Homemade Mince Pies
Homemade Mince Pies
Serves:
12
Course Baking, Canape, Christmas, Dessert, Desserts & Sweet Treats
Diet Child Friendly, Gluten Free, Sugar free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings 12 Make as many as you wish
Ingredients
Naturally Sweetened Shortcrust Pastry
- 400 g plain white spelt flour
- 50 g coconut flour
- Pinch salt
- 300 g butter chilled and cut into cubes
- 1 egg beaten
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Gluten Free Pastry
- 300 g white rice flour
- 50 g coconut flour
- 50 g tapioca flour
- Pinch salt
- 1 egg beaten
To make the mince pies:
- Shortcrust pastry
- Vegan friendly sugar free christmassy mincemeat
- 1 egg beaten
Method
- To make the pastry
- Sift the flour/s and salt into a large bowl, add the butter.
- Use your fingertips to 'rub in' the butter: squeeze the cubes of butter, mix them back into the flour, and repeat until the butter breaks down into smaller pieces. Continue until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add the eggs and gently stir to form a dough ball. If the mixture doesn’t come together, add a tiny splash of water and try again.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Gently bring it together and knead lightly until it forms a smoother dough. Shape it into a thick disc, wrap it in parchment paper and cling film. Place in fridge to relax and chill for 1 hour before rolling.
- To make the mince pies
- Preheat the oven to 160c. Roll out the pastry to 5mm thick. Using a pastry cutter, cut 12 larger rounds (slightly bigger than your tartlet or bun tray moulds) and 12 smaller rounds (using a cutter one or two sizes smaller). Lightly grease tartlet trays.
- Line the tart or bun trays with the larger pastry rounds, pressing them gently into place. Fill each with mincemeat, levelling it with the edges of the pastry.
- Lightly brush the edges of the smaller pastry rounds with beaten egg, then place them on top of the filled tarts. Seal by gently pressing the edges together. Cut a small hole or prick the tops with a fork to allow any steam to escape.
- Brush the tops with more beaten egg and bake in the preheated oven for 25 - 35 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Carefully remove the pies from the trays and transfer them to a wire rack to cool. Sprinkle generously with icing sugar before serving *Opt.
Maggie's Tips
- Prepare Ahead: These can be pre-made and frozen uncooked directly in their baking or bun trays. Just ensure they are wrapped well to prevent freezer burn. The best part? You can bake them straight from frozen.
- Pastry Leftovers: If you have leftover pastry, don’t let it go to waste! It can be used immediately for other recipes or frozen for later use.
- Sweetening the Pastry: For a sweeter pastry, you can add 50–100g of sugar after rubbing in the butter and before mixing in the egg. Keep in mind that dusting the mince pies with icing sugar also adds extra sweetness.
- Vegan friendly pastry: For the moment (until I develop my recipe) source a good quality vegan short crust pastry or vegan friendly puff pastry. I am sorry but I do not have any recommendations.
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