The best mince pie pastry ever?

Mrs_Chip

I have just made this pastry and baked some little pies,and they are delicious!

I made half the quantity, so I broke an egg and added a tiny amount of water to it and beat it up, and used half of that, no additional liquid required. The paste came together easily, and yes, it is a pain to roll as it did tend to crack. However, unlike normal shortcrust this paste responds very well to being moulded, and I found it easy to close up the cracks using my fingers. So much so that I stopped worrying about rolling it out neatly as I was able to patch so easily. I used a deep muffin tin and filled the pies with left-over HM christmas pudding, which was not too sweet. The contrast with the sweetened pastry was perfect. The lids went on with a gentle press, no need to crimp.

I think if you are used to making the usual shortcrust recipe, the way this one works might be a bit offputting. The trick is to go with the flow and just do the best you can, forget what you know about rolling pastry out!

I would say this pastry is perfect as it is for fillings that are a little tart. I can understand why cheaper shop bought mincemeat might make these too sweet.

Thanks OP and neighbour (have you asked her about using her name?), a recipe that will get lots of outings here!

shelley_crow

I made 30 for boxing day and took them to the in laws house, they disappeared rather quickly! When I make a half batch, I still use the full egg and the result is no different.

I think I'll be trying different fillings in the New Year. I can't thank you and your neighbour enough, it's perfect!

cshermen2000

Thanks OP :)

I made delia's mincemeat and her pastry. Hers half lard/butter was a disaster, but tried yours yesterday and it was perfect :j

miss_independent

Just wanted to let people know that I was inspired by this recipe to buy Trex and see if it made Gluten Free Mince Pies any better.

GF mince pies are notoriously hit and miss! I have made GF pastry before and it was just ok. I made the mince pie pastry using a pack of Mrs Crimbles Gluten Free Pastry Mix, 2 tablespoons of Caster Sugar and 80 grams of Trex. I can confirm that these Mince Pies are OUTSTANDING! Best I've ever had, crisp, light and tasty yet not crumbly - they hold together extremely well.

As this is my first Christmas since discovering I'm a coeliac, I am absolutely thrilled to have discovered how to make a decent mince pie! Massive thanks to the OP!

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

Gran's Mince pies and Jam tarts. Her pastry and vienese fingers and choix was out of this worl. And they were always hand rubbed and made with love etc. And every week they were fresh.

Still cannot even get close, even when I have her cards etc.

8 oz Plain Flour
4 oz Echo marg
2 Lard.
Rub.

Add fillings
Cook
Eat.

rosekitten

even if your rubbish at baking these turn out lovely
many thanks to who ever posted this recipe its the
best one

tessasmum

Still using this recipe, and many thanks for the original, which I have tweaked slightly to produce 5 dozen at a time! I get lots of compliments for these mince pies - so thanks!

*HalfBaked*

Mine pie related question here if someone could advise please!

I have bought a jar of mincemeat to make mince pies with, I obviously had to taste it to check it's ok and on opening the jar I noticed what I thought were cooked white rice grains. Nothing in the ingredients that should be white (unless they've bleached their orange peel!) and the shape is identical to a grain of rice.

I am not brave enough to see what the white bits taste of - told my OH and he suggested it's lard that when cooked would melt.

Is the above right? Have I picked up a rogue mince meat jar?!

Sammy-Jo_2

I made these at the weekend for work colleagues - better than a card! Lovely! Quite simply the best!

p.s. think the white bits are suet

rageagainstessays

*HalfBaked* wrote: »

Mine pie related question here if someone could advise please!

I have bought a jar of mincemeat to make mince pies with, I obviously had to taste it to check it's ok and on opening the jar I noticed what I thought were cooked white rice grains. Nothing in the ingredients that should be white (unless they've bleached their orange peel!) and the shape is identical to a grain of rice.

I am not brave enough to see what the white bits taste of - told my OH and he suggested it's lard that when cooked would melt.

Is the above right? Have I picked up a rogue mince meat jar?!

it's suet