Mincemeat pies are such a holiday tradition in England that they are also known as Christmas pies. These pies are a combination of meat, usually mutton, and fruit and spices. Also called mince pies, they're now traditionally consumed as a dessert, but they used to be the main course. Mincemeat pies are housed in puff pastries, so here are recipes for the dough and the pies.
Puff pastry dough ingredients:
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- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups cold butter
- 1 1/4 cups ice water
Directions:
- Combine flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir.
- Cut cold butter into small slices and add to flour mixture and toss until butter is coated with flour.
- Pour ice water slowly over the mixture, mixing with a spoon as you pour.
- Put dough on a lightly floured surface and knead into a ball.
Mincemeat pie Ingredients:
- Puff pastry dough
- 1 pound mincemeat
- 1 egg
- 2 oz caster or superfine sugar
- 2 oz milk
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 degrees Celsius)
- Cut dough into 3-inch circles with a pastry cutter and shape into a bowl. You can use a muffin tin as a guide.
- Fill each puff pastry with 2 teaspoons mincemeat and then brush a little milk on the edges.
- Cut out 2 1/2-inch lids out of the pastry dough and place over the mincemeat. Using your fingers, seal the lids to the edges of the base.
- Beat the egg and add a pinch of salt, then brush the egg wash over the pies.
- Sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm or cool.