Belazu Mince Pies
Our resident innovation chef Henry Russell has developed these must have Christmas mince pies using Beldi Preserved Lemons and Pomegranate Molasses!
The lemons have 3 Great Taste stars and are available as part of our Christmas hamper, they have an intense, fragrant flavour that is balanced by our Pomegranate Molasses which was also awarded 3 Great Taste stars this year and listed as a top 50 product for 2017 by the Guild of Fine Foods.
Ingredients
For the pastry
385g plain flour
Pinch of salt
225g unsalted butter
40g ground almonds
100g golden caster sugar
2 egg yolks
2 ½tbsp cold water
For the filling
85g currants
85g raisins
85g sultanas
85g dried cranberries
1 small cooking apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
60g butter, cut into cubes
40g brazil nuts
95g light muscovado sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp mixed spice
1 tbsp Pomegranate Molasses
2 Beldi Preserved Lemons, rind only, chopped
1 orange, finely grated rind and juice
25ml sherry
Instructions
- To make the pastry, sieve the flour into a mixing bowl with a pinch of salt. Add in the butter and rub together until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs, then stir in the ground almonds and sugar.
- Mix in the egg yolks and 2½ tbsp of ice-cold water. Add enough water to bring the mixture together into a firm, but not wet, dough. Shape into a ball, wrap in cling-film and place in the fridge to rest for half an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C / 175 fan / gas mark 4.
- For the filling, add all of the ingredients except the alcohol into a large pan. Heat so the butter melts and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
- While the mixture is cooling, grease the tins and roll out half of the pastry on a floured surface until about 3mm thick. Line the tartlet tins with the rolled pastry.
- Stir the sherry into the mixture and fill each pie ¾ full with mincemeat, then roll out the other half of the pastry and cut out circles to make the lids.
- Brush the edges of the cupped pastry with water or milk and press the lids lightly on to the pies to seal. Use a fork to crimp the edge and make a hole in the centre to allow the steam to escape. Bake for about 20 minutes until golden.
- Cool on a rack and dust with icing sugar.