Mince Pie

Classic British Mince Pies

Traditional Christmas mince pies filled with spiced mincemeat encased in buttery shortcrust pastry. Best served warm with a dusting of icing sugar, a pat of butter, or a splash of brandy butter.

Prep

45 min

Cook

20 min

Total

65 min

Serves

12 pies

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •225 g (8 oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• •110 g (4 oz) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• •55 g (2 oz) cold lard, or use all butter if preferred
• •2 tbsp caster sugar
• •1 pinch salt
• •45 ml (3 tbsp) iced water, approximately
• •400 g (14 oz) mincemeat, shop-bought or homemade (suet-based)
• •2 tbsp brandy, to enrich the filling
• •1 medium egg, beaten, for glazing
• •1 tbsp demerara sugar, for dusting tops
• •1 tsp ground cinnamon or mixed spice, optional, for extra warmth

Steps

1. 1 Make the pastry: sift the flour into a bowl and add the salt and caster sugar. Rub in the cold butter and lard with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs with a few pea-sized pieces remaining. (A food processor works in short pulses.)
2. 2 Add the iced water a tablespoon at a time, mixing gently with a knife until the dough just comes together. Do not overwork. Flatten into a disc, wrap in cling film, and chill for 30 minutes.
3. 3 While the pastry chills, stir the brandy (and extra spice, if using) into the mincemeat. If it is very stiff, loosen with a teaspoon of brandy or orange juice.
4. 4 Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F / Gas 6). Lightly grease a 12-hole shallow bun or mince pie tin.
5. 5 Roll out two-thirds of the pastry on a lightly floured surface to about 3 mm (⅛ in) thick. Cut 12 rounds using a 7.5 cm (3 in) fluted cutter and line the tin holes, pressing gently into the base.
6. 6 Spoon a heaped teaspoon of mincemeat into each pastry case - fill to just below the rim, as overfilling will cause them to burst.
7. 7 Roll out the remaining pastry and cut 12 smaller rounds (around 6 cm / 2¼ in) for lids, or use star cutters for festive tops. Place a lid on each pie and press the edges together to seal.
8. 8 Brush the tops with beaten egg and sprinkle generously with demerara sugar. Pierce a small hole in each lid to let steam escape.
9. 9 Bake on the middle shelf for 18–22 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden and the filling is visibly bubbling through the vent. If browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
10. 10 Cool in the tin for 5 minutes (they are fragile when hot), then transfer to a wire rack. Cool to warm or room temperature before serving.
11. 11 Serve dusted with icing sugar, with a pat of salted butter or a spoonful of brandy butter on top.