This recipe adds a touch of luxury to the filling with the unmistakable sweetness of Pink Lady® apples. These bite-sized beauties are sure to be a hit this Christmas! Follow our full preparation instructions below. You’ll need a round pastry cutter and a star shaped cutter for the pastry.
What’s in a Mince Pie?
A long time ago your mince pies were served as a savoury mince pie and might have contained actual minced meat. Thankfully, those days are over and we have deliciously sweet mince pies instead.
Having said that one of the key ingredients is in fact “mincemeat”. However, mincemeat in this instance is made from a mixture of chopped dried fruit and spices. In our version, we include Pink Lady® apples, dates and pecans to add a luxurious sweetness to the recipe. After all, it is Christmas!
The full list of ingredients in this ultimate mince pie recipe are listed below.
Are Mince Pies Vegetarian and Vegan Friendly?
Yes, you can get vegetarian and vegan friendly recipes. This particular mince pie recipe is not vegan friendly, however it is vegetarian friendly. If you would like a vegan alternative, take a look at our vegan mince pie recipe. Just make sure you purchase vegan or vegetarian friendly products before you bake!
How to Make the Pastry for Mince Pies by hand?
Mix the flour, icing sugar and cold butter together until it forms a fine breadcrumb consistency. Once you have this, add egg yolks, orange juice and zest little by little until it forms a ball. Cover your pastry with cling film and refrigerate for 40 minutes.
How to Make the Pastry for Mince Pies using a Food Processor?
Add the flour and icing sugar to your food processor and pulse while adding the butter bit by bit until you have a breadcrumb consistency. Add the orange juice, orange zest and egg yolks slowly until your mixture starts to thicken. The next part is more manual. Place your pastry mixture into a bowl or on a worktop and bring together into a ball. Once done, cover with cling film or grease proof and refrigerate for 40 minutes.
How to Make the Mince Pie Filling?
Combine mincemeat, chopped pecans, chopped dates and chopped Pink Lady® apples with the zest of an orange in a large bowl. Bring it all together with a good stir.
How to Combine the Mince Pie Pastry and the Filling?
Roll out your rested pastry to a 5mm thickness. Cut the pastry into round bases and star shaped tops (you can use a different shaped cutter if you don’t have a star one). Then start filling your baking tray with the pastry, followed by the mincemeat and the pastry lid on top. Brush with milk to give your pastry a delicious shine as it cooks.
How Do You Serve Mince Pies?
You can serve up mince pies in any way that suits you best. You can eat them nice and warm fresh from the oven, or serve them cold with a nice big mug of tea. You can even add some cream if you’d like to.
Can You Freeze Homemade Mince Pies?
Mince pies can be frozen once baked for three months. Defrost at room temperature.
Full preparation
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You can make the pastry by hand or in a food processor. If making by hand, put the flour into a large bowl with the icing sugar and the cubed cold butter and start working together by hand until you have a fine breadcrumb consistency. Add the juice and zest of an orange and the egg yolks little by little and start bringing the mixture together until it becomes a ball. Cover and refrigerate.
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If making the pastry in a food processor, put the flour and icing sugar into the machine and pulse in the butter bit by bit until you have a breadcrumb consistency. Slowly add the egg yolks and the juice and zest of an orange and pulse until it all starts thickening. Turn out into a bowl or a work top and bring together into a ball, then cover with cling film or grease proof and refrigerate for 40 mins.
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Meanwhile make your filling. In a large bowl, combine the mincemeat, chopped pecans, chopped dates, zest of an orange and 2 finely diced Pink Lady® apples and give a good stir.
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Once the pastry has rested, start to roll it out. Get two pieces of grease proof paper with one under the pastry and the other on top and start rolling, this way no extra flour is added so you’re not drying out the pastry. Roll out to a 5mm thickness. Get a round cutter big enough to cover the base of your mince pie tin and a star cutter for the top.
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Press the pastry base into the tin and fill with your mince pie mixture so it’s level with the top. Add the star top and brush the pastry star and edges with some milk.
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Pop into a preheated oven at 180 C for 15 to 20 mins or until golden brown. Leave in the tin for a few minutes before you try to remove them so that they hold their shape and won’t fall apart. Once cooled on a cooling rack, dust with some icing sugar.
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Mince pies can keep up to a week in an airtight container. You can freeze them once baked for three months. Defrost at room temperature.
