'Tis the season for some traditional mince pies.
Ingredients:
(this will make 20 mince pies, 6.5 x 2.3cm tart tins)
Casing:
175g plain flour
62.5g unsalted butter (room temp)
62.5g caster sugar
1 egg + ½ a yolk
Icing sugar
Pinch of salt
Filling:
Mincemeat - Buy a good quality mincemeat – 320g jar
Star Topper:
Puff pastry roll
Egg-wash
Method
Beat the butter, sugar and salt together, then add the egg and flour. Continue to beat until all the ingredients have come together. Roll the dough into a ball and place in the fridge for an hour before using, (although it can be left in the fridge for a week, or frozen).
Preheat oven to 180⁰C.
Take the pastry out of the fridge and allow to rest for 10 -20 mins.
Lightly flour a clean worksurface and roll out the pastry to about 2cm thick. Use a round cookie cutter, larger than the tin and cut out discs. Place one lightly over one of the tins and lightly press into the mould. Do this with all moulds and then use a fork to pierce the base of the pastry, adding baking bans and then place in the over for appx 12 mins, until lightly browned. Take out the oven and allow to cool. Turn oven up to 200⁰C.
Once cooled, take the rolled puff pastry out the fridge, unroll and on a lightly floured work surface roll out a piece of pastry to about 2cm thick. Using a star cookie cutter, cut out enough stars to place onto of your mince pies.
Egg-wash the top of each star and place the mince pies in the oven for appx 12-15 mins, until the puff pastry has risen. Take out the oven, allow to cool completely, then sprinkle with icing sugar.
Enjoy.
Gaby Van Clarke
Cold dry air outside, warm dry air inside; this seasonal pincer movement rips the moisture from the hairshaft leaving it thin, brittle and up to 3% shorter.
