Mince pie help

juliapenguin

Hi

I teach Chinese students, and we are having a party to give them a little taste of a UK Christmas.

I really want them to try mince pies but...

- they don't like very sweet food - and bought mince pies are usually really sweet

- and I've stopped baking now that the family is grown up.

I'm going to buy some ready rolled unsweetened pastry and some good quality mincemeat which will hopefully be less sweet, but I no longer have a baking tray for jam tarts/mince pies and in any case they would be too big. There's a lot of students and we're only doing finger food so I don't want to be cutting up bigger pies and everyone getting sticky.

I'm wondering what would be the best shape for tiny mince pies - do you think 'Cornish pasty' shape or 'apple turnover'? Or can anyone think of a way of making proper mince pie shapes but much smaller and without me having to buy a baking tin?

I'd really appreciate your help

maro11

If you have a TK MAXX near you they have mini mince pie tins. They are only £1.99 and make 24 mini pies. I bought one last week

juliapenguin

I think there's a TK Maxx in Manchester city centre, so that's a great idea.

I'm still looking for other ideas in case they haven't got any - and I can't get there until Friday at the earliest anyway.

Julia

bluebag

I was looking for ideas for my OH who is on a low fat diet.

I intend to do a chelsea bun type mince thing, but with a little apple puree and mincemeat, some mixed spice and a drizzle of water icing, using a bread dough rather than high fat pastry.

Something like this could be made into finger food sized buns and you wouldn't need a special tray, also adding the apple would reduce the sweetness.

Introuble28

If its any help; I made my own mincemeat this year as I dont like really sweet things and this stuff is lovely! Not too sweet (quite boozy though:beer:!)
I can put up the recipe if you like??

Penelope_Penguin

If you haven't already bought your pastry how about getting filo instead? Cut it into 10cm-ish squares, several layers washed with melted butter, blob of mincemeat in the middle, pull the corners up to make a small parcel. Bake then dust with icing sugar when cool. They're very crispy and not to rich

Meadows

juliapenguin wrote: »

I'm wondering what would be the best shape for tiny mince pies - do you think 'Cornish pasty' shape or 'apple turnover'? Or can anyone think of a way of making proper mince pie shapes but much smaller and without me having to buy a baking tin? I'd really appreciate your help

Try this, quick and easy to make all you need is a baking tray

Mincemeat Streusel (makes 16 slices)

1 pack short crust pastry
500g Mincemeat
For the topping
75g SR flour
40g semolina
40g caster sugar
75g butter

For the topping: put the flour, semolina and caster sugar into a mixing bowl. Melt the butter, allow to cool slightly, pour into the dry ingredients and mix together to form a dough, chill for 30 minutes (or make the day before, or make and freeze).
Pre heat the oven to 200c. You will need a 30x23cm (Swiss roll) tin
Roll out the pastry slightly larger than the tin to line the base and sides of the tin. Spread the mincemeat evenly over the pastry base.
Grate the dough coarsely over the mincemeat. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
Cool remove from tin and slice into 16 pieces.

marmiterulesok

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

If you haven't already bought your pastry how about getting filo instead? Cut it into 10cm-ish squares, several layers washed with melted butter, blob of mincemeat in the middle, pull the corners up to make a small parcel. Bake then dust with icing sugar when cool. They're very crispy and not to rich

Thanks,I think that I might try this.How long would they take in the oven-about 10 minutes?

juliapenguin

Thanks for all your great ideas!

I really wanted to keep the mince pies as traditional as possible to give them a taste of the real thing, but I think I'm going to try one of the variations you have suggested instead.

Thanks xxxx