When do you make your first mince pies?

I made 2 dozen yesterday morning.
5 left this morning.
I probably had 4 - the rest were inhaled by dh. 🐷

I don’t as M & S or Sainsbury’s do it better.

vampirequeen

Make them??? Noooooooo! We start to 'test' mince pies in November. Our choice atm is from Mr Sainsbury. We buy them a week or so before Christmas and store them on the invisible food shelf.

😂Same here.
They are def the best ones around, just the ordinary ones not the taste the difference ones.Warm for 10 secs in the micro then scoff with a mug of good coffee.

I don't.......M&S make them for me!

TBH I wouldn’t bother making them if I liked shop ones, but I don’t - too much thick pastry. I can just about force myself to eat one if they’re offered, though. 😉

vampirequeen

Make them??? Noooooooo! We start to 'test' mince pies in November. Our choice atm is from Mr Sainsbury. We buy them a week or so before Christmas and store them on the invisible food shelf.

I like it!
And yes, you're brave to say so on this thread
I buy them too now 😁

Make them??? Noooooooo! We start to 'test' mince pies in November. Our choice atm is from Mr Sainsbury. We buy them a week or so before Christmas and store them on the invisible food shelf.

I'll ask DD to make them 😁
Only if she likes mince pies!

Callistemon21

It was the worst thing I've ever made, merlotgran!

There’s a fortune to be made for the person who can invent a recipe for perfect gf pastry.

I’m still working on it. 🤣

I have always made them on Christmas Eve whilst listening to the carol service from Kings Cambridge. I never feel Christmasy before then. I used to also do it at that time as a child with my Mum and sister, all crammed round the kitchen table. Dad ate the first one, burning his tongue on the filling. My mother’s pastry was wonderful, but she always used a mixture of lard and margarine and her filling was home made. I am afraid I just add some booze and lemon and orange zest to a jar from the supermarket.

It was the worst thing I've ever made, merlotgran!

GF cake seems ok and crumble, it was just the pastry

Ditto!

Pastry is the hardest thing to get right. I tried a packet of Schar gf pastry mix to make some pasties for the freezer and they came out worse than any of my own efforts.

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Jackiest

I think you should start making them when you are 6 and then make them at least once a month to make sure you don't forget how to. I like mince pies.

😃
DH was horrified to hear on the news that an estimated 74 million edible mince pies are thrown away each year, not including my inedible GF ones.

He is planning to reduce the pile.

merlotgran

Callistemon21

Any tips for good, short, edible GF pastry, please?

When I tried it before, it was inedible and the bought stuff is oily and nasty.

I use half fat (block margarine rather than butter) to gf plain flour and add xantham gum according to the directions on the tub.
Rub in with a light touch. It’s important not to overwork it.
Add a beaten egg and a tbspn of water if needed to form the dough. If you think it’s too dry add a very small amount of oil rather than more water.
Turn onto a floured board or sheet of baking parchment and lightly knead to shape.
Roll out carefully. Using parchment makes it easier to transfer dough if lining something like a quiche tin as you can’t use a rolling pin to pick it up.
I always add a little longer to the baking time as well.

Thanks merlotgran, I did wonder if adding an egg would make it better too as well as xantham gum.

GF cake seems ok and crumble, it was just the pastry.

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I think you should start making them when you are 6 and then make them at least once a month to make sure you don't forget how to. I like mince pies.

Just a dozen made for the school this morning, in a tin and ready to go. While they were cooling on a wire rack I had to make sure dh knew they were not for scoffing here, or he’d have had at least 3!
Mine aren’t much more than a mouthful, though, to be fair.

Making this Saturday, for Sunday tea after Church.

This Sunday begins some Christmas foods, for our family.

Not just yet. And I'm seriously thinking of not bothering this year as it's all such an effort now.

I do think I will be making my mince pies next week, only for freezing in their individual tins. Then I can take two out and bake them in my small air fryer. The tins are lovely, called egg tart tins from amazon, 10 in a pack

My pastry always turns out well, half lard and half butter and I have bought the lovely meridian organic mincemeat. There is only me so I have to be careful to not stuff my face, freezing works best for me

I shall be breaking my own rule of not before 1st December and making some tomorrow morning, but that’s because we’re going to DD’s later and there’s been a request from Gdcs’ school for a fundraiser.
I’ve already made the pastry. 🙂

Forgot to say I add a tablespoon of sugar to the dry mix for sweet pastry

Callistemon21

Any tips for good, short, edible GF pastry, please?

When I tried it before, it was inedible and the bought stuff is oily and nasty.

I use half fat (block margarine rather than butter) to gf plain flour and add xantham gum according to the directions on the tub.
Rub in with a light touch. It’s important not to overwork it.
Add a beaten egg and a tbspn of water if needed to form the dough. If you think it’s too dry add a very small amount of oil rather than more water.
Turn onto a floured board or sheet of baking parchment and lightly knead to shape.
Roll out carefully. Using parchment makes it easier to transfer dough if lining something like a quiche tin as you can’t use a rolling pin to pick it up.
I always add a little longer to the baking time as well.

When do I make my first mince pies?

I don’t! But Mr M does and he’s already made at least three batches. One of our sons has been requesting dad’s mince pies since early November. As they often come to ours for Sunday lunch, he makes mince pies now, even though I always make a pudding.