Two mince pie choices today. One more traditional and the other in a puff pastry.
Ingredients:
(this will make 20 mince pies, 6.5 x 2.3cm tart tins)
Casing:
175g plain flour
62.5g unsalted butter (room temp)
62.5g caster sugar
1 egg + ½ a yolk
Icing sugar
Pinch of salt
Filling:
Mincemeat - Buy a good quality mincemeat – 320g jar
Star Topper:
Puff pastry roll
Egg-wash
Method
Beat the butter, sugar and salt together, then add the egg and flour. Continue to beat until all the ingredients have come together. Roll the dough into a ball and place in the fridge for an hour before using, (although it can be left in the fridge for a week, or frozen).
Preheat oven to 180⁰C.
Take the pastry out of the fridge and allow to rest for 10 -20 mins.
Lightly flour a clean worksurface and roll out the pastry to about 2cm thick. Use a round cookie cutter, larger than the tin and cut out discs. Place one lightly over one of the tins and lightly press into the mould. Do this with all moulds and then use a fork to pierce the base of the pastry, adding baking bans and then place in the over for appx 12 mins, until lightly browned. Take out the oven and allow to cool. Turn oven up to 200⁰C.
Once cooled, take the rolled puff pastry out the fridge, unroll and on a lightly floured work surface roll out a piece of pastry to about 2cm thick. Using a star cookie cutter, cut out enough stars to place onto of your mince pies.
Egg-wash the top of each star and place the mince pies in the oven for appx 12-15 mins, until the puff pastry has risen. Take out the oven, allow to cool completely, then sprinkle with icing sugar.
Puff pastry mince pies
Ingredients:
1 Puff pastry ready rolled sheet
320g jar mincemeat
Egg-wash
Flaked almonds
Icing sugar
Method
Preheat oven to 200⁰C.
Take the puff pastry sheet out of the fridge and unroll onto a clean lightly floured work surface. Spread a thin layer of mincemeat over the entire pastry, and then roll the pastry up (like a swiss roll, widthways). Place back in the fridge for 20 mins. Take out and with a sharp knife cut it into appx 24 slices.
Place each pie flat side down either on to a prepared baking tray lined with parchment paper, or you can place each one in the individual hole of a greased muffin tray, (as they may keep their shape a little better). Egg wash the top of each and then sprinkle flaked almonds over the top. Place in the oven for appx 18 mins, until pastry has puffed and browned.
Take out the oven and allow to cool, then sprinkle with icing sugar. Ask the family to form an orderly queue. These disappear fast.
Gaby Van Clarke
Our international culinary tour stops off at Brazil today for one of their most classic desserts – Brigadeiros, a chocolate truffle speciality.
