minced pie

does anyone know where can i get decent minced pies? please don't say M&S or other high end supermarkets because i will be needing quite a lot and theirs are quite expensive. thanks a lot.

how to make mince for mince pies? i'd love to learn...

I always make my own mincemeat and the Delia Smith recipe below is foolproof and makes the best by far - it also keeps for years (as the mix is cooked and stored in sterlized jars - i'd be wary of storing the one listed above as there is no fat to help preserve it). I have brought all of the ingredients in HK.


Also, if you are making your own pastry try adding grated orange zest to the mixture at the crumb stage - it goes very well with mincemeat (homemade or shop brought).


Home-made Christmas Mincemeat


Home-made mincemeat is dead simple to make. But in the past people used to have trouble storing it. This was because the high percentage of apples oozed too much juice and the juice started to ferment. In the following recipe the mincemeat is placed in a barely warm oven and so the suet gradually melts and as this happens it coats all the fruits, including the apples, sealing in the juices. Vegetarians can make this mincemeat happily, using vegetarian suet.


Makes 6 lb (2.75 kg)

Ingredients


1 lb (450 g) Bramley apples, cored and chopped small (no need to peel them)

8 oz (225 g) shredded suet

12 oz (350 g) raisins

8 oz (225 g) sultanas

8 oz (225 g) currants

8 oz (225 g) whole mixed candied peel, finely chopped

12 oz (350 g) soft dark brown sugar

grated zest and juice 2 oranges

grated zest and juice 2 lemons

2 oz (50 g) whole almonds, cut into slivers

4 level teaspoons mixed ground spice

1⁄2 level teaspoon ground cinnamon

1⁄4 level teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

6 tablespoons brandy


You will also need 6 x 1lb (350ml) preserving jars and 6 waxed discs.


All you do is combine all the ingredients, except for the brandy, in a large mixing bowl, stirring them and mixing them together very thoroughly indeed. Then cover the bowl with a clean cloth and leave the mixture in a cool place overnight or for 12 hours, so the flavours have a chance to mingle and develop. After that pre-heat the oven to gas mark 1⁄4, 225°F (120°C). Cover the bowl loosely with foil and place it in the oven for 3 hours, then remove the bowl from the oven. Don't worry about the appearance of the mincemeat, which will look positively swimming in fat. This is how it should look. As it cools, stir it from time to time; the fat will coagulate and, instead of it being in tiny shreds, it will encase all the other ingredients. When the mincemeat is quite cold, stir well again, adding the brandy. Pack in jars that have been sterilised (see below). When filled, cover with waxed discs and seal. The mincemeat will keep for ages in a cool, dark cupboard - I have kept it for up to 3 years.


NOTE: To sterilise jars, wash the jars and lids in warm soapy water, rinse well, then dry thoroughly with a clean tea cloth, place them on a baking tray and pop into a medium oven, gas mark 4, 350F, 180C, for 5 minutes.


This recipe is taken from Delia Smith’s Christmas and has also appeared in Sainsbury's Magazine.

ParknShop have it as do Great and I think I have seen it in Welcome(the brand is called Atora i think) - it's a type of hard fat - it comes in little shreds or strands in the packet.


It should be in the "cookery" section with the baking goods or at this time of year it's normally with the jars of mincemeat and christmassy stuff.

Saikunga, could you post your pastry recipe and also let me know which is good brand of mince?


thanks