Foolproof Or Favourite Mince Pie Recipes Please!

[Smowball]

I have to confess that though I am a decent enough cook, mince pies are one thing that I've somehow managed to avoid making lol. However, seeing as MrSmow absolutely adores them, and he has been working so hard, I want to make him some. So who's got their tried and tested recipes for me to have a go at? 

[Smowball]

Waitrose mince pies won then Chris - they do look good tho,

[piggynose]

I use to make them when I was a young teen, for the family. Just made a load of sweet shortcrust pastry, buy a big jar of sweet mincemeat. Using a mug+ a cup id cut out the MP shapes.

Using a pie tin, place the mug shaped pastry in the tin, plonk a decent amount of mincemeat inside and cover with cup shape pastry, using milk to make them stick. Sprinkle sugar on MPs and place in hot oven.

[rowanwitch]

Bakewell mince pie in 7-8" shallow cake pan

Butter shortcrust pastry   bake blind until just firm add thin  Layer  of semolina oats to reduce soggy bottom

Add a thick Layer of good quality very boozy mincemeat to pastry case

Next layer... Cup of almonds, two eggs ½ cup of caster sugar,  ½ cup of Dr flour plus one teaspoon of baking powder.  Blend well pour on top of  mincemeat. Bake at 180° until firm and golden brown   allow to cool

Final topping mix icing sugar and water to make a thick glaze, add almond extract to taste if required flat top allow to set decorate with toasted almonds

[rowanwitch]

SR flour!!!!!

[Nemix]

The problem with pastry is that flours vary, and so it's hard to get the consistency right every time for a recipe. Like all doughs - bread, pasta, pastry - experience tells you. You want a soft dough that's easy to roll out.

Shape into a ball. It shouldn't feel sticky and it shouldn't be falling apart. It really helps to chill it before rolling. When rolling and cutting, you don't want the fat melting, so wrap and chill again if that happens. This is why you need to handle lightly.

Hot oven to 'set' the pastry. Then you can turn it down. Cooling on a wire rack stops bases getting damp - soggy bottoms.

I use butter only (4oz or 125g) and a spoonful of caster sugar for every 8oz/250g flour. I often replace a spoonful of flour with ground almonds, and I use cold water to bind, but might use an egg if I have too many.

My mincemeat was made a couple of weeks ago, but I'll stir it tomorrow and add liquid or fruit if it needs it. Same when about to make pies - check for consistency; then I chill that while I make the pastry.

[Prudie]

Mince pies made with puff pastry are much nicer (in my opinion of course).

[jourdain2]

Always add a drop or 2 of brandy to the mince mixture before adding the lid!