James Martin's mince pies
It wouldn't be Christmas without mince pies and you just can't beat homemade, so why not start your prep while we’re all at home, by making mince pies that can be cooked from frozen.
Mince pies
Serves: 24
Ingredients
For the shortcrust pastry
400g plain flour
200g butter
Salt
2 eggs
Water if needed
For the filling
1 x 450g mincemeat
1 egg to egg wash
Icing sugar to dust
To serve
Clotted cream
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 160 °C/gas 3
2. Place the flour into a bowl and add the butter and salt. Rub the ingredients together between your fingers until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Add the eggs and mix with your fingers. Turn the mixture out and knead on a floured surface until smooth. Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
3. Grease 2x 12 part muffin tin and roll the pastry out onto a lightly floured surface
4. Using large circular cutters, make 24 circles of pastry for the base and lining of the pie, then press the circles down into the holes in the muffin tin. Then use a smaller cutter and make 24 smaller circles in the pastry for the topping.
5. Fill the pastry circles with mincemeat, then brush the edges with egg wash. Brush the topping circles with egg wash and place on top of the pies.
6. Bake for 30 minutes until golden and dust with icing sugar