Easy Mince Pies Recipe: A British Christmas Treat
12
30 minutes
20 minutes
250
Discover the mince pie, a quintessential British Christmas delicacy that embodies culinary tradition. These bite-sized pastries capture the essence of festive cheer, delivering a delightful taste of seasonal warmth in every single morsel.
Ingredients
- 225g plain flour
- 100g cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 25g icing sugar
- 1 pinch of Isle of Skye sea salt
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2-3 tbsp cold water
For the Filling
- 1 jar (about 410g) good quality mincemeat
- Zest of 1 orange
- 2 tbsp brandy (optional)
- Icing sugar for dusting
Directions
Prepare the Pastry
- Sift flour into a large mixing bowl
- Add cold butter cubes and rub into flour using fingertips until mixture resembles breadcrumbs
- Stir in icing sugar and Isle of Skye sea salt
- Add beaten egg and cold water, mix to form a smooth dough
- Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes
Make the Mince Pies
- Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan)
- Roll out pastry to 3mm thickness on a lightly floured surface
- Cut circles for base and slightly smaller circles for pie tops
- Line a 12-hole tart tin with larger pastry circles
- Mix mincemeat with orange zest and brandy
- Fill each pastry case with mincemeat
- Cover with smaller pastry circles, crimp edges
- Brush tops with beaten egg
- Cut small slits for steam
Baking
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown
- Cool in tin for 5 minutes
- Transfer to wire rack
- Dust with icing sugar before serving