Make your own for a classic mince pie, or change it up with our inventive new ideas
recipes AILSA BURT photographs KAREN THOMAS
Orange & brandy mincemeat
You only need to mix everything together here while enjoying the Christmassy aromas.
MAKES 1.3kg PREP 15 mins plus at least 2 hrs soaking NO COOK EASY V
150g sultanas
150g raisins
125g currants
100g mixed peel
2 Bramley apples (about 250g),
peeled, cored and grated
½ lemon, juiced
2 oranges, zested and juiced (you’ll
need about 200ml juice)
75ml brandy
200g light brown soft sugar
2 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cloves
100g suet (vegetarian, if needed)
1Tip all the ingredients, except the suet, into a large bowl and mix well using your hands. Leave to soak for at least 2 hrs, or ideally overnight.
2Add the suet, mix again, then spoon the mincemeat into sterilised jars (see tip, right) while they’re still warm. Will keep unopened in a cool, dark place for up to a year.If the mincemeat starts to look dry as it matures, add a little more brandy.
PER SERVING (1 tbsp) 41 kcals • fat 1g • saturates 0.6g • carbs 7g • sugars 7g • fibre 0.3g • protein 0.2g • salt 0.02g
Mince pies
A spoonful of clotted cream hidden in these mince pies makes them extra-luxurious. Best served warm.
MAKES 10 PREP 30 mins plus cooling COOK 20 mins EASY V ❄
300g plain flour, plus extra
for dusting
200g cold butter, cubed
75g golden caster sugar
1 egg, beaten
350g orange & brandy mincemeat
(recipe left), or use shop-bought
(vegetarian, if needed)
100g clotted cream
25g demerara sugar
1Tip the flour and butter into a large bowl or food processor with a pinch of salt. Rub the butter into the flour using your fingers until it resembles fine breadcrumbs, or pulse a few times if using a food processor. Stir or pulse in the caster sugar. Mix 1 tbsp of the beaten egg in a small bowl with 1 tbsp cold water and set aside (this is for brushing over the pies later). Drizzle the remaining egg into the flour mixture, and stir using a cutlery knife or blitz until the mixture starts to clump together. Bring together into a disc using your hands. Wrap and chill for 20 mins. Will keep chilled for a day.
2Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until it’s 5mm thick.
Stamp out 10 circles using a 10cm round cutter, and use them to line a 12-hole muffin tin. Using an 8cm round cutter, stamp out 10 more circles for the lids, rerolling any offcuts if needed. Scoop 1 heaped tbsp mincemeat into each case and top with 1 tsp clott
