Name: Mince Pies for Christmas: Buttery Pastry, Spiced Fruit Filling
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 250 g plain (all-purpose) flour; 125 g cold butter, cubed; 40 g icing (powdered) sugar; 1 orange, zest only; 1 egg yolk; 2 tbsp cold water, as needed; 400 g mincemeat, jarred; 1 apple, peeled and grated; 2 tbsp orange juice, or brandy; 1 egg, beaten, for egg wash; 1 tbsp sugar, for sprinkling

British Winter 45 min 12 servings250 Calories

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Mince pies are small, sweet pies filled with mincemeat, a spiced mixture of dried fruit, apple, sugar, citrus and warm spices. Despite the name, modern mincemeat contains no meat. The pies are a Christmas tradition in the UK, Ireland, Australia and Canada, and they are catching on elsewhere as readers search for cosy, make-ahead holiday baking. With Christmas about eight weeks away, now is the perfect time to practise the pastry and fill your freezer.

What do mince pies taste like?

Think of a buttery, slightly crumbly shortcrust shell around a sticky filling of raisins, currants, apple, orange peel, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. The flavour is sweet, fruity and warmly spiced, a little like a tiny apple pie with extra raisins. Served warm, they are what many British families eat with a cup of tea on Christmas Eve.

Where to find mincemeat

Jarred mincemeat is sold in the baking aisle of UK, Irish and Australian supermarkets and, in autumn, in many US and Canadian stores or online. It is perfectly good on its own, and it gets much better with two quick additions: a grated apple for freshness and a splash of orange juice or brandy. If you cannot find it, stir together raisins, chopped dried apricots, grated apple, orange zest, brown sugar, butter and mixed spice and simmer for 15 minutes.

Tips for tender, crisp pastry

Keep everything cold. Cold butter and cold water give a short, crumbly crust instead of a tough one.
Do not overwork the dough. Bring it together just until it holds, then chill it for at least 30 minutes.
Do not overfill. About one heaped teaspoon of filling per pie is enough. Sticky filling that bubbles over makes the pies stick to the tin.
Grease the tin well. A non-stick bun tin brushed with melted butter releases the pies cleanly.
Vent the lids. Cut a small slit or use a star cutter so steam can escape.

Variations

Frangipane topped: spread a spoonful of almond paste over the filling instead of a lid.
Crumble topped: rub butter, flour, oats and sugar together and scatter over the filling.
Cranberry: stir a handful of chopped dried cranberries into the mincemeat.
Persian-inspired: add a pinch of ground cardamom and a few chopped pistachios to the pastry or filling for a fragrant twist.

Serving ideas

Serve warm with a dusting of icing sugar, a spoonful of brandy butter, clotted cream or vanilla ice cream. On a holiday dessert table they sit well beside a yule log, gingerbread cookies and mulled punch. They also make a lovely edible gift in a tin with parchment.

Make ahead and storage

Baked pies keep in an airtight tin for up to five days. Unbaked pies freeze beautifully: assemble them in the tin, freeze solid, then bag them and bake straight from frozen, adding five minutes. Reheat baked pies for 5 minutes in a warm oven to bring back the crisp edges.

Who should be careful: traditional mincemeat can contain suet (animal fat) and alcohol, so check the label if you cook for vegetarians, people avoiding alcohol, or guests with nut or gluten allergies.