The best mince pie pastry ever?

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Comments

  • I have to say that DD3, aged 15, makes the best pastry in the world!
    I don't know where she gets that talent from, because it isn't me ;)

    I'll ask her how she does it when she gets home.
    de do-do-do, de dar-dar-dar ;)
  • As promised and in her words:

    300 grams plain flour
    150 grams butter
    pinch salt

    break marble sized chunks of butter into the flour
    with fingertips, rub butter into flour
    ... really thoroughly - like small breadcrumbs (it feels really soft)
    pour very cold water in a splash at at time and scrunch the mix until it is all joined together.

    It's the breadcrumb part that is most important.

    :)
    de do-do-do, de dar-dar-dar ;)
  • oldMcDonald
    oldMcDonald Posts: 1,945 Forumite
    As promised and in her words:

    300 grams plain flour
    150 grams butter
    pinch salt

    break marble sized chunks of butter into the flour
    with fingertips, rub butter into flour
    ... really thoroughly - like small breadcrumbs (it feels really soft)
    pour very cold water in a splash at at time and scrunch the mix until it is all joined together.

    It's the breadcrumb part that is most important.

    :)


    This would be a savoury pastry? What is savoury like with sweet food normally? As I said above, I've only made pastry once and it was awful! It was for an apple pie and it had no sugar in it - everyone was expecting the pastry to be sweet and I think they were a bit shocked (thats my excuse for how bad it was anyway!!)

    Just wondering if it is usual to use sweet or savoury pastry when making fruit / mince pies - really trying to get to grips with cooking from scratch!

    lisa
  • She says that if you dust it with sugar then it will be sweet :)

    I prefer savoury pastry with sweet myself.
    de do-do-do, de dar-dar-dar ;)
  • I made my own mincemeat last year which was lovely - devine, BUT the pastry that i made was awful a real let down so i will try that recipe - thank you!! I have a few jars left over for mince pies this year so hopefully they will be good.

    S
  • janb5
    janb5 Posts: 2,615
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    This is fab, have used it for years. Very reliable too.

    Mincemeat pies

    Makes 2 dozen

    10 oz plain flour
    1 oz ground almonds
    6 oz butter
    3 oz caster sugar
    rind of 1/2 lemon
    1 egg yolk
    3 tablespoons milk

    Filling

    1 lb mincemeat
    1- 2 tablespoons brandy

    icing sugar

    Time taken 1 hour Can be made in advance

    Sift the flour in a mixing basinn and add the ground almonds. Add the butter, cut into small pieces and rub into the mixture evenly. Add the sugar and the grated lemon rind. Lightly mix the egg yolk and milk and stir into the dry ingredients. Mix to a fairly firm dough, turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth. Chill for 30 mins before using.

    Roll the pastry out onto a lightly floured surface and using a floured plain or fluted cutter, stamp out 48 circles of pastry.

    Place 24 in lightly greased tins- do in batches if necessary. This dough is so well behaved that you can re- roll pieces of dough.. Mix the mincemeat with the brandy and place a teaspoonful of the mixture in the centre of each pastry circle. take care not to overfill the pies. Damp the edges of the pastry and cover each one with a pastry top. Seal the edges and then, using scissors snip 2 slits in the top of each. Place in the centre of a hot oven(400 degF,200 deg C or Gas 6 ) and bake for 15- 20 mins or until golden brown.

    Dust with icing sugar and serve hot with brandy butter or cream.

    Enjoy!
  • leonie_2
    leonie_2 Posts: 517 Forumite
    I've made my pastry using the op's recipe for years, the only difference being that I use home made butter. It can be a real buggar to roll out but the pastry is devine and I get compliments every year.

    I also make Delia's mincemeat and mince pies never last very long in our house!
  • researcher
    researcher Posts: 1,539
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    echo wrote:

    researcher how is this pastry to roll out? i ask cos sometimes i use an ordinary recipe ( half marg/half lard) but change the quantities slightly and add an egg.bloody awful to roll out when i've added an egg.



    You need to flour it regularly, and the board - but it can be re-rolled time and again - it it gets dry add a touch more water (or just wet hands if its for the last little bit) - knead in and use as before.
  • piratess
    piratess Posts: 1,081 Forumite
    Ive got mince pies in the oven as im typing, i followed the OPs recipe for pastry and umm ive only ended up with 2 dozen the pastry was very thin but when i was rolling out it kept splitting! ..
    This is my first attempt at pastry making so umm they will probably be a disaster :( .. oh well 10 more mins to wait !
    i didnt know the temp either so they are in on a Gas 6 .. is this correct ???
    Hoping to be a thinner me in 2010!
  • researcher
    researcher Posts: 1,539
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    Hi Piratess,
    Congratulations on making your first pastry, I'm sure it'll be lovely, but with practise you will get better and better.

    I suppose the number you make would depend on the size of your tins which is why you've only got two dozen.

    If the pastry was breaking a lot, if it's dryish - add a little more liquid, it it's because it's very moist then keep the pastry and your roller well floured and roll with gentle strokes - the more you make the better you'll get!

    The oven temperature may have been a touch high - just make sure you keep an eye on them. As soon as they've cooled enough to try, let me know the results.
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