If you make your own mince pies....

I've been following this thread and intending to contribute when I get a chance. A lady in our village, who is married to an Englishman, was given a jar of mincemeat to make pies. She didn't have any precedents (and pastry is not something the Germans do, except flaky pastry from a packet).

She improvised and did a sweet pastry, adding an egg, similar to what JudeAS has just posted. It makes for a pastry almost like a biscuit, which keeps its shape well.

Myself, I always make a standard shortcrust pastry, but I shall try the orange juice and zest which most people seem to use with success.

Sweet pastry - 7oz plain flour, 1/4 tsp salt, 4.5oz soft butter, 2oz caster sugar, 1 egg yolk and 1tbl cold water. Came in a recipe book over 30 years ago and for me and mine seems to work well.

I have been known to make rectangular mince pies. They were originally that shape because they represented the manger where Jesus was laid. Everyone is so intrigued by this they don't care what sort of pastry you have used.

....I meant to write a bit more than half fat to flour...not more fat than flour ??...shame no edit button.

I make an orange shortcrust with half butter and lard but more fat than flour in this one .

Oh and butter. Proper shortbread pastry. No puff.

Plain pastry on mince pies is horrible IMO. Mincemeat can be quite sharp so it needs a bit of sweetening.

I like to "spike" the pastry with either ground almond or citrus

Witzend I'm laughing at the thought of special mice pie! My cats might appreciate it; me, not so much.

A story told to me by my gran many years ago (I think I have shared it on this site before)...

In the village where she lived there was a lady who made the best mince pies - she always won the annual WI competition. She was often asked for her secret, but it was always closely guarded.
One year my gran called round shortly before Christmas. She was delighted when her friend said: "I'm just making mince pies in the kitchen - come on through".
She then sat there and watched in horror as her friend repeatedly stuck her finger in her mouth and ran it around the lid of each mince pie to stick them down!

Oh well here goes at lowering the tone! I use Aldi's ready made pastry and their mincemeat with brandy. I put a pastry star on the top and put a tray in the oven when ever I'm using it.

I've just made 24 mince pies and make mine with SR flour and block marg, as I didn't have any butter to hand. Next week I'll make another 24 with half quantities of butter and marg. Just yummy!

Bigred, I've got an ancient Katie Stewart book, but there's no special mice pie pastry in it. I've always liked KS recipes, so shall try google.

8 ozs. flour
5 ozs margarine
2 tablespoons sugar
2 dessert spoons water

Crumble margarine in the flour, add sugar to water, make a well in the flour and pour water-sugar mixture in and mix it into the flour and margarine until the dough is formed. Cool and later roll out to make pie crust for any kind of pies. For mince pies roll out, cut the pies out and press the dough into well-greased pie tins, put a teaspoonfull of mincemeat in and cover each pie with a lid of the pastry. Cut an air hole in the pie crust and bake in moderate oven) until pies are golden and pastry translucent

This is the recipe my mother used. She was given it by a Mrs McDonald who was a Gas Board Advisor, in the days when the Scottish Gas Board had ladies who came to your home to help with any problems you might have using a gas cooker, bought and fitted by the Gas Board.

This dates the recipe to around 1959 and the place as Barrhead, Renfrewshire.

By "a moderate oven" I have always assumed 180 degrees centigrade to be about right, and my mince pies turn out all right.

My mother always made them with sweet shortcrust, but MIL made hers with puff.
I eventually "gave in", and now make puff, as it's easier than always hearing how nice MIL's were.
I use Lidl's mincemeat and add a swig of brandy to it. DH has finally admitted after forty+ years, mine are delicious!
I'm thinking of trying some of the suggestions here.

I use shortbread instead of pastry. It’s fiddly and they’re rather fragile but they’re delicious. Fortunately I only need to make a dozen.

Good quality "bought" pastry, shortcrust or puff, which is made with butter. I can make the former but these days I can't be bothered. And I've never ever, made puff pastry - even Jamie says he buys it. Filo pastry (also bought!) is nice for little mincemeat "parcels ".

Alypoole- recipe please. They sound really, really scrummy.
Seasons Greetings.

I usually use shortcrust pastry with a shake of icing sugar to finish off from the oven. Thinking of trying using a crumble mixture for the topping this year. Anyone else tried this?

I've been making Katie Stewart's mince pie pastry for years - it's beautiful. I'm making a batch for the freezer today!

Many thanks for all your suggestions - food for thought!
Shall be making several batches before Christmas so will try some of your tips.
I've made Delia's mincemeat this year, after hearing how delish it is - it was very easy.
I made mincemeat a few years ago - forget where the recipe came from - but it was very disappointing. Delia's certainly looks (and smells!) miles better.

I use filo pastry, mincemeat and add pomegranate seeds, very nice, (am on a strict diet).

I make short crust and mix with a little orange juice. Then a put a blob of cream cheese on top of the mincemeat under the lid. Lovely

Whip up some cream, Aggie and it could be a winter Eton Mess!

I made 4 dozen yesterday , rolled the pastry too thin , I have managed to get one out of the baking tin ! the rest are stuck firmly . The one tasted delicious but fell too bits when I lifted it ............ do I make more of serve fragments ?

Shortcrust made with SR flour, 1/2 stork and 1/2 lard. I put a pastry star on top rather than a full lid. They certainly never stick around long!