Mince Pies

Mince Pies

Yes, yes, it's not even December yet, but why wait to tuck into these festive fancies? Actually, why do we only eat mince pies and things like bread sauce, cranberry sauce, honey-glazed parsnips, chocolate-covered Brazil nuts or roast bloody turkey at Christmas, only to be ignored the rest of the year? I'm not advocating that we all turn into those sad, lonely types (normally divorced) you read about who celebrate Christmas every single day with a full-on turkey and all the trimmings while watching re-runs of the Queen's Speech. But some of this stuff is just too good to be a once-a-year treat? Hell, if we even ate roast turkey more often we actually might get better at cooking the damn thing. Ok, I know a lot of the ingredients are seasonal, but a mince pie with a glass of Pimm's during Wimbledon? Surely better than spending £25 on six strawberries and a dribble of cream.

This recipe is your basic one for mince pies – I might have a bash at a fancy version in a couple of weeks. Oh, the mincemeat. Mine was shop bought, but I did buy a posh brand (get me). I think good home-made mincemeat (Google it, sorry) needs at least a month for all the flavours to develop, and I've left it too late this year for Christmas Day – however, my mince pie pancakes on February 21 will be a treat. Makes 24.
 
Ingredients:
560g mincemeat
350g plain flour
a pinch of salt
150g butter, cubed
water, cold
a little milk to glaze
sprinkle of demerara or icing sugar to finish

Method:
1. Make the pastry by sifting the flour and salt into a large bowl. Add the butter and rub with your fingertips to form fine breadcrumbs.
2. Add cold water a little at a time until the mix comes together to form a smooth dough. Cover with clingfilm and put in the fridge for 30 minutes.
3. While waiting, heat the oven to 200C/gas 6 and lightly grease 2 x 12-hole pastry tins.
4. Roll out half the dough as thinly as possible and use a 7.5cm fluted cutter to make 24 rounds. Re-roll if necessary. Carefully line the tins and fill each with a good tsp of mincemeat.
5. Roll out the other half and use a 6cm fluted cutter to also make 24 rounds. Dampen edges of the smaller rounds with milk and press them lightly onto the filled larger rounds to form lids, sealing the edges.
6. Brush with milk and make a slit in the top of each pie with a pair of scissors. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
7. Cool on a wire rack and dust with icing sugar or demerara.