Ultimate Mince Pie Recipe...?

[seasprout]

Is there such a thing..?

I'm looking for a simple straightforward tried and tested recipie for a cooking Muppet like myself to try.

I've been searching around the BBC food sites, but there are loads of quite intricate recipes. I am looking for a grape tested one.

Would be interested if anybody has a good mincemeat recipie as well.

All the best. XX

[Hazel at the Hill]

I'm sure that you will be inundated, SS! Mum makes mincemeat to a long held and secret recipe which I will see if I can prize from her to post here...

Personally, I think that the tricky bit is making good pastry, but there you go.

Bet Flum's got a cracking mincemeat recipe too.

[shirlthegirl43]

The mincemeat I can't help with - never tried making my own. However, for simple mince pies, my mum used to buy ready made (ready rolled out if you prefer - or you could make your own) pastry - either puff or shortcrust depending on your personal preference. Roll out to the required thickness, and use a pastry cutter circle thing to cut into rounds. Put rounds on a baking sheet then put a teaspoon of mincemeat in the centre of each. Cut more rounds slightly larger and after moistening the edges of the lower circles, place the larger rounds over the mincemeat and press to seal. Brush with milk or egg and bake as per pastry instructions.

[seasprout]

Yum

I may already have a good pastry recipe from my 91 year nan. Involves cold spoon and best butter.

I cannot wait to check out any replies.

[Flummery]

The mince pie is only as good as the mincemeat. Mine is based on Mrs Beeton's but I vary it as the mood suits me - you just need the basic proportions. It's all in Imperial measures.

1lb 4 oz cooking apples (prepared weight)
1 lb currants
1 lb seedless raisins
8 ox sultanas
4 os candied peel
1 lb suet ( beef or veggie)
1 lb sugar
grated rind and juice of 2 lemons
1 level teaspoon ground nutmet
quarter teaspoon ground cloves
quarter teaspoon ground cinnamon
half teasp salt
eighth pint brandy.

I chop and change as I fancy. I use brown sugar. I like more cloves. I keep the overall weights of dried fruits the same but subsitute some cranberries and/or apricots for some of the raisins, some blueberries for some of the currant. - the world's your lobster!


Peel and core the apples. Put these with the dried fruits and peel through the mincer. This gives a nice thick smooth mincemeat which I prefer to the 'goo-with-currants-in' type you can get in supermarkets if you're not careful.
Add the other ingredients and mix well. Pot into clean dry jars. If poss keep for a few weeks (if you make it now you can do your mince pies the week before Christmas) as the flavours do meld and mature. It makes quite a lot - I'm using a 2lb jar from last year for this year's pies. It keeps VERY well!

As to pastry - I don't think you can beat a plain shortcrust. I don't like the shop ones that seem more like shortbread and crumble all over your nice Christmas outfit! But, each to his own as they say. When they are ready to go in the oven I brush with milk and sprinkle a little granulated sugar on top which gives a crisp crust.

[shirlthegirl43]

That recipe sounds lovely Flum - gonna try making some this year!!!

[Flummery]

It's dead simple. Put on some Christmas music while you stand by your mincer!

[JanieB]

I use Mrs B's mincemeat recipe too. If I don't have time then I buy a commercial one and add some chopped apple and brandy to it (leave it a week and keep turning the jar over).

I make my own shortcrust pastry but add a little more butter to make it slightly shorter but not as crumbley as the shop bought ones.

[shirlthegirl43]

It's dead simple. Put on some Christmas music while you stand by your mincer!

Will the Kenwood mincer be okay for that?

[Flummery]

Can't see why not? As long as it minces - shades of Julian and Sandy?

[scarey55]

I make my own shortcrust pastry but add a little more butter to make it slightly shorter but not as crumbley as the shop bought ones.

Me too, I use half lard and half butter for normal shortcrust pastry and always use a good bit more fat than the recipe says. For 6oz pastry, I use over 3 and a half ounces of fat

I can't make cakes but I can make pastry. Something to do with cold hands perhaps?

[JanieB]

My cookery teacher at school said I was hopeless at cooking but made the best pastry she'd tasted/seen .

I was/am actually a good cook but loathed "Domestic Science". Hopeless at trifles and chicken soup for some reason.

[scarey55]

Can't see why not? As long as it minces - shades of Julian and Sandy?

I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about Flum

[Flummery]

Me too, I use half lard and half butter for normal shortcrust pastry and always use a good bit more fat than the recipe says. For 6oz pastry, I use over 3 and a half ounces of fat

I can't make cakes but I can make pastry. Something to do with cold hands perhaps?

I don't use lard (don't eat meat) but use half veg shortening. How'd the hand Scarey - you've been quiet lately. Any improvement?

[scarey55]

I don't use lard (don't eat meat) but use half veg shortening. How'd the hand Scarey - you've been quiet lately. Any improvement?

Thanks for asking Flum, still hurts like mad but I did manage to get a good sleep last night for the first night in 4.

I won't say too much but I think it's getting a little bit better - just as well really 'cause youngest daughter starting to nag about me going to the doc

Hey ho though, there are a lot of peeps much worse off than me so I'm not really complaining, honest. Watch out though, lots of catching up to do as soon as I can type with both hands again