Mincemeat Apricot Pie Food

APRICOT-MINCE PIE

Steps:

• In medium bowl, mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).
• Gather pastry into a ball. Divide in half and shape into 2 flattened rounds on lightly floured surface. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.
• Heat oven to 425°F. With floured rolling pin, roll one pastry round into round 2 inches larger than upside-down 10-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side.
• In 1 1/2-quart saucepan, mix apricots and sugar. Add just enough water to cover apricots. Heat to boiling over medium heat; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered about 20 minutes or until apricots are tender; drain.
• Place apricots in pastry-lined pie plate. Spread with mincemeat. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1/2 inch from rim of plate.
• Roll other round of pastry. Fold into fourths and cut slits so steam can escape. Unfold top pastry over filling; trim overhanging edge 1 inch from rim of plate. Fold and roll top edge under lower edge, pressing on rim to seal; flute as desired. Cover edge with 2- to 3-inch strip of foil to prevent excessive browning.
• Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until crust is brown, removing foil for last 15 minutes of baking. Serve warm.

APRICOT & HAZELNUT MINCE PIES

Steps:

• To make the pastry: put the flour and cinnamon into the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until it looks like very fine breadcrumbs. Sprinkle in the sugar and 3 tbsp cold water, and pulse until the mixture starts to clump together, about 30 secs. Tip the mixture onto a board and gently squeeze the pastry until it comes together into a ball - add water if it feels dry. Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill for 30 mins.
• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Roll the pastry on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of £1 coin. Using a 7cm cutter, cut out 10-12 discs and use to line a 12-hole bun tin with them. Use a 6cm cutter for the lids, or use a 6cm star cutter to make star shapes. Chill both.
• Make the mincemeat: put all the ingredients into a food processor and pulse on and off until evenly chopped. Spoon 1-2 tsp into each tart, dampen the edge of the pastry bottom with water and sit a smaller pastry disc or star on top. Using scissors, snip a hole in the lid, if you've made round tops. Bake for 12-15 mins until golden brown. Lift onto a wire rack to cool and dredge with icing sugar.

MINCEMEAT PIE

Steps:

• Place all of the ingredients except the crust into the bowl of a food processor and pulse 8 to 10 times. Place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for at least 3 days before using. Can be stored for up to 6 months.
• If you prefer a finer texture of mincemeat place the apples, dried fruit and suet into a meat grinder with a large die and grind. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the remaining ingredients. You may also finely chop the apples, dried fruit and suet by hand.
• Place the flour, cornmeal, 1 1/2 ounces sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Grate the cold butter on the large side of a box grater directly into the dry ingredients. Work together with your hands until the mixture is crumbly. Add the cider and water and stir with a spatula to combine. Knead the dough 5 to 6 times and spritz with additional water if the dough is dry. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Unwrap the dough and divide into 4 equal pieces. Place 2 pieces of the dough onto a piece of parchment paper and roll each out into a 1/8-inch thick round that is 6 to 8 inches in diameter. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the mincemeat into the center of each round, fold up the edges of the dough in order to form a crust all the way around. Brush the edges of the crust with egg wash and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Transfer the dough on the parchment to a half sheet pan. Place on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• If you prefer 1 large pie, roll out the dough on a piece of parchment into a 15 to 16-inch round, about 1/4 to 1/8-inch thick. Trim the edges with a pizza cutter. Carefully slide the rolled out dough, still on the parchment paper, onto an upside down half sheet pan. Spoon about 1 1/2 pounds of the mincemeat onto the center of the dough, leaving a 2 to 3-inch margin around the edge of the crust. Place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until the crust is golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 30 to 45 minutes before serving.

MINCEMEAT APRICOT PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Line a 9 1/2-inch deep dish pie plate with the pastry dough & flute the edges.
• In medium bowl, combnine all the ingredients & pour into lined pie plate.
• Bake in the lower 1/3 of the oven for 15 minutes, then move the pie up to the center of the oven & bake another 20 to 25 minutes until filling is bubbly.
• Cool & serve.

MINCEMEAT PIE

Steps:

• Combine first 7 ingredients. Refrigerate 8 hours.
• Heat oven to 425ºF. Remove mincemeat mixture from refrigerator; let stand at room temperature until ready to use.
• Place flour in large bowl. Cut in cream cheese and butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Shape dough into 2 balls; flatten each into disk. Wrap each tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour.
• Place 1 disk of dough between 2 lightly floured sheets of waxed paper; roll into 11-inch round. Discard top sheet of waxed paper; invert dough into 9-inch pie plate. Remove remaining sheet of waxed paper; press dough evenly onto bottom and up side of pie plate, being careful not to stretch the dough. Trim any dough hanging over edge of pie plate with sharp knife or kitchen shears; reserve trimmings for decorative use, if desired. (See tip.)
• Spoon mincemeat mixture into crust. Roll out remaining dough to 10-inch round; place over pie. Seal and flute edge. Cut several slits in top crust to permit steam to escape.
• Bake, on bottom oven rack, 40 to 45 min. or until pastry is golden brown. Cool completely on wire rack.