Mince Pies

Method

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1. Mix all the mincemeat ingredients except the brandy in a large bowl until thoroughly combined.

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2. Cover and leave at room temperature for 24 hours, stirring once, then stir in the brandy. The grated butter will have melted into the fruit and the mixture will look glossy.

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3. For the pastry, blitz the flour, icing sugar and salt, add the cold butter and pulse to fine crumbs, then add the yolk and water and pulse until it just gathers.

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4. Flatten into two discs, wrap and refrigerate 45 minutes.

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5. Heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Roll one disc to 3 mm and cut 12 rounds to line a bun tin, pressing them in well.

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6. Fill each with a heaped tablespoon of mincemeat — do not overfill or they will boil over and weld themselves in.

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7. Roll the second disc and cut lids or stars, set them on top, and press the edges of the full lids to seal.

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8. Brush with beaten egg and bake 20 to 24 minutes until deep gold.

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9. Scatter with caster sugar and leave in the tin 10 minutes before easing them out with a palette knife — hot mincemeat is molten sugar.

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Chef’s Tips

• Grate the butter from frozen. Soft butter turns the mincemeat to paste.
• A heaped tablespoon and no more. Overfilled pies are the reason they stick.
• The mincemeat keeps for months in sterilised jars and improves the whole time. Make double.

Pairing Suggestions

• Brandy butter
• A glass of sherry
• Clotted cream

Storage & Reheating

Airtight at room temperature for 5 days; refresh 4 minutes at 170°C. They freeze baked or unbaked for 3 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.