Mince pies
by
The traditional mince pie recipe gets an update here thanks to Shay Cooper, with the addition of sweet, financier batter. This lends the bake with a satisfying crunch, sure to impress all your Christmas guests. Keep a batch in an air-tight container for those unexpected visitors.
Ingredients
Sweet pastry
- 500g of plain flour
- 250g of caster sugar
- 250g of butter , cubed
- 2 large eggs
Financier batter
- 225g of caster sugar
- 90g of ground almonds
- 180g of plain flour
- 7 egg whites , lightly beaten
- 225g of butter
Filling
- 2 jars of Organic mincemeat
- 1 dash of brandy
- 1 handful of chopped almonds
To plate
- 1 dollop of crème fraîche
Equipment
- Food processor with a whisk attachment
- Rolling pin
- Tart tins
Method
1
Start by making the pastry. Combine the flour and sugar, then create a well in the centre of the mix. Slowly fold in the butter until the mix is crumb-like. Add the eggs and work gently until the mix becomes smooth. Set aside
- 500g of plain flour
- 250g of caster sugar
- 250g of butter
- 2 large eggs
2
To make the batter, place the sugar, ground almonds and flour together in a food processor with a whisk attachment, and mix on slow speed. Gradually add the egg white. Set aside
- 225g of caster sugar
- 90g of ground almonds
- 180g of plain flour
- 7 egg whites
3
Meanwhile heat the butter in a pan until it begins to change colour to a shade of hazelnut brown. When the butter has changed colour, pass it through a clean piece of linen or tea towel to remove any impurities
- 225g of butter
4
While the butter is still warm, add it to your batter mix in a slow trickle until it is fully incorporated. Leave to chill
5
Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4
6
Roll out the sweet pastry to a thickness of about 3mm, cut into disks and place in floured tart tins. Blind bake in the oven for around 10 minutes until pastry is cooked and crisp. Leave to cool on a wire rack
7
Once the pastry is cool, stir the brandy and nuts into the mincemeat. Half fill the tarts with the mincemeat mix. Top with some of the financier batter and smooth over with a palette knife
- 1 dash of brandy
- 1 handful of chopped almonds
- 2 jars of Organic mincemeat
8
Return the tarts to the oven and bake for 12 minutes until the financier batter is golden brown and cooked throughout. Serve with a dollop of crème fraîche
- 1 dollop of crème fraîche
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Mince pies
