[av_heading heading=’Mince Pies and Christmas Pudding’ tag=’h1′ link=” link_target=” style=” size=” subheading_active=” subheading_size=’15’ margin=” padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” custom_class=” id=” admin_preview_bg=” av-desktop-hide=” av-medium-hide=” av-small-hide=” av-mini-hide=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=”][/av_heading]
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[av_heading heading=’Mince Pies’ tag=’h2′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ size=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” subheading_size=’15’ av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” color=” custom_font=” margin=” margin_sync=’true’ padding=’10’ link=” link_target=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-lqci0tnl’ admin_preview_bg=”]
This mince pie pastry is just short and crumbly enough for the perfect pie but still very easy to work. Use the extra pastry scraps to decorate to your heart’s content. Recipe makes 12 mince pies.
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Ingredients
- 300g/10oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- A pinch salt
- 150g/5oz fridge-cold butter, cut into 1cm/½in dice
- 3 tbsp icing sugar
- 1 large free-range egg, beaten with 1 tbsp very cold water
- 300g/10½oz mincemeat
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To finish
- 1 medium free-range egg, beaten
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
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Method
- To make the pastry, place the flour and salt in a food processor and add the butter. Using the pulse function, whizz until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the icing sugar and pulse again to mix. Add the beaten egg mixture and pulse briefly to mix to a rough dough.
- Tip the pastry out onto the work surface, and using your hands, lightly bring the dough together into a ball and wrap in cling film or place in a plastic sealable box to chill for about 20–30 minutes (this prevents pastry shrinkage later on).
- If making the pastry by hand, put the flour into a large bowl. Grate in the butter using the coarse grater blade on a box grater. Coat the butter in the flour by lightly mixing it with your fingers. Using your fingertips, lightly rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the caster sugar and salt. Using a table knife, stir in the beaten egg mixture to make a rough dough, then turn out onto a lightly floured board and bring together into a ball. Wrap and rest in the fridge as above.
- Brush a 12-hole bun tin with melted butter and set aside in the fridge.
- After chilling, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll out into a circle that is about 4mm/⅛in thick. Use a round cutter to cut out 12 discs of pastry that are about 6mm/¼in bigger than the size of the bun tin holes. Bring the scraps of pastry together lightly and re-roll as necessary.
- Press a round of pastry into the bottom of each hole. Fill each pastry case with a level tablespoon of mincemeat. Don’t overfill them as they will leak and make your mince pies stick to the tray.
- Cut out 12 lids with a smaller pastry cutter, re-rolling the pastry as needed. These can be fluted or straight-edged, as you like. Brush a little beaten egg around the base of the lid and stick it down onto the pie edge, pressing gently to seal. (Try to avoid getting egg wash between the pastry and the tin, as this can also lead to sticking.)
- Brush the tops of the mince pies with egg wash and sprinkle lightly with caster sugar. (You can use any pastry scraps and tiny cutters to cut out shapes like holly leaves and stars to stick on the tops of your pies.) Use a sharp knife to make a small incision in the middle of the pie, or several decorative incisions, to let out the steam as they bake.
- Return the pies to the fridge while you preheat the oven to 190C/170C (Fan)/Gas 5.
- Bake the mince pies for 20-25 minutes, or until golden-brown and crisp. Set the tray on a wire rack to cool for five minutes, and then turn the mince pies out. Serve with your choice of brandy butter, cream or ice cream.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/classic_mince_pies_47103
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[av_heading heading=’Christmas Pudding’ tag=’h2′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ size=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” subheading_size=’15’ av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” color=” custom_font=” margin=” margin_sync=’true’ padding=’10’ link=” link_target=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-lqciax4m’ admin_preview_bg=”]
Check the Recipe Tips for instructions to cook your Christmas pudding in the pressure cooker or in the slow cooker. Equipment and preparation: You will need a 1.2 litre/2 pint pudding basin, baking paper, foil and kitchen string. Serves 8.
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Ingredients
- 350g/12oz dried mixed fruit (raisins, currants, sultanas)
- 100g/3½oz pitted ready-to-eat prunes, chopped or left whole
- 100g/3½oz dark muscovado sugar
- 4 tbsp dark rum
- 100ml/3½fl oz stout
- 100g/3½oz chopped walnuts
- 100g/3½oz blanched almonds
- 100g/3½oz ground almonds
- 100g/3½oz fresh white breadcrumbs
- 50g/1¾oz plain flour
- 100g/3½oz frozen butter, grated, plus a little extra for greasing
- ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp mixed spice
- 100g/3½oz chopped glacé cherries (or left whole if you prefer)
- 3 large free-range eggs, beaten
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Method
- Combine the mixed fruit, prunes, muscovado sugar, rum and stout in a mixing bowl. Stir well to mix, cover and leave for 24 hours to soak.
- After 24 hours, mix the walnuts, almonds, ground almonds, breadcrumbs, flour, butter, spices, cherries and eggs along with the soaked fruit mixture in a large mixing bowl, making sure you include all the soaking liquor from the soaked fruit. Mix well until completely combined (let all the members of the family have a stir and make a wish).
- Cover with cling film and leave to stand in a cool place for 24 hours.
- After 24 hours, grease a 1.2 litre/2 pint pudding basin with butter. Cut a circle of baking paper and place into the bottom of the pudding basin and then grease it with a little more butter. Pack the pudding mixture into the pudding basin, pressing as you add it. Fold a pleat into the middle of a large piece of baking paper and place over the pudding. Cover with a large piece of pleated foil, ensuring the pleats are on top of one another. Secure tightly with kitchen string tied under the lip of the pudding basin (or you can use a couple of sturdy rubber bands).
- Place an upturned saucer into a large saucepan one-quarter full of water. Fold a long piece of foil into quarters lengthways to create a long strip and place the pudding basin in the middle of the strip. Bring the sides of the strip up the sides of the pudding basin and lower into the saucepan. Ensure the water in the saucepan comes one-third of the way up the side of the pudding basin, but nowhere near the top of the basin. Leave the ends of the foil strip hanging over the side to make it easy to remove the pudding later.
- Bring the water to the boil and then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Simmer gently for 5-6 hours, topping up the water level as necessary throughout cooking (do not allow the pan to dry out).
- Once the pudding is cooked, remove from the pan and set aside to cool. The pudding can be stored for up to two years in a cool, dry place. To serve, reheat the pudding by steaming again (in the same way) for two hours, or until hot all the way through. Alternatively, remove the foil and reheat in the microwave.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/christmas_pudding_41498
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