Phil Vickery's mince pies with streusel topping
It’s just six weeks until the big day and Christmas just wouldn’t be complete without a mince pie. In fact, last year a record 220 million were sold in the UK during the festive season and Which? has just announced that Asda serves the nation’s favourite supermarket mince pies.
But if you fancy homemade rather than shop bought, Phil Vickery is serving up his mince pies. Plus he’ll have a twist on the classic with his festive mince pie muffins!
Mince pies with streusel topping
Serves: makes 12 pies
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 15-20 minutes
Ingredients
For the streusel topping:
70g plain flour
70g salted butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
120g finely chopped pecans
75g dark brown sugar
500g ready rolled short pastry (preferably sweet short pastry) *See below if you want to make your own rich shortbread pastry or gluten free pastry*
350g luxury mince meat
zest of 1 large orange and 1 lemon
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp ground almonds
2 tsp rosewater
1 tbsp brandy
Preheat the oven to 200°C gas 6.
Method
Make up the topping by rubbing the butter into the flour until you have fine breadcrumbs then add the cinnamon, allspice, chopped pecans and brown sugar
Mix the mincemeat with the zests, cinnamon, almonds, rosewater and brandy
Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to a thickness of about 5mm and use a cutter to cut out pastry discs which will line the bases of the patty tins
Carefully line the moulds with the pastry, then spoon in enough mincemeat to fill - make sure you do not fill more than three-quarters full
Spoon over the topping evenly, then bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and crisp
Tips
Can be made well in advance and frozen, they will be perfect.
Never use puff pastry, always short pastry and preferably sweet short short pastry, the end product works much better.
Gluten-free shortcrust pastry
This pastry is much easier to roll out, and acts almost like the real thing. You may get a little cracking, but hardly any. You can line flans and tarts now using the normal way of rolling out pastry.
Ingredients
225g gluten Free Flour Mix A (see below)
pinch of gluten Free baking powder
1/Ž2 tsp xanthum gum
2 pinches salt
110g block Stork margarine
1 medium egg, beaten
Cold water
Gluten free flour mix A
Makes 1 kg
350g fine white rice flour
100g potato flour
50g tapioca starch or flour
Method
Place the flour, salt and margarine into a bowl and really mix well
Rub in well until you have fine breadcrumbs. I tend to take the lazy route and use a food processor.
Add the egg and a little water and really mix well
Keep an eye on the texture, you may need to add a little more water so its nice and soft
Bear in mind the gum will tighten up the mixture considerably
Roll out and use
For the gluten free flour mix:
Mix all the flours together very thoroughly or put into a food processor and pulse until mixed, if yours has a large enough capacity. Store in an airtight container.
Rich shortbread pastry
Ingredients
175g cold unsalted butter
350g plain flour
pinch of salt
1 tbsp castor sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
½ egg shell of cold water, approx
Method
Place the cold butter, flour, salt and sugar together in a food processor. Mix until you have a fine breadcrumb texture, do not over work
Add the egg and water and mix well, using the pulse button. Do not overwork or the pastry will shrink when cooked.
Turn out of the processor and knead very gently to bring together.
Flatten slightly (makes it easier to roll when chilled) wrap in cling film, then chill for about 20 minutes before rolling.
Mince pie muffins with orange sherbet
Serves: 12 muffins
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes
Ingredients
250g self-raising flour
100g soft brown sugar
50g cocoa powder
1 level tbsp baking powder
1 level tsp mixed spice
1 egg
1 egg yolk
150ml milk
5 tbsp vegetable oil
1tsp vanilla extract
200g mincemeat
For the sherbet dusting (optional)
Finely grated peel from 2 oranges
Few drops pure orange oil
4 tbsp icing sugar
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp citric acid
Preheat the oven to 190 °C, or gas 5.
Method
Place the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and mixed spice into a bowl and mix well
In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla
Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined, without beating
Place muffin cases in the tin or push and fold the greaseproof paper squares into the tin
Spoon half the mixture into the cases, then add a spoon of mincemeat, add more mixture
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, remove and cool
*Everything you use for this recipe must be absolutely dry, or the sherbet will not work.
Spread the lemon peel onto a sheet of baking parchment and dry it in a very low oven, (50°C) for about 20 minutes, then allow to cool completely
Crumble the orange peel between your fingers, and add a couple of drops of orange oil
Sift the icing sugar and the remaining ingredients into the orange zest
Mix well, grinding the contents to a fine powder with the back of a spoon
Sprinkle the sherbert over the cooled muffins and serve