This is one of the recipes I've come across somewhere, and not from my grandmother's cookbook. And, to be fair, it's more about the pastry than the filling. If you're going just for the shortcrust pastry, you only really need the first three ingredients and the first two instructions. Nothing else applies to just the pastry.
I did find this recipe somewhere on the Internet, and I do not have the source written down. This explains why it's in metric and not normal measurements first. (Yeah, I said it.) If this does, in fact, violate someone's copyright, let me know and I will take it down.
Mincemeat... It's not meat. It's minced fruits in a vinegar and sugar reduction to make a sweet and slightly sour pie filling. It's delicious. It's decidedly British (both UK and RoI), and almost exclusive to Christmas. Its dark, spicy, and earthy flavors are perfect for the holiday season and winter months, but it's very tasty and should be enjoyed whenever you feel like it. Mincemeat is available in many US grocery stores in November and December and no-when-else. There are many, many recipes for it on the Internet.
While you can fill the pastry with whatever you like, I do recommend keeping it sweet. I don't think this would make very good savory pies.
SHORTCRUST PASTRY MINCE PIES
255g (2 sticks) cold salted butter, diced
350g (~2¼ cups or 12.3oz.) all-purpose flour
100g golden caster sugar OR 3.5oz or ~1/2 cup extra fine sugar
1 small egg for washing
icing sugar for dusting
prepared mincemeat or other filling
A small muffin tin (2"/5cm pots) will be needed.
- In a large mixing bowl, rub butter into flour, then knead in sugar. Play-Doh consistency is desired. (Other modelling clays are available...
- Allow to rest in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes. If making for later use, it may be kept in the fridge for about a week, or kept in the freezer for much later use.
- Flatten walnut sized pieces and press into muffin tin, trimming level.
- Put about 1½ tsp of filling in each pie.
- Preheat oven to 200°C/390°F.
- Flatten smaller balls of dough for tops. Press to seal, cleaning edges and peeling away from pan edges. Pierce with a knife.
NOTE: Shaped tops work well, with a star being a common sight among other Internet recipes for mincemeat pies. As long as there is a top with some kind of venting. - (OPTIONAL) Give the tops an egg wash.
- Bake ~25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let cool at least 5 minutes, then pop out of the tin and onto cooling racks.
- Dust with icing sugar and serve.
This blog is documentation of my late grandmother's handwritten recipes, as well as recipes I've come across or made up. There are no photos or images as my grandmother's recipe book didn't have any, except for ones she clipped from magazines, for example.
These recipes are free for all to use. Please enjoy them by yourself, with friends, with family, feeding the hungry, or in whatever way you wish.
God bless you all.
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