Mince Pies

Preparation

• Pre-heat oven to 180°C, 350°F, Gas Mark 4.

• Cook’s Notes

• Try making your own sweet shortcrust pastry - see our recipe, or watch it being made in our Cook’s Guide video.

• These mince pies can be kept in an airtight container for 2-3 days, or can be frozen and re-heated to serve warm.

• Dust work surface, pastry and rolling pin with flour, then roll out pastry to a thickness of around 3mm. Use a large circular cutter cut 24 bases and using a star shaped cutter cut 24 lids. Remember to re-roll any spare pastry to cut extra bases and star shapes until you have used it all up.

• Press bases into a greased or non-stick patty tin. Mix the mincemeat with the Cinnamon and add 1 tsp to each base, ensuring not to overfill to prevent mincemeat bubbling over the pastry.

• Place pastry stars on top of the bases, and press to gently seal the edges. Brush the stars and edges with the milk, before cooking in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and dust with icing sugar if desired.

• Mix the mincemeat with the Mixed Spice and add a teaspoon of mincemeat to each base, don’t overfill otherwise they will explode.

• Brush the lids with milk and place on top of the bases, milk-side down, press gently to seal the edges. Brush the top of the lids and edges with milk and pierce with a sharp knife.

• Mix the sugar and Cinnamon together in a small bowl and sprinkle over the mince pies.

• Cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.

• Transfer to a wire rack to cool.