Jewelled Mince Pies Recipes

JEWELLED MINCE PIES

Steps:

• Put flour, almonds, butter, orange zest and sugar in a food processor and whizz into crumbs. Add the egg yolk and a teaspoon of cold water and pulse to form a dough. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to fan 180C/ conventional 200C/gas 6.Roll out the dough thinly and, with an 8-9cm plain cutter, stamp out 18 rounds - they need to be larger than the bun tin holes. Use to line one and a half 12-hole bun tins, pinching and fluting the dough edges above the level of the tins with your fingers.
• Put a heaped teaspoon of mincemeat in each case. Quickly knead the trimmings and roll out. Use a star cutter to make 18 stars.
• Put a star on top of each pie. Brush stars and pastry edges with egg white and dust lightly with caster sugar. (The pies can be frozen at this stage in the tins, then removed, packed into freezer bags and frozen for up to 3 months.) Bake the pies for 12-15 minutes (18-20 minutes from frozen) until the pastry is crisp and golden. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

CHRISTMAS MINCE PIES

Steps:

• Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Add butter and shortening; rub in with cold fingers until mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Mix in sugar and orange zest thoroughly. Mix in vanilla extract. Stir in enough orange juice to bring dough together.
• Knead dough briefly to form a smooth ball. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Roll dough out on a lightly floured work surface to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Cut out 12 circles using a 2 1/2-inch cutter and 12 circles using a 1-inch cutter.
• Line 12 mini tart pans or a muffin tin with the 2 1/2-inch dough circles. Cover dough with about 1 tablespoon mincemeat filling. Lay 1-inch circles on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tops are pale golden brown, 17 to 21 minutes. Cool slightly on wire racks, about 10 minutes. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

MINI ORANGE MINCE PIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Sift together the flour, 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, and cinnamon. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to mix in the butter until mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Stir in the orange zest. Sprinkle with ice water, and gather dough into a ball. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out approximately 18 (3 inch) diameter circles, and 18 (2 inch) circles, rerolling dough as needed.
• Line muffin cups or tart tins using the 3 inch pastry circles. Fill each pastry cup with about 1 tablespoon of mincemeat filling. Top with 2 inch pastry circles, pinching circles together to seal the edges. Brush the top of each pie with egg.
• Bake pies in preheated oven until tops are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool slightly on wire racks. Dust with 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar just before serving.