My grandma Betty’s mince pies to me were the first sign of Christmas. She was always so organised that her first batch was easily baked in late November with mincemeat she’d made the year before. What always amused me was that both grandmothers made their own mince pies, and both preferred the other’s pastry! I loved both versions and my pastry comes out somewhere in between both of theirs. The mincemeat recipe below makes about 3 kg (6 lb) in total – you will not need all of it for the mince pies, so use some now and the rest will keep for many months and even years if mixed with more brandy when used.
Ingredients
Makes about 24
For the mincemeat:
- 500 g (1 lb) currants
- 500 g (1 lb) raisins
- 500 g (1 lb) peeled and cored cooking apples
- 1–2 tablespoons brandy
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 500 g (1 lb) sultanas
- 500 g (1 lb) soft brown sugar
- 500 g (1 lb) shredded suet
For the mince pies :
- 375 g (12 oz) plain our, plus extra for dusting
- 125 g (4 oz) cold lard, cubed
- 50 g (2 oz) cold margarine, cubed a pinch of salt
- 1–2 tablespoons cold water
- 600 g (1 lb 2 oz) mincemeat
Method
- First, make the mincemeat. Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F), gas mark 3. Put 7 clean jars on a baking tray and place in the oven to sterilise for at least 5 minutes.
- Put the currants, raisins, apples, brandy, mixed spice and cinnamon in a food processor or blender and blitz until mixed, but still chunky. Put the sultanas, sugar and suet in a bowl and mix together. Add in the processed mixture and stir until mixed.
- Spoon the mincemeat into the sterilised jars, leaving 1 cm (1⁄2 inch) ‘breathing space’ at the top. Cover with a waxed disc and a circle of cellophane before sealing. Put the jars in a dark, cool place to store until you are ready to make the mince pies.
- To make the mince pies…Preheat the oven to 180oC (350°F), gas mark 4 and lightly grease two 12-hole bun tins.
- Put the flour, lard, margarine and salt in a food processor or blender and pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the cold water and pulse again until a dough is formed. Shape in to a round dough, wrap in cling lm and chill for 30 minutes before using.
- Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured work surface to about 5 mm (1⁄4 inch) thick and use round cutters to cut out twenty- four 8 cm (31⁄2 inch) circles and twenty-four 6–7 cm (21⁄2–3 inch) circles. Place a bigger circle in the base of each hole of the bun tin, add a teaspoon of the mincemeat and then cover with the smaller circle. Wet the rim with water to seal it, then prick the tops with a fork.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes.
