Mince pies
A few people have asked for mince pie recipes recently so I’ve done a bit of research. I only started eating them a few years ago and I still think they are best enjoyed in moderation. The rich fruity filling is often a no-no for Vegetarian’s but with the arrival of vegetable suet there is no excuse to miss out! To make lighter, simpler versions you can make small batches of ‘mince’ pies without the suet. These are effectively spiced apple and raisin pies, not real mice pies but they’re a yummy alternative and they still taste of Christmas.
I use ready made shortcrust pastry but if you have time and cold hands it’s nice to make your own.
Baking Equipment:
A tart or cup cake tin, a pastry brush (or you could use your fingers), a wire rack.
Ingredients:
- 1 block shortcrust or sweetened shortcrust pastry
- 4oz (112g) bramley apples, finely chopped
- 2 oz (50g) shredded suet
- 70z (175g) raisins, sultanas and currants
- 2oz (50g) candied peel
- 30z (75g) soft dark sugar
- grated zest and juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon
- A few sliced almonds
- 2 teaspoons ground allspice
- A little cinnamon and grated nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon of brandy or whisky (optional)
- A dash of milk
Method:
- Mix all the ingredients apart from the alcohol and half the citrus zest and leave in an ovenproof dish overnight.
- Cover with foil and bake on a low heat (120 degrees C) for about 3 hours.
- When it comes out of the oven it will look a bit disgusting because of the fat. Leave it to cool and stir periodically to ensure the fat is evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
- Stir in the alcohol.
- Roll out your pastry and sprinkle with the remaining zest. If it is unsweetened shortcrust you can add a sprinkle of white or golden caster sugar as well. Fold the pastry a few times and roll out again until the zest is evenly distributed.
- Cut out an even number of circles and put them in a cupcake tin. For the top of the pies you’ll need slightly smaller circles, or you could cut out star shapes and leave some of the filling exposed.
- Brush the tops with milk and if you’re covering all the filling use a pair of scissors or a knife to make a few small incisions in the pastry.
- Bake at 200 degrees C for 25-30 minutes. When they’ve been out of the oven for 5 or 10 minutes transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- If you want to make little fruit pies without the suet you can bake the filling first as with this recipe or simply fry it for a few minutes in a little butter. Just make sure the apple is tender.
Tips:
Omit the nuts if you think a guest may be allergic to them.
For gatherings with tee-totallers and drinkers serve your tablespoon of liquor on the side, mixed into a bowl of mascarpone with some simple pouring cream for the tee-totallers.
