Mince Pies

This is the recipe I remember making with mum at Christmas while growing up. Originally found in Delia Smith’s Christmas, now available on her website.

Ingredients

    For the pies

    • 350 g plain flour

    • 75 g lard

    • 75 g margarine or butter

    • 1 pinch salt

    • cold water to mix

    • 560 g mincemeat

    For the top

    • milk to brush on top

    • icing sugar to dust with

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 6 / 200℃ (180℃ fan)

  • Make up the pastry by sifting the flour and salt into a mixing bowl and rubbing the fats into it until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.

  • Then add just enough cold water to mix to a dough that leaves the bowl clean. Leave the pastry to rest in a polythene bag in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes, then roll half of it out as thinly as possible and cut it into two dozen 3 inch (7.5 cm) rounds, gathering up the scraps and re-rolling. Then do the same with the other half of the pastry, this time using the 2½ inch (6 cm) cutter.

  • Now grease the patty tins lightly and line them with the larger rounds. Fill these with mincemeat to the level of the edges of the pastry. Dampen the edges of the smaller rounds of pastry with water and press them lightly into position to form lids, sealing the edges. Brush each one with milk and make three snips in the tops with a pair of scissors. Bake near the top of the oven for 25-30 minutes until light golden brown.

  • Cool on a wire tray and sprinkle with icing sugar. When cool, store in an airtight container.