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How to make your own mince pies

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Mince pie season is here! We love these delicious festive treats and no home or party would be the same without them at this time of year. Homemade mince pies are always better than bought ones. If you want to make your own mince pies, we have a fabulous recipe from celebrity chef Tom Aikens.

Make your own mince pies

The following recipe makes a minimum of 24 mince pies

Ingredients: What you need to make your own mince pies 

Mince Meat

  • 325g-cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped
  • 115g shredded suet
  • 150g raisins
  • 115g sultanas and currants
  • 115g mixed candied peel
  • 150g soft dark brown sugar
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon and orange
  • 30g nibbed almonds
  • 2 tsp mixed spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • Large pinch fresh grated nutmeg
  • 0.5g ground ginger
  • 0.5g salt
  • 4 tbsp brandy

Pastry

  • 270g all-purpose flour
  • 1.5g salt
  • 140g butter
  • 110g caster or powdered sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 whole egg
  • Few drops vanilla essence

Method: How to make the mince meat if you want to make your own mince pies

  1. Mix all the ingredients together, except the brandy, in a bowl and leave in a cool place for 12 hours to marinade.
  2. Place the mixture in a baking dish, cover with tin foil and bake for 2.5 to 3 hours at 140°c / 225°f.
  3. Leave to cool stirring from time to time and then stir in the brandy.
  4. Spoon the cooled mixture into storage jars and cover with waxed discs and seal. This is then ready to use, however it’s best to leave it to mature for one month.

Method: How to do the pastry when you make your own mince pies

  1. Sieve the flour and salt, put into a stand mixer and place on a low to medium speed, then add the butter mix till crumb like. Add the sugar then eggs and yolks, it will slowly come together, then refrigerate for 1 hour.
  2. Roll the dough out between two sheets of parchment to a 0.5cm thickness, then let it rest for 10 minutes. Cut out 48 pieces with a round cutter, you need the tops to be medium and the bottoms to be large.
  3. Make the mince pies in either small Yorkshire pudding moulds or tartlet cases. Lightly grease the moulds/cases then flour. Line with the pastry then add the mince pie mix. Place on the lid, crimp the edges and bake at 180°c /375°f for about 10-15 minutes, dust with icing sugar.

The mince pies are now available at the delis of Tom’s Kitchen delis in Canary Wharf, St Katharine Docks, HMS Belfast in London, and the recently launched Birmingham site. Find out more at www.tomskitchen.co.uk


More festive ideas from The Sloaney…