1 small cup white sugar
1 egg
A
pinch of salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup white flour
Fruit mince
Milk for brushing
Method
Shortcrust Pastry
Soften butter and then cream the butter and sugar.
Add the egg and mix well. Sift the dry ingredients and add. Mix well.
Add more flour until the pastry has the right consistency for pressing out, without being sticky.
TIP: This pastry is also good for recipes like apple shortcake, and plain biscuits which can be decorated for children’s special occasions.
Putting the pies together
Grease or spray a muffin tray.
Press out the shortcrust pastry, a little at a time, and cut the base for each mince pie with the top of a small cup or a round cookie cutter.
Add more flour if the mixture becomes too sticky to work with.
Lift each base with a knife and press into the muffin tray.
Place a generous spoonful of Christmas mincemeat into each. (I use Tasti fruit mince but you might like to make your own.)
Brush the inside of each pie with a little milk.
Press out pastry for the lids, making slightly smaller circles than for the bases of the pies.
Place the pastry lids on top and seal well.
Brush the tops of the pies with milk and make three pricks with a fork on each.
Bake at 180C for approximately 15 minutes or until a light golden colour.
To get the mince pies out of the pans more easily, carefully run a knife around the edge of each pie when they are just out of the oven.
Leave them in the tray for five to ten minutes until they are firmer, then remove them from the muffin tray using a knife.
Sprinkle with icing sugar before serving.
