvine.org
