Merry Christmas to all

Classic minced Pies - a Christmas tradition  in Britain

Another last minute Christmas bake, the classic minced pies. This is traditionally served as sweet pastry during the festive season in UK. The history of this little minced pies dated back to the 13th century. Detail can be found here. Again I took some short cut, buying store bought pre-prepared luxury mincemeat.

So I better start baking to bring some over to my friend's for Christmas Eve dinner this evening...

Minced Pies
Ingredients

Bought the mincemeat from Mark & Spencer  

• 1 jar of high quality mincemeat (around 350g)
• 200g plain flour
• 40g icing sugar
• 75g ground almond
• 125g butter (unsalted)
• 1 egg lightly beaten
• Some milk for glaze
• Zest of 1 orange



Adding zest of 1 orange to the mincemeat

1.  Lightly butter a 12-hole pie or patty tin. Tip the mincemeat into a bowl and mixed in the zest of 1 orange. Set aside
2. Place the flour, sugar, almonds and butter in a mixing bowl. Use rub in method by hand until they resemble breadcrumbs. Add in the egg and mixed well . Bring the mixture together with your hands, wrap in clingfilm and chill for an hour or so.
3.  Thinly roll out the pastry on a floured surface. Cut out 12 circles with a fluted pastry cutter, large enough to fill the base of the prepared tin. Press gently into each hole, then fill with the mincemeat.Cut out another 12 slightly smaller discs and use to cover the mincemeat. Press the edges together to seal. Make a small slit in the top of each, then brush lightly with milk. 
4. Chill for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180C (fan assisted).
5. Bake the pies for 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack and serve warm

Filling the mincemeat into pastry 

Out from oven-still bubbling hot

Flaky short crust pastry with the lovely mincemeat....yummy

So I wish all my readers Merry Christmas, enjoy the holidays. Enjoy the minced pies with some mulled wine.

The end result....ready to go...