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Freeze Ahead Mince Pies

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Freeze your mince pies uncooked and be ready to have freshly cooked pies on hand at a moment's notice ...

Ingredients

Scale
  • 450g (1lb) plain flour
  • pinch of salt
  • 275g (10oz) butter
  • 150g (5oz) caster sugar
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 3 x 410g (1lb approx) jars of mincemeat
  • a little milk for glazing
  • a little icing sugar for dusting

You will also need -

2 fluted pastry cutters - I use a 6cm (2½ inch) diameter and an 8cm (3 inch) diameter
silicone pie trays (the quantity depends on how many you want to make in one batch) plus a solid baking tray for each one

 

Instructions

  1. Mix together the flour and the salt.
  2. Cut the butter into small cubes and rub into the flour mixture.
  3. Stir in the caster sugar.
  4. Add the egg to the mixture and stir with a knife. When the pastry starts to come together a little, abandon the knife and use your hands. Knead lightly and quickly until the pastry is smooth and well mixed.
  5. Wrap the pastry in a plastic bag or a piece of foil and rest in the fridge for at least an hour or until ready to use. You can also freeze some or all of the pastry at this stage if you want to make less mince pies.
  6. When you are ready to make the mince pies, take the pastry out of the fridge. If it has been in the fridge for a while, it may be easiest to cut it into smaller pieces to use and manipulate it a little to soften it.
  7. Lightly flour the worktop and roll out the pastry fairly thinly. Use the larger pastry cutter to make the bases for the pies and carefully press one into each opening in the silicone tray.
  8. Place a large heaped teaspoon of mincemeat in each opening - you want to be generous here.
  9. Now roll out more pastry and use the smaller pastry cutter to make the 'lids' for the pies. Use a sharp knife to cut a couple of slits in each lid.
  10. Put a little water in a small cup and, using your finger, moisten the edges of the pastry bases one at a time. Place a top on each one and press gently to be sure that there is a good seal. Repeat until you have run out of pastry. At this stage the mince pies are ready to freeze.
  11. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C/400°F, (gas mark 6).
  12. Brush the pies with a little milk using a pastry brush and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Leave the pies to cool in the tray before dusting with icing sugar and storing in an airtight container.

Keywords: festive, make ahead, freezer

Find it online: https://marmaladeandme.com/mince-pies/