MINCE PIES

Homemade Christmas Mincemeat Ingredients:

450g Bramley apples, peeled, cored and chopped into small pieces
225g Shredded Suet
350g Raisins
225g Sultanas
225g Currants
150g Whole Mixed Candied Peel, finely chopped
75g Dried Cranberries
350g Soft Dark Brown Sugar
Grated zest and Juice of 2 Lemons
Grated zest and Juice of 2 Oranges
100g Whole Almonds, chopped
4 Teaspoons Mixed Ground Spice
1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
Fresh Nutmeg Grated
6 Tablespoons of Brandy.

Method:

Combine all of the above ingredients except for the brandy into a large mixing bowl. Stir thoroughly to ensure all the ingredients are mixed. Cover with Cling Film for at least 12 hours to allow the spices and flavours to infuse into the dried fruit and nuts.
Heat the Oven to 120c (fan oven). Remove the cling film, give the ingredients another stir and then cover the bowl with tin foil, place in the oven for 3 hours.
Remove from the oven and stir the fruit mixture as the fat from the suet will have risen to the top. Cover and allow to cool.
Once cooled, add the brandy, stir through and place the mixture into clean dry jars and seal.
I usually make the mincemeat in November to allow the flavours to develop before I make my mince pies in December.

For an extra treat you can add fresh cranberries and a little more brandy to the Mix when you come to prepare your mince pies.


Shortbread Pastry Ingredients:
185 g salted butter (room temperature, needs to be soft)
62 g caster sugar
25 g egg yolk
250 g plain flour

for the filling:
300g mince meat (see recipe above)

Method for the pastry:
Beat egg, butter and sugar until light and fluffy- add egg at the end.
Fold in flour carefully.
Split mix in half.
Place one half of the mix into the fridge to allow to, firm up.
Keep the other half at room temperature.
Roll out pastry and cut out with a round cutter.
Place into Tartlet form.
Fill with Mincemeat.
Place the un-refrigerated pastry into a star nozzle piping bag and pipe around the top of the tartlet.
Bake at 180c for 20 minutes.

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