Pastry help please.

[JanetKent]

l always make my own mincemeat. l subsitute currants for chopped dates cos l don't like currants lol Fresh chopped apple..fresh sqeezed orange and lemon juice and fine rind...a glug of brandy are all added to the dried fruits and suet and brown sugar. when you make your own you'll never want to go back to the vinegary shop bought ones !! lt is very very easy to do and you'll have many jars to use for months - makes good prezzies too. The closest l've seen to the recipe l use is Delia's 'Mincemeat with a Warning'. The warning is that you won't want any other after you've tried making it yourself.
As for pastry - well l always add a beaten egg anyway and l use half SR flour and half plain for the base and often use puff pastry for the cut out 'star' tops. A sprinkling of icing sugar over the finished tarts looks festive and covers any mistakes
Janet xx

[binley100]

Today I've made 21/2 lb pastry using this recipe I found in my food processor cook book.
8oz plain flour,pinch salt,5oz marg whizzed till like breadcrumbs.
Beat together 1 egg, 1 tbsp cold water and 11/2 oz sugar.
Pour into processor and pulse till forms a ball.
Turn out and wrap in clingfilm then chill for at least 30 mins.
Turned 1/2lb of it into mince pies for taste test and the rest went into the freezer.

Oh and mince pies got the thumbs up from OH .