Nothing symbols the beginning of christmas feasting as much as the humble mince pie, often underrated, but if handmade they are a mouthful of the magic to come over christmas. I love to make my own mincemeat, it is really quick and easy and will last all year.
INGREDIENTS
200g Bramley apples peeled and grated
175g raisins
110 g candied peel
100g cranberries
100g currants
150g sultanas
1 orange zest and juice
1 lemon zest and juice
200 ml brandy
175 g suet
3tsp mixed spice
1/4 tsp grated fresh nutmeg
200g muscovado sugar
Take all the ingredients except the suet and sugar and place in a lidded deep pan, bring to a simmer then turn down really low and place the lid on, leave for approx 1 hour until all the brandy has been absorbed and the fruit is soft and plumped up, leave to cool. Once cooled mix in the sugar and suet and a generous glug or three of brandy!
Heat some jars and lids in your oven for around 5 minutes to sterilize them and fill with your mincemeat, pop on the lids and that is it. Your mincemeat will improve it's flavour over the next few months, with this in mind I like to make my mincemeat by November at least.
OLD FASHIONED SHORTCRUST PASTRY
110 g lard cold
110g butter cold
450 g plain flour
Pinch of salt
180ml of ice cold water
Place the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl then grate the butter and lard into the flour, add the water and gently mix together to form a ball, be gently you don't want to mix this evenly, the reason for this is as the pastry cooks the fat will start to cause a puff effect giving you a lighter pastry.
Roll out your pastry and line your tins or if your making old fashioned flying saucer mince pies just cut disks with a scone ring, egg wash and fill with your mince meat, top with pastry lids or stars, egg wash and sprinkle with Demerara sugar, bake for approx 15-18 minutes until golden, serve warm on their own or dusted with icing sugar or with some thick brandy cream or custard.
No comments:
Post a Comment