I didn't know that. They certainly look good in the fridge. And yes, I personally prefer homemade. Don't really like puff pastry for sweet 'pies'. I often see it done and this month's Cuisine has a blackberry pie made with puff pastry and to me it looks nice but in my mind I can taste it and it just doesn't 'taste' right. Cold puff is even worse.
lah50,
Nov 23, 3:52am
Try a sweet short pastry recipe, and use a lightly beaten egg as the liquid to bind.It's the best I've tried.
dawnay,
Nov 23, 8:35am
Thank you everyone for your ideas and thoughts. I will try making a pastry, but if I run out of time (I still have lots of Christmas cakes to make first), then I will go for the sweet short pastry.Hope I don't disappoint myself though; that one I ate recently was perfect! Thanks again.
annie.nz,
Nov 24, 1:27am
This one is primo, doesn't need skill or the fabled 'good hand with pastry'.Neither of which I have.It cheats by using ground almonds to give a good texture:
Pastry – makes 12-14 mincemeat pies 227g flour 113g cold chopped butter, (Mainland, not the cheaper watery stuff).Rub butter into flour - see methods below
Beat until mixed and fairly fluid: 1 egg yolk 2 tbsp orange or lemon juice or water 1/2 tsp vanilla
Usually needs 2 tbsp or so xtra milk to form a soft dough. Depends on yolk size possibly.
Methods for rubbing butter into flour:
Food processor:put flower and butter into bowl and process till butter is in 3-4mm grains, say.Add sugar and almonds (pulse a little only) then fluid (pulse a little only).
Work the mix with your hands until it binds into a fairly smooth ball, adding a very little more water if necessary.
By hand:
Rub butter into the flour, with hands well into the mix to warm the butter slightly and facilitate mixing.
Stir in almonds and sugar, mix in fluid. Work the mix with your hands until it binds into a fairly smooth ball, adding a little more water if necessary.
Rest dough in fridge 15 mins at least.Work by pressing with marble rolling pin to get it moving, work around the edges with hands to get it moving and stop it cracking.Roll quite thinly – say 4mm, until can see colour of bench.If too thick pastry dominates. Cut.Press half almond into moistened spot on each top bit, brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with a bit of caster sugar.
Cooking:the original instructions were 190 deg C 35 minutes, but this is too long.I generally use 175 deg for about 20 minutes, with fan for the second 10 minutes only, although my cooking times are a bit hit-and-miss.Cool 1-2 mins in tin then on a rack.
gardie,
Nov 24, 8:02am
I use Jo Seagar's sweet short pastry recipe- no rolling needed, just press into tins.A very short yummy pastry.I copied this from my posting on the great christmas recipe thread - hence the wording in the recipe.
125g butter 1 cup flour 1/2 c icing sugar
Process until mixed. Press into tins and refrigerate 30 mins before cooking. Pop in fruit mince. Lay out remainder between 2 sheets gladwrap and roll till desired thickness and using small star shape, cut out tops for the pies.
suzanna,
Dec 11, 12:08am
Gardie if you're about or anyone else who may know what temperature is Jo Seagars pastry cooked at please!
agnes8,
Dec 11, 5:30am
I break all the rules and use puff pastry.just make 2 tiny slashes on the top piece.much lighter and yummier.dust with icing sugar.
miffycat1,
Dec 11, 5:44am
Gardie if you're about or anyone else who may know what temperature is Jo Seagars pastry cooked at & for how long using mini & ordinary size tins Thank you
lindylambchops1,
Dec 11, 8:57am
BTW.I cook mine in mini muffin tins
bev00,
Dec 11, 9:19am
lots of pastry to try for the tarts
pickles7,
Dec 11, 9:51am
sweet pastry great for all cake slices, and tarts cream 450 grams butter, and sugar. add 2 tsp vanilla 4 eggs, 1 at a time. sift and add 900 grams of flour with 4 tsp baking powder and add. Chill pastry well. knead roll and use a quater at a time. This pastry freezes well, raw or cooked.
marcs,
Dec 11, 3:08pm
Use icing sugar when making pastry. Sugar makes a sticky pastry I found.
lulu239,
Dec 11, 8:16pm
Sorry, I don't have the original poster for this recipe. It is a lovely pastry and buttery. The quantity has made 30 mince pies.
3 cups flour, 2 Tbsp custard powder, 1 cup icing sugar, 375g slightly soft butter, 1 egg yolk. Put all in the processor and whizz. I find the quantity is a bit much for my processor so I go so far and then mix by hand. Note to husband: A larger processor please.
sarahb5,
Dec 11, 9:50pm
I just use standard shortcrust for mine but make sure I use unsalted butter.I have occasionally used a sweet shortcrust but I don't think mince pies actually need any extra richness especially if you're putting cream or brandy butter on your mince pies!
uli,
Dec 11, 4:24am
bump for another Xmas
wheelz,
Dec 11, 4:35am
This is the one I use, as it doesn't taste too sweet. 1 egg.Finely grated zest 2 lemons.1/4 tsp vanilla ess 1/2c lightly packed icing sugar.2 c flour 1/4 tsp salt.180g cold butter, cubed Put flour & salt in f/processor, pulse to mix. Scatter in cold butter, pulse till barely combined. Add in egg, vanilla & zest, pulse till evenly combined, but not coming together in a bll. Tip out onto floured board, knead till smooth. Wrap in cling film and chill in fridge 1/2 hour at least before using.
sarahb5,
Dec 11, 5:58am
I like Nigella's idea of mixing her pastry with orange juice instead of water and using half butter, half vegetable fat makes for a crisper "shorter" pastry which is what I'll do if I remember!
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