Be in the know with Schnauer & Co!

Nana Helen’s Christmas Mince Pies 🥧

Christmas is about spending time with family and friends, along with eating great food! My Nana was an amazing baker, and her Christmas mince pies are the best! I have been given the go ahead to share her recipe, so please enjoy!! 

Mince Filling

  • 1 cup currants  
  • 1 cup sultanas  
  • 1 cup raisins  
  • ¾ cup brown sugar  
  • ½ cup lemon juice + rind 
  • ½ tsp nutmeg  
  • ½ tsp cinnamon 
  • 1 tsp ground ginger  
  • 1 Tbsp brandy  
  • 1½ Tbsp cornflour  

Instructions

  1. Simmer all ingredients in a pot, except cornflour and brandy.
  2. Thicken with cornflour mixed with some lemon juice.  
  3. Add brandy once thickened and stir.
  4. Leave to cool and can be refrigerated until needed.  

Short Pastry

  • 4 oz butter (110g)  
  • 4 oz sugar (110g)
  • 1 egg  
  • 9 oz flour (250g), sifted
  • 1 tsp baking powder, sifted
  • Pinch of salt

Note: Double pastry recipe needed for one batch of mince.   

Instructions

  1. Cream butter and sugar, then add egg and mix until combined. 
  2. Add flour and baking powder. Mix in.  
  3. Roll into a ball, cover in glad wrap and put in fridge to firm up for 30 minutes.
  4. Use round cookie cutters to fit a small muffin tin tray.  Lightly grease the muffin tin.  
  5. Take a 3rd of the pastry (at a time) and roll it out on a lightly floured surface.  Use the cookie cutter to make circles and push gently into the muffin tins.  Cut smaller circles for the lids
  6. Place a small amount of Christmas mince into each pastry case and then put a lid on each one.  Don’t over fill them with the mince.  Make a small cut in the mince pie lid.
  7. Bake at 180°C for 15 minutes, until slightly brown
  8. Remove from tray after a few minutes and cool on a rack.
  9. Once cooled completely, dust with icing sugar to serve or can be frozen (without icing sugar).

Left over ingredients can be kept in fridge or frozen.

Subscribe

Follow our bi-monthly newsletter and keep up to date with the latest articles and useful insights.