Mince Pies (Mincemeat) Pies for a Traditional British Christmas Treat
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
16 mins
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Total Time
46 mins
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Servings
24 pies
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Calories
235 kcal
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Course
Bread, Baked Goods
Mince Pies (Mincemeat) Pies for a Traditional British Christmas Treat
Description
This traditional British mince pie recipe uses a homemade pastry combining flour, quality butter or a butter-lard mix, sugar, and salt for flavor and flakiness. The dough is rolled to a quarter-inch thickness and cut into rounds to line small tartlet tins. The filling consists of mincemeat, a festive mixture typically containing dried fruits, spices, and suet or other fats. The pies can be topped with decorative pastry shapes or lids with vents to allow steam release during baking.
Baked at a moderate oven temperature, the pastry achieves a golden color and crisp texture that contrasts with the moist, rich mincemeat inside. Sprinkling sugar immediately after baking adds a delicate sweetness and slight crunch to the surface. Stored in an airtight tin, the pies retain their freshness over several days, making them suitable for holiday gatherings and gifting.
Careful control of water when making the pastry dough is important to avoid toughness. Using ice-cold water helps achieve a tender crumb. The small size of the pies makes portioning easy and convenient for festive celebrations.
Ingredients
- 1 c mincemeat
Pastry:
- 2 cups + 2 Tbsp flour
- 1 ¼ ticks butter good quality or 50% butter/ 50% lard, unsalted, 150 g
- ½ tsp salt omit if using salted butter, sea salt
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- water ice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375˚ F (190˚ C).
- Follow instructions for homemade pie pastry.Or cut the butter into the flour with two knives or a pastry cutter, then add the sugar and enough ice water, just so the pastry comes together without falling apart. If you add too much water, the dough will be tough.
- Roll out the dough to about ¼" and cut into rounds to place into cupcake tins or small tartlet tins.
- Next, fill the pastry cases with some mincemeat. Top with a star or cover entirely with another piece of pastry (make a hole in the top).
- Place the mince pies on a baking tray into preheated oven. Bake for about 15 to 18 minutes until the pastry becomes a golden brown color.
- Finally, sprinkle with a little sugar, immediately after being removed from the oven. Store in an airtight tin.
Notes
- Use ice-cold water sparingly to avoid tough pastry dough.
- Store finished mince pies in an airtight container to preserve freshness and texture.
- Cut pastry rounds slightly larger than the tins to ensure proper lining and sealing of the filling.
- Sprinkle sugar on top immediately after baking to add sweetness and slight crunch.
- Decorate with pastry stars or a lid, making small holes in tops to allow steam to escape during baking.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 24pies
Amount Per Serving
Calories 235 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1tartlet | |
| Calories | 235kcal | 12% |
| Carbohydrates | 65g | 22% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 5g | 8% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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