Shop-bought mince pies rarely taste better than home-made and these with their apple and dried cranberry filling are more than impressive. Serve warm or cold with cream or custard if liked.
Makes
12 pies
Ingredients
Pastry:
- 50g cold butter, diced
- 50g lard or solid vegetable oil, diced
- 175g plain flour
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 4 tbsp cold water
Filling:
- 200g mince meat
- 1 Pink Lady apple, cored and finelychopped
- 25g dried cranberries
- icing sugar, to dust
Method
- Preheat the oven if necessary to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Esse Dial Guide HOT. (Aim for the dial reading to be in the middle of HOT).
- Put the butter and lard (or solid vegetable oil) into a food processor along with the flour, icing sugar, egg yolk and water and pulse until the mixture binds together. Alternatively, use your fingertips to rub the butter and lard lightly through the flour and icing sugar, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, then add the egg yolk and sufficient water to bind together. Turn the pastry onto a lightly floured surface, knead to a ball then roll out and stamp out 12 circles with a 7cm cutter. Line a bun tin with these and chill for 30 minutes. Reserve the pastry trimmings.
- Meanwhile, mix the mincemeat with the apple and cranberries and spoon into the pastry cases. Stamp out 12 stars from the pastry trimmings and place one on the top of each pastry case.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden and cooked. Serve warm or cold dusted with icing sugar.
Get Ahead!
Baked mince pies will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Ideally warm in the oven for 5-8 minutes before serving.
