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This is the way I make my mince pies, and there is no changing me or them: they are small, to be popped straight into the mouth in one go; the pastry is plain, the better to contrast with the rich, fruited filling; and they have not full casings but little stars as lids, which makes them look beautiful and taste flutteringly light.
By all means use good shop-bought mincemeat if you want, but I’m hoping you might give my new Cranberry-Studded Mincemeat a go (see p.189): it tastes both rich and boozy and fresh and fruity at the same time; and it makes for a slightly different mince pie, but in a welcome rather than challenging way.
With mince pies, I must have butter of some sort: I’ll take brandy butter (my mother’s), rum butter or a brown-sugar bourbon butter (see p.190 for butter recipes). Mince pies are to be savoured – not just as one of the last truly seasonal foods in England, but also as a home-grown culinary triumph, provoking one delighted Frenchman to exclaim in a letter, as quoted proudly by Agnes Jekyll in her Kitchen Essays: “ce que j’adore dans la cuisine anglaise ce sont vos petits mince-pi”.
MAKE AHEAD TIP:
Make the mince pies up to 1 week ahead and leave to cool. Store in an airtight container layered up between sheets of greaseproof paper. Pop into a warm oven for 3–4 minutes before serving, dusted with icing sugar.
FREEZE AHEAD TIP:
Make and pack the pies as above and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight on a cooling rack and reheat as above.
Extract from the book Nigella Christmas by Nigella Lawson, rrp $69.95. Copyright Random House 2008
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Solite vegetable shortening is soft and can be stored at room temperature and is what the Australian bakers use - copha will do but needs to be refrigerated. Solite can be purchaed from Taylored Treats in Rowville, Vic, Australia for about $4 for a 500gm tub. www.taylored-treats.com.au, search google maps for directions but make sure you call ahead to ensure someone is available to serve you when you get there. mail order is available too.
Trex is the best
veg shortning is like margarine.
Bought the book at the weekend, an have now made over 150 of these little mince pies, they are fab, pleased lots of people in work with them too, very easy to make too.
Yes I watched the programme on monday and I just wanted to know how she makes the mincemeat with all of the berries and dry fruit, as it did look delicious.
here is the recipe http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/cranberrystuddedminc_90619.shtml
Hello, How do I get page 189 to see mincemeat recipe?
Thank you I had the same question! :) Going to look myself now too from the reply.
here is the recipe http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/cranberrystuddedminc_90619.shtml
Go onto the Google website and type in Cranberry-studded mincemeat. It should take you to the BBC food site. Good Luck
I am guessing vegetable shortening would be the health conscious replacement to lard/suet! So it would be a vegetable fat that shortens the pastry, ie makes it flakey
they look great but wat the hells vegetable shortening? is there anything i can use instead?
Crisco if you are in the States...
It says in the Receipe!!!!
Vegetable shortening you can buy in supermarket as COPHA in dairy cabinet next to butter.
copha available at every supermarket
I think copha is vegetable shortening