So, for this week’s Friday Food Fight, I’m digging out my easy mince pies recipe for y’all. I’ve not made them yet this year, but am planning on doing so this week with my wee sis.
Anyway, it’s just not Christmas to me without a mince pie or two or three. Being that you can’t buy them here, every year I become all Martha Stewart or English Mum and bake them myself in what has become somewhat of a beloved chore tradition.
I actually used to make them from scratch which would take me fecking ages, but over the years I have come up with this easy, quick recipe which I’ve been told is actually better.
Not really sure what to think about that, but anyway here’s what you’ll need:
- jar of store-bought mincemeat
- 2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped in to small chunks
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup crushed walnuts
- splash of orange juice or sherry
- package refrigerated store-bought pastry
- some flour for dusting and rolling
- drop of milk
- icing sugar
What to do:
Take the jar of store-bought mincemeat, open and put in large mixing bowl. Add apples, cranberries, walnuts and the splash of orange juice or sherry, mix and set aside and have a glass of sherry whilst admiring your supreme mixing skills.
Using two packages of the ready made pastry, you should yield enough for 24 mince pies. On a floured surface, roll out pastry and using about a 3 inch pastry cutter, cut out your mince pie bases and then use a smaller pastry cutter or small Christmas cookie cutter to make the mince pie tops. Next, place the bases in to your cupcake tins and add a spoonful of the hearty mincemeat mixture. Add the tops and seal them by brushing the edges of the mince pie base with some milk then brush the tops with the milk and stick a fork in them a couple of times.
Have another nip of sherry just for good measure.
Hic.
Then pop in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes or until golden brown then place them on a cooling rack to . . . ahem . . . cool down.
Whilst they are cooling, feel free to have another glass of sherry.
And, once they’ve cooled sufficiently, sprinkle with some icing sugar, place on a pretty serving platter and wait for all the oohs and aahs from your holiday guests. Feel free to dust icing all over yourself to look like you’ve been baking away all day.
And, have another glass of whatever you can get your hands on.
Hic.
Kahdlajownanc. Enjoy. Iahhlaaskhvoabkahcvoaoh.
Hic.
What you said