Hobby & Craft Forums

My friend made some mince pies the other day which were delicious, the recipe came from a Christmas book by Jocelyn Dimbleby published in the 1970's.. if anyone fancies trying something a little less ordinary, here's the recipe!

Makes 24

For orange pastry -
500g plain flour
175g icing or caster sugar
375g butter
finely grated rind and juice of one large orange

For filling -
250g full fat cream cheese (it is Christmas, after all)
50g caster sugar
500-625g mincemeat
milk, to glaze
Caster or icing sugar to decorate

1. Sift flour and sugar into a mixing bowl. Cut the butter into small cubes and rub these into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

2. Stir in the grated orange rind and finally the juice, a little at a time, until the mixture sticks together and you can form a ball.

3. Pat into a ball, wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.

4. Mix together cream cheese and sugar. Set to one side.

5. On a floured surface, knead pastry lightly and then roll out rather more thickly than you would usually. The pastry is very crumbly and rather sticky and quite tricky to work with so go carefully and BE PATIENT (something I am not, but it is worth it).

6. Cut out rounds with a 3 inch pastry cutter and line greased mince pie tins with these disks.

7. Fill to half depth with mincemeat and then top with a teaspoonful of cream cheese mixture -


8. Roll out the remaining pastry and cut out tops with a 2-inch cutter. Moisten the edges with water and place on top of filled bases, pressing lightly to seal.

9. Brush tops with milk and bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden.

10. As the pastry is so crumbly, allow these to cool in the tin before very gently easing from the tin with a rounded knife.

11. Serve warmed in the oven and sprinkled with icing sugar.

Perfect for those of you who remember and enjoyed Alison Steadman in "Abigails Party"!!

ooh that sounds really interesting! Might have to give it a bit of a go! (in the pie maker of course! Not so good at baking!)

Mmmmmmmmmmm, they sound delicious, I'm not really fussed in mince pies but since I'm having the family here this year I might give them a go- everyone seems to like them but me lol!

Nickie wrote:Mmmmmmmmmmm, they sound delicious, I'm not really fussed in mince pies but since I'm having the family here this year I might give them a go- everyone seems to like them but me lol!

You're not alone Nickie, I hate mince pies, Christmas Cake and Christmas Pudding - Infact I always have the chocolate Christmas pudding from Tesco, it's the only one I found I like.

LOL, my treat on Christmas day is syrup pudding with custard- I absolutely adore it and is my all time favourite. Everyone else seems to like the traditional stuff so it's nice to know I'm not alone in my dislike for it Shane lol! I can stand the odd one if I have to like when the OH's mother insists etc but I'd rather not if it can be helped lol!

I don't like any either, and I don't think Shaun does although he might like mince pies I never buy them so he doesn't get a chance

That's the spirit Sammie...just buy what we like and then they don't have any say in it (just like everything else) lol!

Exactly

Nickie wrote:That's the spirit Sammie...just buy what we like and then they don't have any say in it (just like everything else) lol!

Typical women, it is the 21st century you know, men have rights as well these days

Yes but only to the TV buttons Shane lol!