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Traditional British Mince Pies

A close-up of two mince pies, one cut open to show the rich filling, dusted heavily with powdered sugar.
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Make classic, spiced fruit-filled holiday tarts using a simple shortcrust pastry and homemade mincemeat filling.

Ingredients

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  • 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons ice water
  • 1 jar (400g) good quality mincemeat filling
  • 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
  • Powdered sugar, for dusting

Instructions

  1. Prepare the pastry: In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Cut in the cold butter using your fingertips or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
  2. Add the ice water one tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix.
  3. Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
  4. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
  5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of pastry to about 1/8 inch thickness. Use a round cutter (about 3.5 inches) to cut out circles for the pie bases.
  6. Press the pastry circles into the muffin tin cups. Fill each cup about two-thirds full with mincemeat filling.
  7. Roll out the second pastry disk. Use a smaller cutter (about 2.5 inches) to cut out tops for the pies. You can cut small vents in the tops or use festive cutters if you wish.
  8. Brush the edges of the base pastry with the beaten egg wash. Place the tops onto the filling and press the edges to seal. Crimp the edges with a fork.
  9. Brush the tops of the pies with the remaining egg wash.
  10. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown.
  11. Let the pies cool in the tin for a few minutes before carefully removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  12. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. These pies are excellent warm.

Notes

  • If you are short on time, consider using store-bought mincemeat. This recipe focuses on making the pastry from scratch for the best texture.
  • For flakier pastry, avoid working the dough too much. Keep your ingredients cold.
  • If you are interested in meal planning for the holidays, look into best meal delivery services for easy side dishes.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://blissbatter.com/mince-pies-traditional-british-christmas-tarts/