Mince Pies

The cottage is filled with lovely aromas this afternoon from freshly baked cookies and mince pies. Mince pies are the ultimate Christmas staple, and are always better when they're homemade! The sweet, fruity mincemeat with all of those wonderful festive spices, encased in icing sugar covered crumbly, buttery pastry.. its festive food heaven

After a busy morning in the kitchen, I think I deserve to put my feet up and conduct a little mince pie taste test. Lovely and warm and fresh from the oven

Mince Pies

350g plain flour
Pinch of salt
225g butter, diced
1 whole egg
1 jar of mincemeat
Dusting icing sugar

• Heat the oven to 400°F/205°C/Gas 6
• Place the flour, butter and salt into a large bowl.
• Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs,
• Add the egg to the mixture and using a knife stir
• Add cold water a teaspoon at a time until the mixture binds together.
• Choose a muffin or bun tin for the size of the pie you want.
• Dust a work surface lightly with a little flour and roll out two-thirds of the pastry to 1/8"/3mm thick.
• Cut circles to line the cups of your tin.
• Fill the pastry lined tins 2/3 full with mincemeat.
• Roll out the remaining pastry to the same thickness and cut smaller circles to fit as lids or cut out star shaped lids to be decorative.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 mins or until golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the icing sugar.

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x