TRADITIONAL HOME MADE MINCE MEAT MINCE PIES WITH OLD FASHIONED SHORT PASTRY

TRADITIONAL MINCE PIE

I LOVE MAKING FOOD GIFTS FOR CHRISTMAS

THE PASTRY

450g plain flour

100g stork or butter

110g lard

Pinch of salt

175ml water

THE METHOD:

Season the flour and rub in 1/4 of the lard, grate the rest in to the flour and grate the butter or stork.  Using a knife cut in to the four.  Add the water and bring together to form a ball and knead gently.  Wrap in parchment paper and leave in the fridge for approx 1 hour to chill and relax.  This method gives the cooked pastry a light crumbly texture.

Roll out the pastry and cut out circles, egg wash the edge of one circle, place a dollop of homemade mince meat in the centre and top with the other pastry circle, pinch the edges together and brush the top with egg wash, dust with golden caster sugar and bake for approx 15 minutes at 180 degrees.

HOMEMADE MINCE MEAT FILLING

100g currents

75g raisins

75g sultanas

100g cranberries

100g mixed peel

1 orange zested

2 orange juiced

1 lemon zested/juice

2 tsp mixed spice

1/4 tsp cloves ground

1/4 tsp ground ginger

100ml brandy

100ml orange liquor

100g muscadavo sugar

100g veg suet

Put all the ingredients in a saucepan except the sugar and suet.  Bring up to a gently simmer and cook for approx 30 minutes.  Leave to cool, then add the sugar and suet, mix well.  Sterilise jars in the oven and fill, these will keep for 6months on the shelf maturing the flavour.