Mince Pies & Tart | Christmas Recipes

I absolutely love to bake... and I always have! There is something quite therapeutic about creating something yummy from scratch yourself. Today's post is all about mincemeat - in tart and pie form!

Instead of just doing a post on how yummy they are - and how much fun I have making them - I thought I would share the recipe with you too, so you can have a go at home too!

Mince Tart

Tools

• Rolling pin

• Christmas shaped cookie cutters (I like using stars; but you can use any shape you like!)

• Fluted tart tin

• Fork

• Baking parchment

• Baking beads

Ingredients

• 250g plain flour

• 125g chilled butter

• 60g caster sugar

• 1 egg

• 2 jars of mincemeat (I use Tesco's own brand - it's just as good as any other; and is cheaper!)

Recipe

Preheat the oven to 220ºC/gas mark 7/425ºF.

1. Rub the flour and butter together with your finger tips until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.

2. Stir in caster sugar.

3. Bind the mixture together using the egg and 1 tbsp of water until you can create a pastry ball.

4. Roll out your pastry and line the fluted tart tin.

5. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

6. Prick the pastry with a fork to prevent air bubbles.

7. Line the base and sides with baking parchment and weigh it down with baking beads (or rice if you don't have baking beads at home!)

8. Bake for 10 minutes.

9. Remove from the oven, take off the baking parchment and baking beads and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes, or until the pastry is a golden brown.

10. Trim the pastry edges, and fill the base with mincemeat.

11. Top the tart with Christmas pastry shapes.

12. Bake for a further 15-20 minutes until all the pastry is golden brown.

Mince Pies

Tools

• Large circular cookie cutter

• Medium circular cookie cutter

• Star shaped cookie cutter

• Muffin tray

Ingredients

• 375g plain flour

• 260g softened butter

• 125g caster sugar

• 2 eggs

Recipe

Preheat the oven to 220ºC/gas mark 7/425ºF.

1. Rub the flour and butter together with your finger tips until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.

2. Stir in caster sugar.

3. Bind the mixture together using one egg and 1 tbsp of water until you can create a pastry ball.

4. Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill int the fridge for 10 mins.

5. Remove the pastry from the fridge, and roll it out to approx. 3mm thick.

6. Using the large circular cutter, cut out the bases and place them into muffin tray.

7. Put 1 1⁄2 tbsp of mincemeat into each.

8. Beat the second egg. Brush the edge of each base with a little beaten egg.

9. Re-roll out the pastry and using the medium circular cutter, cut out the lids; and press them on top to seal.

10. If you so desire, add a little pastry star to the top.

11. Glaze the mince pies with the rest of the egg, and sprinkle a little caster sugar on top.

12. Bake for 15-20 mins until golden brown.

Let me know how you get on... and show me all your awesome pictures of your mincemeat creations and people enjoying them! Tweet me at @mebecomingmum and tag me on Instagram at @mebecomingmum!

For more posts about Christmas, visit the Christmas category page. If you have any questions about my mincemeat recipes which I have not covered in this post, feel free to ask in the comments section below.