Cranberry Mince Pie Food

CRANBERRY MINCE PIES

Steps:

• Whizz together the flour, icing sugar and butter until they form fine crumbs. With the blades running, add the zest, then the egg and process for a few secs until the mixture forms clumps. If you need to, work in a few trickles of ice cold water, but try and avoid it if you can for the shortest pastry.
• Tip onto a very lightly floured surface, knead briefly until smooth, then chill in the fridge for 30 mins or until firm. Can be made up to 3 days ahead or frozen for up to a month.
• Lightly dust the work surface with flour, then roll pastry out to approx £1 thickness. Cut out 12 x 8cm rounds with a fluted cutter and press into a 12-hole non-stick bun tin. Re-roll the trimmings to the same thickness and stamp out 12 x 5cm rounds for the tops. If you like, use a star cutter to cut out star shapes in the top of the pies, or simply cut crosses in the middle.
• Spoon about 1 dessertspoon mincemeat into each base, sprinkle with cranberries, then press on the tops. Chill for 20 mins while you heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Can be frozen for up to 1 month at this point.
• Brush the tops with the egg, then bake for 15-20 mins until golden and crisp. Cool for a few mins, then lever out of the tins with a table knife and cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Warm gently to serve, dusted with sifted icing sugar.

MINCEMEAT, CRANBERRY & ALMOND PIE

Steps:

• Cut the pastry in two. Wrap one half and set aside. On a surface lightly dusted with flour, roll out the other half to a square large enough to line a 22cm loose-bottomed fluted tart tin (we used a square tin, but a round one would also work). Press the pastry into the tin, leaving any excess hanging over the edge.
• Scatter the marzipan over the pie base. Add the mincemeat and top with the cranberries.
• Roll out the remaining pastry to a square (or circle) the thickness of a £1 coin. Use a pizza cutter to slice the pastry into 1.5cm-wide strips. Weave the pastry strips over the pie to create a lattice, pressing down at the edges to seal with the pastry base. Trim off any excess pastry. Chill for 20 mins and heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• Bake for 45 mins until golden. Cool for 15 mins in the tin, then transfer to a plate or board and dust with the icing sugar.

CRANBERRY-MINCEMEAT PIE

Steps:

• Roll out 1/2 the pie crust and ease it into a 9-inch pie pan. Refrigerate.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a bowl, combine the mincemeat, cranberry sauce and apple. Spread into the pie crust. Roll out the remaining dough and use it to cover the pie, sealing the edges with your fingers, and use a knife to cut a number of small vents in the top; alternatively, cut strips of dough and make a lattice top for the pie.
• Bake the pie for 10 minutes at 450 degrees. Lower the oven temperature to 350 and continue to bake for an additional 35 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned and the filling is bubbly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

CRANBERRY MINCEMEAT TARTS

Steps:

• In saucepan, combine mincemeat and cranberry sauce, stir constantly till almost boiling on medium heat.
• Remove from heat.
• Grate orange peel and chop orange segments.
• Add orange peel, (I only used the zest and took the peel off the orange) chopped orange and liqueur.
• Spoon into tart shell and place on baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated 400*F oven for about 20 minutes or until pastry is golden.

CRANBERRY JEWELLED MINCEMEAT

Steps:

• Tip the dried fruits and mixed peel into a large bowl. Pour over the brandy, zests and juices. Stir, then cover and leave to soak for 24 hrs.
• Tip the mixture into a large saucepan with the remaining ingredients and stir well. Set over a medium heat and, once the suet has melted, turn up the heat and bubble for a few mins. Pack while hot into sterilised jars (see tip, below). Leave in a cool, dark cupboard for at least a fortnight, or for up to 6 months.

CRANBERRY MINCEMEAT TARTS OR PIE #2

Steps:

• In saucepan, combine mincemeat and cranberry sauce, stir constantly till almost boiling on medium heat.
• Remove from heat.
• Grate orange zest, peel orange and chop segments.
• Add orange zest, chopped orange and liqueur.
• Spoon into tart shells and place on baking sheet.
• Fill pie shell and use top crust or make fancy cut-outs with pastry.
• Bake in preheated 400°F oven for about 20 minutes or until pastry is golden.
• For pie bake for about 35 minutes.
• I can only fit 1 pie and 1 sheet of tarts at a time in my oven so cooking time includes the 2nd pan of tarts while pie is still cooking.

CRANBERRY MINCEMEAT PIE

Steps:

• Place rack in lower half of oven & preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, stir together the mincemeat & cranberries, then set aside.
• Line a 9-inch pie plate with one pastry crust, then add the filling.
• Cover with a top crust, then seal & flute the edges before cutting several vent slits near the center.
• Whisk the egg yolk & water together, then brush the surface of the pie with the egg wash.
• Bake for 30 minutes, then cool to room temperature on a wire rack.
• Cover & refrigerate.

ORANGE, CRANBERRY & ALMOND MINCE PIES

Steps:

• Whizz the butter, flour and ground almonds in a food processor until the butter has disappeared. Pulse in the sugar and half the orange zest. Add the milk and keep whizzing until a rough dough comes together. Tip onto the work surface, press together and shape into a smooth disc, kneading once or twice if you need to. Chill for 15 mins. Can be made up to 3 days ahead and chilled, or frozen for up to 1 month.
• Scatter a little flour onto the work surface. Roll out the dough to about the thickness of a £1 coin. Using an 8cm cutter, stamp out 24 circles and use to line the holes of 2 x 12-hole bun tins.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix cranberries and mincemeat, then spoon into cases. Scatter each pie with flaked almonds. Can be frozen for up to 1 month. Bake the pies for 18-20 mins until the pastry and almonds are golden. When ready to serve, dust with the tiniest bit of icing sugar. Stir 2 tsp icing sugar and remaining zest into the crème fraîche, then dollop onto each pie to serve.

CRANBERRY MINCE PIE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch; stir in water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add cranberries; cook over medium heat until berries pop, about 15 minutes. Combine apples and mincemeat; spread over the bottom of pastry shell. Top with cranberry mixture., For topping, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and cloves in a small bowl; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over filling. Bake at 400° for 25-30 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack. Store in the refrigerator.

HOME-MADE CHRISTMAS MINCEMEAT WITH CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• All you do is combine the above ingredients, except for the brandy, in a large ovenproof mixing bowl, stirring 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 ¼, 225°F (120°C). Then cover the bowl loosely with foil and place in the oven for 3 hours. Then remove the bowl from the oven. Don't worry about the appearance of the mincemeat - it will look as if it is positively swimming in fat, but this is how it should look As it cools, stir it from time to time: the fat will coagulate. When the mincemeat is quite cold, stir in the brandy. Pack in the jars, which have been washed, dried and heated in a moderate oven for 5 minutes to sterilise, cover with waxed discs and seal. It will keep indefinitely in a cool, dry cupboard, but I think it is best eaten within a year of making.