Belazu Mince Pies
Prep: 60 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Medium
Serves 12-14 people
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
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For the pastry
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385g plain flour
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Pinch of salt
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225g unsalted butter
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40g ground almonds
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100g golden caster sugar
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2 egg yolks
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2 ½tbsp cold water
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For the filling
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85g currants
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85g raisins
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85g sultanas
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85g dried cranberries
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1 small cooking apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
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60g butter, cut into cubes
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40g brazil nuts
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95g light muscovado sugar
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½ tsp cinnamon
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½ tsp mixed spice
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1 tbsp Pomegranate Molasses
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2 Beldi Preserved Lemons, rind only, chopped
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1 orange, finely grated rind and juice
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25ml sherry
Method
- Step 0: 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.
- Step 1: 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.
- Step 2: Preheat the oven to 190°C / 175 fan / gas mark 4.
- Step 3: 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.
- Step 4: 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.
- Step 5: 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.
- Step 6: 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.
- Step 7: Cool on a rack and dust with icing sugar.