[sarajane]

I like to make my mince pies around about now and put into the freezer uncooked so I can take them out when needed.

I always use 50/50 plain and SR flour with 50/50 marg and lard.  Thinking of putting some grated orange zest into the pastry this year for a change.

Is there anything any of you do to make your pies a touch more interesting or the perfect pastry receipe that you use. (just for a bit of inspiration please)

[Kleftiwallah]

Make your own mincemeat.  I make mine two years in advance and store in jars.  It knocks spots off the bought stuff.

Cheers,   Tony.

[GrannieAnnie]

I found a pastry recipe once that uses 1oz of cornflour to every 12ozs of plain flour, and I use 50/50 butter to lard rather than margarine, or sometimes I will use all margarine if I haven't got any lard or butter when I need it.

The cornflour makes the shortcrust pastry softer, but my youngest daughter, when I make her a few mince pies, likes puff pastry, so when I go down to Kent, I cheat and buy ready made puff pastry to make them for her.

I did see orange zest put into pastry, but not tried it yet myself.  Sounds nice though!  

[sarajane]

I have a vague recollection of grandma putting cornflour into her pastry sometimes. Will give that a go.

Kleftiwallah, think I've left it too late for this years mincemeat but I always add a touch of brandy and a grated apple to my shop bought jars.

[wighty]

I put a small ball of marzipan in the middle of my mincemeat for a different flavour.  Another thing I've done is cook 'no lid' ones and then later added some meringue and then blow torched it to cook the meringue.

[Spana]

I put a small ball of marzipan in the middle of my mincemeat

Yum, i fancy that. Going to try that in my next batch :happy:

[Mrs Bee]

I find self raising flour gives a soft pastry and I like my pastry crisp.My favourite pastry recipe is 250g plain flour
50g ground almonds
75g caster sugar
5 oz unsalted butter ( butter gives the best flavour and it is Christmas after all)
1 egg and 2 tablespoons cold water.   Makes about 2 dozen crisp mince pies. Brush tops with milk and sprinkle some caster sugar on the top before baking.
You can give it an almond flavour with a few drops of almond extract.

To ring the changes make a macaroon topping instead of having a pastry top, or make a frangipan topping with either almond or vanilla extract. or make a vienoise topping.

A friend makes some of hers with a cheese pastry.
9oz plain flour
6 oz butter
6oz grated cheese
1 tablespoon sugar
pinch of salt water to mix,

And make your own mincemeat, you won't believe the difference.

[sarajane]

Thanks for that folks.  I will need to make about 4 dozen so will do my orange pastry with added cornflour, add ground almonds and use plain flour for others and will also defo make some without lids for meringue.

Thanks for the inspiration folks   

[carlrmj]

 When  I owned my bakery we would make over 18,000 mince pies for a certain occasion

  Cheers Carl

[GrannieAnnie]

But at least you didn't eat them all yourself Carl!   

[Spana]

Which way do you all freeze your mince pies, raw, baked or some of both? And is the method you are using with shortcrust or flaky pastry.

[Willow_Warren]

I make these mince pies (with satsuma juice and zest in the pastry):

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1003/crumbled-top-mince-pies

I make the mincemeat too, it is "lighter" than the normal shop bought stuff and ever so easy to make!  (with a generous glug of rum!!)

p.s. they freezer well and can be baked from frozen - I reccomend serving them warm with ice cream well into January...

(I have 2 small 6 hole bun trays which are perfect for freezing in for just the 2 of us... just need to find a couple more to buy without breaking the bank - 12 holes once seem cheap and easy to come but to too large for this purpose...)

Hannah

[Mrs Bee]

I always use rich shortcrust and I bake some and freeze and I make and freeze some raw.

I use the silicone mincepie trays, nothing sticks and I don't lose any.

Good news for me but not for the hungry hounds (OH and son who are hoping for pre XM tasters).

Have told them I don't need anyone doing quality control on my cooking thank you very much.

[sarajane]

Have told them I don't need anyone doing quality control on my cooking thank you very much.

Wonderful Mrs Ball. 

Just done 24 using cornflour and orange zest, juice and an egg.  I have 'pimped' my shop bought mincemeat though by adding a grated apple, chopped walnuts and a good glug of whisky .  I would normally use brandy but can't find it so please don't anyone let on to OH I used his whisky.

Spana I use shortcrust pastry, with the addition of cornflour as per Grannies receipe.  I freeze them in the tin, remove into plastic tubs when frozen and just put back into the tins and cook when needed.  I'll make more tomorrow when the firt batch has frozen.

[GrannieAnnie]

Freeze?    You're having a laugh!  I'm lucky if I can get mine out of the oven and onto the worktop with Brian around!    

I do sometimes cut out the pastry cases and freeze them, then just take them out when needed, let them thaw in the tins, then fill and cook them.

They take up less room in the freezer, and Brian isn't tempted to eat raw frozen pastry cases!