Note: This Mince Pies recipe was originally part of my Biscuit Advent Calendar, a one-recipe-a-day email series in December. You can find the other recipes and sign up for the next round if you want here.
As the name suggests, this is technically not a biscuit at all. Not only that, it isn’t even German (though I don’t believe I ever promised Germanicness). What it certainly is, however, is a Christmas classic and if you’re British, there is basically no escape from it.
Even though we live in Luxembourg, mince pies are very much part of Christmas for us. I lived in England for four years (it’s where I met my British husband), and when we don’t go there to visit his side of the family, I make them myself.
From my memory, they are served at absolutely every Christmas gathering. Supermarkets are full of them in all types, grades, and sizes. It has always struck me as slightly odd that the UK’s most famous Christmas dessert (and the one we learned about in English class back in high school) is the Christmas pudding. Which I’m still not terribly fond of. To be fair, neither is anyone else in my family.
While living there, I was exposed to mince pies far more often, because they’re an Advent thing rather than something reserved just for Christmas Day. And while I wasn’t a big fan at first (I’m neither particularly into raisins nor candied peel), I’ve really come to appreciate them over time.
We visited recently in November, and I (not the better half) did bring back a slightly pre-seasonal Sainsbury’s four-pack. Which we enjoyed greatly.
In terms of making them there’s two parts: the pastry and the filling.
Filling (Mincemeat)
If you live in the UK, you can simply buy the filling. And we even have a British shop in Luxembourg City that, of course, sells it which is usually what I do. But this year I made it myself (if only so I can confidently give you a recipe).
The traditional filling usually consists of mixed dried fruit: raisins, sultanas, and currants, along with apple, mixed candied peel, suet (animal fat), and some sort of alcohol to soak the fruit. And sugar, of course, plus spices. This is essentially the 19th-century version. Before that, there was actual meat in it as well.
Modern versions can also include other dried fruit, fresh citrus zest and juice, and sometimes nuts. I included some dried fruit that I had at home (a dried fig and a bunch of barberries (a bit like cranberry just smaller and very nice in this.)) As well as some candied cherries. And whole candied orange as well as candied peel.
Suet
Suet now comes in a vegetarian as well as an animal version. And the shop bought mincemeats often contain it in little pellets but there are also recipes that melt it in.
For the filling that I made, I decided to use butter as I wouldn’t know where to get suet (didn’t try either). However, butter is a lot less shelf stable than suet so I only add it fresh when I use the filling. That way it is possible to cook a filling that can be matured for a while (which is quite an improvement for the taste).
Pastry
Suet used to be added to the pastry as well but since Victorian times already butter is popular. I make my pie crusts with 1:2:3 shortbread (sugar:butter:flour). The same one I presented to you here to make cutout biscuits (December 2).
I make a batch based on 100 g of sugar that I keep in the fridge or freezer. That way I can make fresh ones whenever I fancy. Because while the filling is nice when matured, the pies are best made and eaten fresh (in my opinion). Although you can keep them several days with no issue whatsoever. Probably even longer but I have never made enough to test that.
For this recipe you also need some sort of muffin tray.
Mincemeat Recipe
Makes about 2 medium jars
Ingredients
- 1 peeled and grated/finely diced sour apple (Bramley or Granny Smith)
- 100 g light brown sugar
- zest of one orange
- zest of one lemon
- juice of half a lemon
- juice of half an orange
- 250 g mixed dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, currants, candied peel,..)
- 25 ml brandy or other spirit or even port (bit less than 2 tbsp)
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
Instructions
Chop the candied peel quite finely and the other dried fruit a little depending on their size. Add all the ingredients to a saucepan and cook on medium heat until the apple and dried fruit have softened, about 10-15 minutes. Fill into sterilized jars and let it sit for at least a week if you can. It should last for several months at least in the fridge, and you can freeze it as well for the following year (it would probably even survive in the fridge).
Mince Pies Recipe
Makes about 10 muffin sized or 16 mini ones
Ingredients
- 300 g flour
- 200 g butter
- 100 g sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- pinch of salt
- Filling
- 1.5-2 tbsp Mincemeat (shop bought or homemade) per pie (for a muffin-size, for mini muffin sized more like 1 tbsp)
- 1 tsp cold grated butter per pie
- Decoration
- Egg wash (optional)
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp milk
- OR
- icing sugar as needed
- Egg wash (optional)
Instructions
Make the dough: Knead the flour, butter, sugar, egg yolk and salt into a dough. Stop when it comes together. Wrap it in clingfilm and rest in the fridge for an hour (or up to 5 days. If you don’t use it all, it’s best to freeze it in portions)
Roll out the dough to 3 mm thickness and cut out circles for the base (it should come up the sides of the tray by about 1.5-2 cm). For a regular muffin tin, the circle needs to be about 8 cm in diameter and for the mini mold below, 5.5 cm. For the top, you can cut out a shape (for example a star) or another slightly smaller circle to cover.
Press the pastry disc into the mould and chill the pastry in the fridge if it got warm. Meanwhile mix about a tbsp of filling per pie with a tsp of grated butter (that’s for a mini muffin tray, you need more filling for a muffin tray size).
Add the buttered filling to the pie, then cover with the pastry circle or the cutout. I egg washed today’s pies but not sure I like the look that much (first picture at the top).
Bake in the preheated oven at 180°C conventional for about 12-15 minutes until the pastry is nice and light brown on top. Unmold as soon as they are cool enough to handle and let cool. If you haven’t egg washed them, you can dust them with a little icing sugar when they are no longer hot.
Enjoy!
Storage: you can keep them in an airtight box for a few days and reheat them in the oven for a fresh taste.
Where do you stand on Christmas pudding vs mince pies? Or are they not even in competition?