Dean Edwards cooks up a festive treat with his magnificent mince pies.
Serves 12
Ingredients
1 411g jar of good quality shop bought mincemeat
50ml amaretto
50g macadamia or hazelnuts chopped
50g marzipan chopped into small pieces
1 500g pack of shop bought short-crust pastry
50ml whole milk
Icing sugar for dusting
Method
1. Using a shop bought mincemeat, add the amaretto, marzipan and nuts and stir together. Leave for an hour to let the flavours develop.
2. Roll out the pastry until the thickness of a £1 coin then cut into 8cm rounds.
3. Lay these into two greased 6 hole tart or Yorkshire pudding tins then add some of the filling into each pastry case. Top each one with a pastry lid then tuck down and crimp with a fork. Using a sharp knife prick the top of the pies then brush with a little milk.
4. Cook the mince pies in a pre-heated oven set at 190 degrees or 170 for a fan oven for 30-35 minutes then leave to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the trays.
5. Dust with icing sugar and serve.
For a quick and easy alternative take a sheet of filo and brush with melted butter. Fold over to make a long rectangle then brush with more butter. Place a large spoonful of the mincemeat onto the bottom left hand side of the pastry and fold from corner to corner until the mixture is fully enclosed. Repeat until all the mixture is used up. Place on a greased baking tray and bake in a pre-heated oven set at 180 degrees celcius or 160 for a fan oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.