MINCE PIES

This recipe is from Rachel Allen's lovely book Bake, which always seems to have easy, no-nonsense recipes when I need them. I love mince pies and was staring at them in Tesco this morning but resisted in favour of making some with Juno. Kids and baking are a great match when Mammy's in great form. Not so much today, but we got there :) And the mince pies are delicious.

INGREDIENTS 

For the sweet shortcrust pastry:
200 g plain flour, sifted
1 tablespoon icing sugar
100 g chilled butter, cubed
1 medium egg, beaten
Filling:
250 g mincemeat (c. half a jar)
1 egg, beaten
Icing sugar for dusting

METHOD

* On a floured work surface, roll out the pastry to 3 mm thick.
* Cut 24 rounds with a 6 cm cutter,
* With a smaller cutter or heart/star cutter cut-out 24 lids. Re-roll the trimmings, if necessary.
* Line the holes of the cake tin with the larger pastry rounds. Fill each base with a teaspoon of mincemeat and top with one of the smaller rounds or hearts.
* Brush the tops of the mince pies with beaten egg.
* Bake in the oven for about 13 minutes until pale golden brown.
* Cool for 5 minutes before removing from the tin and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
* Dust with icing sugar to serve.

XMAS CAKEY TIME

I love this time of year: the leaves; the winter coats, hats and gloves; the making of the Christmas cake. I'll be posting a recipe for an organic vegan Christmas cake very soon. I adapted it from a Rose Elliott fruit cake. I've made it the last two years and it is fruity, rich, and brandy-soaked for extra flavour and a soft texture.

I make my cake early because we start to eat it from early December. Christmas Day itself is so packed with food that we like to start early with a nice fruity cake and maybe some mince pies. My mouth is watering even thinking about them...

Stay tuned!