Michelle Darmody: How to bake filo mince pies for the Christmas table

Using filo pastry is a quick trick. You can buy the filo pre-made and it makes nice parcels when layered up in a bun tin

Michelle Darmody: "It is best to ensure the filo dough is defrosted before working with it, otherwise it will be too brittle."

I adore mince pies, but they can be fiddly. I often make a shortcrust pastry-lined tray-bake filled with mince for ease. 

It can then be cut into squares. You can top it with either pastry stars or with a crumble topping. 

Using filo pastry is another quick trick. You can buy the filo pre-made and it makes nice parcels when layered up in a bun tin. 

You just need to fill these with mince to make cute little handheld pies. Brandy butter and mulled wine on the side are optional.

You may already have mince made or would like to make these pies with shop bought mince. In case you have the time and interest, I have included a recipe here where the ingredients are cooked briefly before jarring. 

This means that you do not have to make it as far in advance as mince made in the more traditional way. 

Cooking it softens the fruit and allows the flavours to blend without the months of resting and maturing. 

I have included this recipe before, as it is my failsafe recipe, but it is here again for those who may have missed it. The mince can be used well into January if you are not fed up with it. 

I mix it with chopped nuts and use it to stuff cooking apples before baking and also add a few spoons to a crumble.

It is best to ensure the filo dough is defrosted before working with it, otherwise it will be too brittle. You can defrost it in the fridge overnight if you wish.

Filo can dry out quite quickly. To keep it supple while defrosting or storing, place a damp tea towel over it. Exposing it for even a few minutes can cause the sheets to crack or tear.

You can stack filo sheets on top of each other on a clean chopping board and use a sharp knife to cut a stack of the sheets into the 4-inch squares all at once.

Keep all surfaces dry when working with the filo. If it gets wet, it will fall apart.

Brushing butter onto the layers of filo adds richness and it makes the sheets more pliable and easier to press into shape without tearing. I use three sheets for these pies but if the brand you have is particularly thin you could use a fourth square to add structure.

Buttering the tin prior to adding the filo squares will help with removing the mini tarts from the bun tin. It is also good to leave the tarts cool then to use the tip of a flat knife — I use a butter knife — to gently nudge them out.

These pies will last about three days in an airtight container. They are nicest soon after baking however, as the crisp filo will begin to absorb some of the moisture from the mince and can soften.

Filo Mince Pies

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

I adore mince pies, but they can be fiddly. I often make a shortcrust pastry lined tray-bake filled with mince for ease. It can then be cut into squares. You can top it with either pastry stars or with a crumble topping. Using filo pastry is another quick

Servings

12

Preparation Time

 12 mins

Cooking Time

 25 mins

Total Time

 37 mins

Course

 Dessert

Ingredients

• 2 large apples, peeled, cored and grated

• 500g sultanas

• 350g raisins

• 200g chopped peel

• 4 tsp mixed spice

• 2 tsp ground ginger

• 2 tsp ground cloves

• 2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

• 500g nuts, finely chopped

• 200mls dark rum

• zest 2 oranges, plus the juice 

• zest and juice 2 lemons

• 350g dark muscovado sugar

• 200g suet

• For the pies:

• 150g of filo pastry

• a knob of butter, melted

• icing sugar, for dusting

Method

1. Combine all the ingredients for the mince, except the muscovado sugar and the suet, in a large saucepan.

2. Place the saucepan over a low heat and cook for about 30 minutes or until the fruit has plumped up and most of the liquid has evaporated but it isn’t dry. You can stir it every now and then as it cooks.

3. Set the mince aside to cool to just above room temperature, then stir in the muscovado sugar.

4. Sterilise your jars in a hot oven after washing them.

5. Divide the mincemeat between the hot jars and set aside to cool.

6. To make the mince pies, preheat your oven to 180ºC/gas 4.

7. Butter the holes in a 12-hole muffin tin.

8. Cut the filo sheets into 4x4-inch squares. You will need 36 squares.

9. Butter each filo pastry square before placing into the muffin tin.

10. Place three sheets of filo into each hole, rotating each sheet so they are at three different angles.

11. Fill the well in each filo with mince.

12. Brush the edges of the pastry with the rest of the butter.

13. Bake for about 25 minutes until golden.

14. Allow to cool in the tin and lightly dust with icing sugar before serving.

Three delicious variations:

Lemon curd and raspberries

The pastry cups can be made ahead of time until you are ready to fill them. They can be stored in an airtight container in a single layer.

Bake the filo cups blind by placing a square of parchment into the well and add baking beans on top of the parchment. Bake for the same 25 minutes as long as the edges do not get too brown.

When they have cooled, half fill the filo pastry cups with lemon curd and top with stewed raspberries.

Warm frozen raspberries in sugar and allow them to simmer until thick, then bring them to room temperature or use fresh ones.

Leftover veg and goats cheese

These pastry cups can be used to make festive savoury snacks as well. Fill the unbaked pastry cup with some chopped roasted vegetables and top with a small disc of goats cheese.

When I am roasting a variety of vegetables tossed in olive oil and sea salt until soft I often do a little extra to have leftovers for snacks like these.

These snacks are best eaten warm.

Spinach tarts

Boil and drain 200g of young spinach leaves, allow them to cool then chop finely. Mix this with 2 beaten eggs, 50g of grated Parmesan, 1 teaspoon of grated nutmeg and 2 tablespoons of crème fraiche.

Scoop this mixture into the
unbaked filo wells in the muffin tin and bake until the filling has set and the edges of the filo are golden.

Allow to cool in the tin.