Easy Peasy Mini Mince Pies Recipes

EASY PEASY MINI MINCE PIES

Steps:

• Grease the holes of 2 cupcake trays (24 holes in total), using a little butter on some baking paper. Preheat your oven to 220C / 200C fan / gas mark 7 / 425F.
• Place the flour in the bowl (you can sieve it if you like, but I never bother) and add the cubes of cold butter. Rub the butter and flour between your fingers (as if you are trying to rub the flour into the butter) until it resembles breadcrumbs. (See Note 1.)
• Stir in a tablespoon of cold water and stir into the butter/flour mixture thoroughly. Add another tablespoon of cold water and stir in thoroughly. Repeat this process until the mixture just starts to come together. I usually find this happens after about 6-8 tablespoons but it does vary. Don't add too much water!
• As soon as your pastry starts coming together, stop adding water and use your hands to squish the pastry together into a ball.
• Sprinkle your work surface with a little flour and pop your ball of pastry on top. Roll your pastry out as thin as it will go. (It might be easier, depending on the size if your work surface, to split the pastry into 2 balls and do them 1 at a time.)
• Using a circle shaped cutter, cut out 24 circles and place them into the greased holes of you cupcake trays.
• Put 1 teaspoonful of mincemeat in the centre of each circle.
• Squish together the pastry, roll it into a ball and roll out thinly again. This time cut out 24 stars, using your star shaped cutter, Place each star on top of the mincemeat, roughly in the centre (this is a bit hit and miss with children!) and press down slightly so the star sticks.
• Using a pastry brush, brush over a little milk. (Not strictly necessary, but it makes the mince pies go a more golden colour.)
• Put the mince pies in your preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until the mincemeat is bubbling and the pastry is golden on top.
• Take your mince pies out of the cupcake tin and place them on a wire rack to cool - I find it easiest to lever the mince pies out with a dessert spoon - take care not to burn yourself as they will be super-hot!
• While the mince pies are still warm, put a couple of tablespoons of icing sugar into a sieve and dust the icing sugar over the mince pies. (You can use an icing sugar dredger if you prefer.)
• The mince pies can be eaten warm or cold, on their own or with cream or custard.
• When the mince pies are completely cool they can be stored in a cake tin, or other air tight container... that is if there are any left!

UNBELIEVABLY EASY MINCE PIES

Steps:

• To make the pastry, rub the butter into the flour, then mix in the golden caster sugar and a pinch of salt.
• Combine the pastry into a ball - don't add liquid - and knead it briefly. The dough will be fairly firm, like shortbread dough. You can use the dough immediately, or chill for later.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line 18 holes of two 12-hole patty tins, by pressing small walnut-sized balls of pastry into each hole.
• Spoon the mincemeat into the pies. Take slightly smaller balls of pastry than before and pat them out between your hands to make round lids, big enough to cover the pies.
• Top the pies with their lids, pressing the edges gently together to seal - you don't need to seal them with milk or egg as they will stick on their own. Will keep frozen for up to one month.
• Brush the tops of the pies with the beaten egg. Bake for 20 mins until golden. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 mins, then remove to a wire rack. To serve, lightly dust with the icing sugar. Will keep for three to four days in an airtight container.

EASY MINI ALE AND MEAT PIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Lightly flour a work surface. Roll each crust out to about 1/8-inch thick. Cut dough to fit three 3x5-inch loaf pans. Push dough into tins and up the edges using your fingertips. Roll out remaining dough for use as top crusts and set aside.
• Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add potatoes, celery, onion, and carrot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add beef and cook until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add peas, corn, and ale; cook and stir until reduced by a bit more than half, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
• Add flour to the vegetable-ale mixture and stir constantly until thick and almost pasty, 1 to 3 minutes. Add stock slowly, stirring constantly. Add ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, tomato bouillon, rosemary, and garlic powder. Reduce heat and simmer until filling mixture reduces to desired thickness and potatoes are cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Remove pot from heat and allow filling to cool slightly. Fill crusts with filling. Top with remaining dough and pinch edges to seal. Brush tops of pies with beaten egg wash. Cut 3 slits in the top of each pie for air to escape. Place tins on a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

MINI MINCE PIES

Steps:

• Make a batch of our Homemade Mincemeat and allow it to cool.
• Once the Mincemeat is cool, make your Pie Crust. You can find our recipe here.
• Roll out the pie crust. (You'll want it on the thin side.)
• Cut out circles that will fit into your muffin/cupcake tin. We used a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter.
• Press the pie crust circles into the muffin/cupcake tin.
• Brush a whisked egg white onto the inside of the mini pies. This will help keep the mincemeat from soaking into the pie crust.
• Fill the crust with the Homemade Mincemeat.
• Cut out stars from the Pie Crust and cover the mincemeat with the pie crust decoration.
• Brush a whisked egg yolk over the stars.
• Bake in an oven pre-heated to 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until the pie crust is golden brown.
• Allow to cool before serving.