Festive Mince Pies

Finzean Festive Mince Pies

For those looking to craft the perfect mince pies this holiday season, our Festive Mince Pie recipe offers a delightful blend of tradition and taste. Featuring rich, spiced mincemeat made with plump fruits, a touch of brandy, and warming spices, paired with a buttery, flaky pastry, it’s an ideal addition to any festive table.

If time is short, our farm shop provides the same high-quality ingredients with none of the preparation. We offer our own homemade mincemeat as well as freshly baked mince pies, ensuring you can enjoy these seasonal treats with ease.

Visit us to discover everything you need for your festive baking or let us take care of the hard work for you. This Christmas, let’s make it truly memorable with the finest homemade flavours.

RECIPE

Festive Mince Pies

PRINT RECIPE

Makes approx. 12 pies

INGREDIENTS

For the mincemeat

• 500g raisins

• 250g sultanas

• 250g currants

• 124g glacé cherries (soaked in water for a few minutes & quartered)

• 285ml brandy

• 2 apples, chopped into small pieces

• 1/2 tsp mixed spice

• ½ tsp ground nutmeg

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• 200g dark muscovado sugar

• 100 ml hot water (use the water the apples were boiled in)

• 60g butter

• 125g mixed peel

• 1 oranges (rind & juice)

• 1/2 lemon – (rind & juice)

For the pastry

• 50g cold unsalted butter (diced)

• 100g plain flour

• 1 egg yolk

• 25g icing sugar

• cold water 

METHOD

For the mincemeat

1. Mix the raisins, sultanas, currants, glacé cherries, mixed peel and brandy in a large bowl. Seal and leave for 24hrs or more to allow the brandy to be absorbed into the fruit.

2. Blanch the chopped apple in boiling water (400ml) for 2 minutes, then drain but RESERVING the water!

3. Add the apple to the soaked fruit and add the mixed spice, nutmeg, cinnamon & chopped hazelnuts and stir well.

4. Put the muscovado sugar, reserved hot water and butter into a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has melted. Add to the fruit mixture and stir well.

For the pastry

1. Add flour, icing sugar and diced butter to a food processor. Pulse until just mixed and the mixture has the texture of fine breadcrumbs.

2. Add one egg yolk and pulse until incorporated.

3. With the processor running, gradually add very cold water, one teaspoon at a time, until a dough has formed into a ball.

4. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 min

Assembly

1. Preheat the oven to 200C.

2. Lightly butter a 12-hole tin.

3. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface. Cut out 12 discs using a fluted pastry cutter large enough to fill the base of the prepared tin.

4. Press the pastry discs into each hole, then fill with the mincemeat

5. Use a smaller pastry cutter to cut discs to fit the top of the pies and use a festive biscuit cutter to cut out 12 pastry shapes. Cover each pie with a disc and top each with a festive shape.

6. Bake the pies for approx. 20 minutes until golden brown. Carefully remove the pies from the tin and let cool on a wire rack.