December 13, 2020By pinkhairedpastrychef3
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Not to be dramatic, but this fruity mince pie recipe is the one. I have tried and tested many different mincemeat recipes and I can confidently say this is the best one. It’s super fruity yet perfectly spiced, sweet with a little hint of whiskey and citrus. Despite spending some Christmases churning out literally thousands of these bad boys, I still somehow never get sick of them and can still manage to shove a few into my mouth for breakfast. (It’s Christmas, don’t judge)
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How do I make mincemeat from scratch?
This fruity mince pie recipe kicks off by making the mincemeat. The ingredients are thrown into a large mixing bowl and mixed well. This is then left to marinate overnight in an airtight container in the fridge. The mincemeat can be kept in an airtight container for at least 3-4 weeks in the fridge due to the high amounts of sugar, alcohol and suet. I like to keep mine vegetarian by using Atora, Vegetable Suet. You can also make mincemeat in advance, as far as a few months in advance. To do this, add all the mincemeat ingredients to a saucepan and cook on low for 15-20 minutes. Place into sterilised jars and seal immediately. Allow to cool before storing at room temperature
How do I make mince pies from scratch?
While the mincemeat is marinating overnight, you can make the pastry, if you need a recipe I have a lovely sweet pastry recipe here, I sometimes add in lemon or orange zest to the dough to make it a little more festive for these. When everything has chilled and marinated enough, it’s time to assemble the mince pies! Roll out your pastry in batches to about 3mm thickness, so quite thin. Just slightly thinner than if you were making Christmas Biscuits. Using large round cutters, cut pieces of dough slightly larger than the size of your tins and place them into the base of your tins. You can use cupcake tins or mince pie tins. Mince pie tins are similar to cupcake tins but are more shallow so it makes them easy to scoop out the mince pies when cooked.
Mix the mincemeat up well and then spoon generous teaspoons of it onto the pastry. Roll out any pastry trimmings and use this for the stars on top. Gently brush with milk and bake for 12-15 minutes until the edge of the stars has turned golden brown. Continue to repeat this process until all the pastry or mincemeat is used up. Allow the mince pies to cool slightly before removing them from the tray. Best served warm with a dusting of icing sugar and a dollop of whipped cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this mincemeat vegetarian?
This recipe is vegetarian friendly! I use vegetable suet from Atora to keep this recipe vegetarian. However, when buying mincemeat or mince pies from the store or bakery, make sure you check the label or check with the staff. Sometimes beef suet is used!
What is mincemeat made of?
Mincemeat is a pie filling made up of dried fruits like sultanas, raisins, currants, suet, grated apple, lemon and orange juice and peel, brown sugar and whiskey.
Should you eat mince pies hot or cold?
I personally love mince pies when they are still a little warm from the oven. However, you can eat them hot or cold! To warm them up once they have cooled, you can pop them into the microwave for 20 seconds or the oven for a few minutes.
How do you make jarred mincemeat taste better?
If you have store bought mincemeat and want to jazz it up, you can add in some grated apple, orange zest and a shot of whiskey or brandy.
How long does mincemeat last?
This mincemeat recipes lasts for 3-4 weeks in your fridge. If you chose to cook and jar it, it has a shelf life of 5-6 months. If you bought the mincemeat, check the jar for a use by date. Usually, store bought mincemeat has a shelf life of 1-2 years.
What is suet and why is it in mincemeat?
Suet is a type of fat. It comes in small dried pellets with cardboard box packaging. It is stored at room temperature and is shelf stable. It’s added to mincemeat to aid the long preservation and adds texture to the cooked mince pies. It helps give a smooth, velvety texture to the mincemeat filing when cooked.
How long does mince pies last?
If stored in an airtight container at room temperature, mince pies can last for up to 1 week. They can also be frozen in an airtight container or ziploc bag for up to 3 months.
What to serve with mince pies?
There’s a bunch of different toppings you can use with mince pies. You could add a dollop of lightly whipped cream or squirty cream. You can have them with custard for a more substantial dessert. If you would like to cut through the sweet pastry and filling, you could add some plain yoghurt or creme fraiche. A scoop of vanilla ice cream would also be delicious with warm mince pies.
Fruity Mince Pie
Pink Haired Pastry Chef
A super luxurious mincemeat filling containing dried fruit, grated apples, flaked almonds, spices and whiskey with a buttery sweet pastry.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Total Time 1 hr 30 mins
Course Baked goods, Baking
Cuisine Baking, Christmas, Pastry
Servings 30 small pies
Equipment
Large mixing bowl
Airtight container to store the mincemeat
Rolling Pin
Mince pie tin or cupcake tin
Large round pastry cutters
Star shaped pastry cutters
See AlsoWhat Is Suet and How Is It Used?Pastry brush
Ingredients
- 1 batch sweet pastry bought or made
https://pinkhairedpastrychef.com/sweetpastry/
Mincemeat
- 120 grams sultanas
- 120 grams raisins
- 50 grams mixed peel
- 175 grams dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground mixed spice
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 50 grams vegetable suet
- 40 grams flaked almond
- 2 apples peeled and grated
- 50 ml whiskey
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- 1 orange zest and juice
- 15 ml milk to brush the pastry with
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, add all the mincemeat ingredients and mix well until totally combined.
Transfer to an airtight container and leave to marinate in the fridge overnight.
The next day, preheat your oven to 170°c(340°f) or 160°c(320f) if fan assisted.
Take your chilled pastry, and working in small batches roll out to about 3mm thickness.
Using a round cutter that is slightly larger than the base of your tins, cut the dough, ensuring to cut close together for less pastry trimmings.
Gently knead any leftover pastry into a ball and let rest for a few minutes.
Take the discs of pastry and gently place into the base of the prepared tins.
Mix up the mincemeat well and fill the pastry with generous teaspoons of mincemeat.
Take the pastry trimmings and roll out thinly. Cut with the star shaped pastry cutter and place a star on top of each mince pie.
Brush the star lightly with milk and bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes.
Allow to cool for a minute or two before removing from the tins.
Repeat the previous steps until all the pastry and/or mincemeat is finished.
Keyword Christmas, Christmas Baking, Fruity Mince Pie Recipe, Mince Pie Recipe, Mince pie recipe from scratch, Mincemeat, Vegetarian
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