Pretty and much easier to make than mince pies with solid tops that are so fiddly to stick down.
PREP TIME 1 to 2 hoursMAKES 25 to 35
For the pastry
240g plain flour
60g vegetable shortening
60g cold butter, diced
juice of 1 orange
a pinch of salt
approx. 350g mincemeat
icing sugar, for dusting
You will need:
a miniature tartlet pan, each indent 4 to 5cm
a 5 to 6cm round fluted cutter
a 4 to 5cm star cutter
Preparation method
Measure the flour into a bowl and, with a teaspoon, dollop little mounds of vegetable shortening into the bowl, add the butter, shake to cover it, then put in the freezer for 20 minutes. This will make the pastry flaky. Mix together the orange juice and salt in a separate bowl, cover and leave in the fridge to chill.
After the 20 minutes, combine the flour and fat together until like bread crumbs. Add the salted juice and mix until dough starts to come together. If all your juice is used up and you need more liquid, add some iced water.
Turn the mixture out of the bowl onto the work surface and combine into a dough.
Wrap in clingfilm and put in the fridge to rest for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 7/425ºF.
Roll out the dough thinly. Cut out circles a little wider than the indentations in the mince pie tin. Press the circles gently into the moulds and dollop in a teaspoon of mincemeat.
Then cut out stars with a small star cutter from the dough and place lightly on top of the mincemeat.
Put in the oven and bake for 10–15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and prise out the pies straight away to cool. Dust with icing sugar to serve.
