When we say homemade mince pies we mean we actually made the filling too! And it’s much easier than you’d think. Lots of fruit, sugar & a bit of brandy – we added orange, apple and dried cranberries to ours for an extra kick of flavour.
Yes okay its super easy and super yummy to just buy a jar of mincemeat from the shops and use that… but
This is homemade and obviously better and is honestly just as easy(ish).. well it’s not difficult! And neither is pastry.
- 1 large apple, peeled and grated
- 250g raisins
- 250g currants
- 100g dried cranberries
- zest of 1 lemon
- juice of half a lemon
- zest of 1 orange
- juice of half an orange
- 200g shredded suet
- 250g dark brown sugar
- 50g mixed peel
- 1 tsp grated nutmeg
- 2 tsp mixed spice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- 50ml brandy
- Soak the raisins and currants in the brandy and lemon and orange juice for about an hour.
- Once they are plumped up, drain the remaining brandy mixture and set it aside.
- Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl so they are well combined.
- Pour over the brandy mixture.
- Spoon and press into sterilised jars.
- The mincemeat is best left to mature for a week or two in the fridge before being used and can be kept for up to 6 months.
You want to make you mincemeat at least a week in advance, this way the fruit will break down slightly and the flavours will intensify.
Next you want to make you shortcrust pastry for the pastry cases of your mince pie, we blitz ours in a food processor so it’s easy & takes seconds.
- 200g plain flour
- 100g butter, chilled
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 2 tbsp cold water
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Place the dry ingredients and butter in a food processor, pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Whisk eggs together with water & lemon juice
- A little at a time, add the water & egg until the mixture comes together to form a dough.
- Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 15 mins before using.
Once your pastry is made & chilled roll it out onto a floured surface, the thinner the better! Cut it into circles and place into you tart tins & refrigerate for 10mins.
Fill your cases with the mincemeat & top with either a lid or a shape cut from pastry.
Pop in the oven at 180C for 10-15mins.
