Cherry and Almond Mince Pies
Update: This blog post was named a “Foodbuzz Top 9″ for Tuesday, December 15th. Thank you, FoodBuzz!
Christmas isn’t Christmas without the buttery pastry and spicy dried fruit filling of a mince pie.
Mince pies are one of the best desserts at Christmas time, they are great warmed with cream and ice cream, wonderful with a cup of coffee and amazing for breakfast!
Growing up in my family they were plenty of festive tiffins, tablets and meringues to snack upon which everyone loved, but my favourite was always the mince pie. I loved the spicy flavours and the dried fruit, and the smell! To some people it’s the smell of pine, to others mulled wine, but to me its freshly baked mince pies, that smell like Christmas.
Cherry and Almond Mince Pies
~ should make around 20 (with leftover mince meat).
1 batch of Cherry and Almond Mincemeat
1 package of pre-made shortcrust pastry
100 ml of milk, for brushing the top of the pastry with.
Cinnamon sugar, optional
Pre heat the oven to 180 oC and grease a fairy cake tin.
Roll out the pastry till it is about 1cm thick. Using a cookie cutter cut out circles, which will form the base of your mince pie, and stars that will form the top.
Gently press the circles into the tin, filling each with around 2-3 heaped teaspoons into each pie. Top each pie with a pastry star.
After you have completed all the pies, use a pastry brush to lightly cover each star with a little milk. If you have it sprinkle each pie with cinnamon sugar before baking.
Leave the pies in the oven for around 15 minutes, until they have turned golden, leave them to cool on a rack for at least 5 minutes.
Writing this post on a full stomach is one of the hardest things I have had to do, I just absolutely could not eat another mince pie. Still thinking of the smells and the textures is making my mouth water.
Maybe in half an hour I’ll be able to eat one more…
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December 13th, 2009 at 10:16 pm
[...] Note: If you are looking for a Mincemeat pie then you might be more interested in this Cherry and Almond Mincemeat Pies recipe. [...]
December 14th, 2009 at 5:45 am
So simple and delicious! I totally agree that they go great with ice cream! : )
December 14th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
I think it’s time for me to try mincemeat again. I haven’t tried it since i was little and I hated it, but reading all of the filling ingredients over again for your pie, it sounds delightful. So maybe it’s just one of those non-kid-friendly things?
December 14th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
Alta I think you might just be right! I don’t think Mince Pies are particularly child friendly especially if they taste too much of alcohol!
January 15th, 2010 at 3:22 am
You make those look so good. Would it be ok if I make them before next Christmas?!
January 15th, 2010 at 9:18 am
Zibi, hi to be honest this mincemeat didn’t last long in my household, so I am not quite sure how long it would keep for. However I don’t see any reason for it not to last as long as other mincemeat recipes, although I might use the more traditional brandy rather than Jack Daniels if I was going to keep it that long!