Join Darina Allen in her home kitchen as she shows us how to make her famous Ballymaloe mince pies. You'll have enough mincemeat left over to gift to friends and family over the Christmas season, and mince pies that can be frozen and reheated for guests over the festive period.
Darina says, "We have so much fun with mince pies and do lots of variations. Sometimes we press out a star shape from the top, so the mincemeat is visible, then we use that star to cover the next one, a tiny heart can be put on top of another - whatever you decide will be perfect."
This recipe makes 20-24 mince pies.
For the pastry:
225g (8oz) plain flour
175g (6oz) butter, chilled and cut into 1cm (1/2 inch) approx. cubes
1 dessertspoon icing sugar, sieved
a pinch of salt a little beaten egg or egg yolk and water to bind
450g mincemeat (see recipe)
egg wash
Ballymaloe Homemade Mincemeat:
2 cooking apples, such as Bramley’s Seedlings
2 organic lemons
790g (1lb 12oz) Barbados sugar (moist, soft, dark-brown sugar)
450g (1lb) beef suet
450g (1lb) sultanas
225g (8oz) currants
110g (4oz) candied citrus peel (preferably homemade)
62ml (2 1/2fl oz) Irish whiskey
2 tablespoons Seville orange marmalade pinch of salt
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