Eden Project

A mince pie recipe from Eden’s chefs

Try this mince pie recipe from Eden’s chefs; they’re filled with a delicious spiced apple mincemeat. Or come and try them in our Bakery this month!

The amounts below make about 18 mince pies, depending on the size of your pastry cutter. The mincemeat ingredients should make a half pound jar (225g) and you can store it for later if you have any left overs.

Spiced apple mincemeat

Ingredients

• 125g cooking apples, peeled, cored and finely diced
• 225g dried mixed fruit peel
• 50g dark muscovado sugar
• 40g vegetarian suet
• 25g whole blanched almonds, chopped
• Handful of dried apricots, coarsely chopped
• Zest and juice of half an orange
• Zest and juice of half an orange
• Pinch of ground cinnamon
• Pinch of grated nutmeg
• Pinch of ground ginger
• 30ml brandy

Method

1. Put the apples, apricots, dried fruit peel, almonds, suet and sugar into a large non-metallic bowl and mix together until thoroughly combined.
2. Add the orange and lemon rind and juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and brandy and mix well.
3. If possible, leave to stand in a cool area and sir occasionally. The earlier you can make your mincemeat the better, as it improves with age. Four weeks beforehand is ideal. If not, don’t worry!

Here’s how to store your mincemeat, if you’d like to:

1. Spoon the mincemeat into cool sterilised jars, pressing down well and ensuring no air bubbles are trapped.
2. Cover and seal.
3. Store in a cool, dark place.

Shortcrust pastry

Ingredients

• 1lb / 450g flour, sieved
• 10 oz / 300g butter
• 5 oz / 150g sugar
• 1 egg, beaten

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190C / 365F / gas mark 5.
2. Mix all the ingredients together to form a smooth paste.
3. On a floured surface, roll the pastry thinly (to ½cm / ¼inch depth), then use two different-sized pastry cutters to stamp out enough pie bases and tops to fill your dimpled oven tray.
4. Place the bases on the tray and fill each 2/3 full with mincemeat.
5. Dampen the edges of the pie bases with a little cold water and press the lids on.
6. Bake in oven for 20–25 minutes until golden brown.
7. When cooked, sprinkle them with icing sugar and enjoy them warm.

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A Time of Gifts Calendar, Food

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A Time of Gifts, Christmas, Food