I’ve had a wonderfully busy few days filled with baking, visits and catching up with friends and family. It was delightful, but by the end I was paying the price with a sore back. Despite that, the season felt fully underway once I began making mince pies — for me, that mincemeat jar is the true sign that Christmas has arrived.
Friday was baking day. I spent the entire day in the kitchen preparing gifts and treats to give to friends and relatives. On Saturday I met friends for lunch and enjoyed a relaxed catch-up, then visited my parents and later my grandparents to drop off presents. Between the piled-up gifts in the car and the number of stops I made, I half felt like Santa!
In the evening I met some former colleagues for a meal and we had a great time over a Chinese buffet. It was a lovely social evening, though I have to admit I’ve been spoiled by my boyfriend’s cooking — no restaurant seems to match it. I also treated myself to a haircut from the one person I trust; I only had a few inches cut off to keep my hair long enough to tie back when needed, and I had my side fringe styled again. It feels great to have that back.
Back in the kitchen, the mince pies I made are simple and much better than shop-bought versions. The pastry turns out biscuity and flaky, and there are no soggy bottoms. Below is the recipe I used, adapted from a familiar source, with easy step-by-step instructions so you can make a dozen of these classic treats at home.
Makes: 12
Recipe adapted from BBC Good Food
Ingredients
- 225 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 350 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 100 g caster sugar
- About 12 tbsp mincemeat (use less if you prefer smaller fillings)
- 1 egg, beaten, for glazing
- Icing sugar to dust (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and lightly grease a shallow 12-hole bun tin.
Combine the cubed cold butter, plain flour and caster sugar in a large bowl. You can use a stand mixer if you prefer, but I like to make the pastry by hand. Rub the butter into the flour and sugar with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and a soft dough begins to form.
Lightly flour your work surface and gently bring the dough together — you do not need to knead it, just press it into a smooth ball. Roll the dough out to roughly 1/4 inch (about 6 mm) thickness.
For neat, uniform pies I use cutters: a 7.5 cm cutter for the bases and a 6.5 cm cutter for the lids. Cut out 12 rounds for the bases and carefully press them into the prepared bun tin. Fill each pastry base with mincemeat to your preferred level — I like mine well filled but avoid overstuffing so the lids sit nicely.
Re-roll the remaining pastry and cut 12 slightly smaller rounds for the lids. Place each lid on top of the filled bases and gently press the edges to seal; there is no need to egg wash the edges. Make a small hole in the center of each lid to allow steam to escape while baking, then brush the tops lightly with the beaten egg for a glossy finish.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until the tops are golden and the pastry feels slightly firm. Remove from the oven and allow the pies to cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cooled, dust with icing sugar if you like. These mince pies are best eaten the same day for the crispiest pastry, but they will keep in an airtight container for 4–5 days, though the pastry may soften slightly over time.
Enjoy making and sharing these classic homemade mince pies. They’re a comforting holiday bake — simple to prepare and always appreciated by friends and family.