Chrimbly is precisely 18 sleeps away....WOOOPEEEEEEE!!!!!...the countdown is well and truely underway judging by the mound of presents I have still to wrap (next year I'm deffo scrooging christmas off!!) and cards that I have to A, make, and B, write....I know, I know-I'm a fool.
So what on God's earth can get you in a more christmassy mood than listening to christmas classics whilst sampling the festive periods finest delights???....mince pies and mulled wine-yes purrrleeease!
I love pies at the best of times but a warm, sweet christmas pie tops any other every single day of the week-and washed down by warmed, spicy red wine...HEAVEN. (mulled wine recipe is coming up..)
homemade mince pies are easy peasy to make, take nay time at all...AND leave the most scrumptious smell in your kitchen-even if you don't like the pie itself (nutter) it's worth doing just for the scent it leaves behind!
For 12 mince pies you will need:
350g Plain flour
Pinch/sprinkle of table salt
225g cold unsalted butter (cut into little chunks)
1 egg
cold water
1 jar of mincemeat
icing sugar/edible glitter (the edible glitter is definately a non-negotiable ingredient!)
Firstly, Preheat your oven to 200 and lightly butter a 12 hole cupcake tin (note: this butter is extra to what is stated in the ingredients part)...then put the flour,butter and salt together in a bowl and rub together with your fingers until its like breadcrumbs....Or sand....Or fine soil...Or.....Flour, butter and salt that has been rubbed together for about 4 minutes?!
Then add the egg and mix in to the mixture with a cold metal spatula (or knife) and when mixed in sloooooowwwwwllllly add the cold water a teeny bit at a time and mix whilst your doing it...When the mixture starts binding together be very careful not to add too much water as if it goes sticky its rubbish and wont work...When the mixture is dough like, wrap in clingfilm and put in the fridge for 15-30mins or (like I do) put in the freezer for 10-15 (I'm so impatient!...New years resolution to stop being!)
Once 'chilled' take out of the fridge/freezer, sprinkle a little flour onto your surface and roll out 3/4 of the dough, I usually use a rolling pin for every other pastry, however, this seems better for some reason to use your hands..your call..
Now cut out 12 circles either with a cookie cutter or a knife and gently press into the buttered cupcake tin, Next spoon in the mincemeat mixture (you can make it but I always have used the shop bought variety) Be careful not to overfill as when cooking the mincemeat will bubble up, Then use the rest of the dough and roll/pummel out to the same thickness and cut out stars and hearts (I suppose circles would work too if your more of a 'conservative' mince pie goer...Just make sure you put a couple of tiny holes in the top if the lid covers the whole pie or else you will have molten mincemeat explode in your mouth...doesn't sound too festive to me!) Finally, place your stars/hearts/circles on the top of the pies and sprinkle a little sugar on the top and pop into the oven for 20mins, When ready take out and use a spatula or spoon to take out of the cupcake tray as soon as you can, If they cool in the tray they literally are welded in and its humanly impossible to get them out...It's VERY upsetting when this happens :(
To finish off sprinkle icing sugar from a height over all of the pies whilst singing a christmas song ( 'We're walking in the air' from The Snowman is always a winner) then use the edible glitter to decorate accordingly :)
Enjoy!!!
Px
note: Molten mince pie filling REALLY hurts the roof of your mouth so please try and wait at least 10 mintues before sampling...
x
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