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Next-level mince pies

Icing sugar being sprinkled onto several next-level mince pies

Next-level mince pies

Name: Next-level mince pies
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 100g dark muscovado sugar; 50g butter; 1 cooking apple peeled, cored and coarsely grated; 150g currants; 150g sultanas; 100g raisins; 75g mixed peel; 1 lemon zested and juiced; 1½ tsp mixed spice; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 100ml Pedro Ximénez sherry brandy, rum or whisky; 300g self-raising flour plus extra for dusting; 1 tbsp cornflour; 2 tbsp granulated sugar plus extra for the tins and topping; 1 orange tangerine or clementine, zested; 175g butter 150g cold and cut into small pieces, 25g melted for the tin; 150g soft cheese; 1 egg beaten, to glaze; icing sugar to serve (optional)

Barney Desmazery

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Serves 12

More effort

Prep: 40 mins

Cook: 30 mins

plus at least 1 hr chilling

A star rating of 3.6 out of 5.8 ratingsRate

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Convert mince pie sceptics with our recipe for juicy, zesty mincemeat wrapped in pastry that’s extra-biscuity and rich thanks to a surprise ingredient

Freezable

Vegetarian

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Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

For the mincemeat

100g dark muscovado sugar
50g butter
1 cooking apple

peeled, cored and coarsely grated
150g currants
150g sultanas
100g raisins
75g mixed peel
1 lemon

zested and juiced
1½ tsp mixed spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
100ml Pedro Ximénez sherry

brandy, rum or whisky

For the pastry

300g self-raising flour

plus extra for dusting
1 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp granulated sugar

plus extra for the tins and topping
1 orange

tangerine or clementine, zested
175g butter

150g cold and cut into small pieces, 25g melted for the tin
150g soft cheese
1 egg

beaten, to glaze
icing sugar

to serve (optional)

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Nutrition: Per serving

kcal318
fat17g
saturates10g
carbs36g
sugars16g
fibre2g
protein4g
salt0.71g

Method

step 1

To make the mincemeat, tip the sugar and butter into a frying pan or shallow pan and melt over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved into a bubbling caramel. Stir through the apple to coat, then over a low heat, stir through all the other mincemeat ingredients, except the alcohol, and cook for 7-8 mins or until the dried fruit has plumped up. Stir through the alcohol off the heat. Leave to cool, then give it another good stir. To store the mincemeat spoon it into sterilised jars while still warm. Will keep in a cool, dry place for up to six months.
step 2

To make the pastry, tip both flours and the sugar into a bowl with the zest and a large pinch of salt. Use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles a crumble topping, then rub in the soft cheese until the pastry comes together. (If it’s still crumbly, add 1 tbsp iced water and it should come together.) Tip onto a work surface and knead for 30 seconds. Wrap and chill for at least 1 hr. Will keep chilled for up to three days.
step 3

Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 8. Brush the holes of a 12-hole muffin tin with the melted butter then lightly sprinkle with extra sugar. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface until 5mm thick. Stamp out 12 circles using a 10cm round cutter (fluted edge looks nice but are not essential), rerolling offcuts if needed and use them to line the muffin tin. Scoop some mincemeat into each case until it’s a little below the rim. Lightly brush the edges of the pastry cases with some of the beaten egg. Roll out the remaining pastry out on a floured surface and use a 6cm round cutter to stamp out 12 more circles for the lids (again, fluted edge looks nice but are not essential) and gently press on the lids to seal. Brush over the rest of the egg and sprinkle over more granulated sugar. Bake for 15-20 mins until deep golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes but, while still hot, twist them out of their holes and put on a wire rack to cool a bit more. Best served warm dusted with icing sugar. Alternatively, leave to cool completely and keep in an airtight container at room temperature for three days or frozen for up to three months.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, Christmas 2024

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A star rating of 3.6 out of 5.8 ratings

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