Almond Topped Mince Pies Recipes

Steps:

• Unroll the pastry on a lightly floured surface, and cut in half lengthways. Cut each half into six, so you have 12 squares. Working with one square at a time, fold in half diagonally to create a triangle. Lay the triangle out with the folded edge facing you. Cut a ½cm border along the other two edges, stopping just before the two cuts intersect. Carefully unfold the pastry, then brush the borders with a little beaten egg. Lift the far left corner of the pastry and fold it over to the right, pressing it down gently against the inner right corner to seal. Repeat from the far right corner of the pastry to the inner left corner. Arrange the pastries over two baking trays lined with baking parchment, and spoon 1 tsp mincemeat into the middle of each. Top each with a few flaked almonds. Will keep chilled for up to 24 hrs.
• Heat the oven to 210C/190C fan/gas 6½. Brush the pastry with more egg and bake for 15-20 mins until puffed up and golden. Dust with icing sugar and enjoy warm, or leave to cool completely. Once cooled, will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for two days.

Steps:

• To make the pastry, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the icing sugar and orange zest. Spoon in 4 tbsp water, mixing with a knife until the dough starts to come together. Knead lightly, flatten into a disc, wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 mins.
• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the pastry out to a 2-3mm thickness. Using a 9-10cm fluted cutter, stamp out discs from the pastry. Re-roll any trimmings and stamp out more discs until the pastry is used up. Line two 8-hole muffin tins with the pastry discs, then fill each pastry shell with 1 heaped tsp mincemeat and spread out to smooth. Can be frozen, uncooked, in trays for up to 1 month.
• Combine the crumble ingredients in a small bowl, then sprinkle a little over the top of each mince pie. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about 20 mins until the pastry is cooked and golden brown. Cool in the tins for 5 mins, then serve with brandy butter or crème fraîche.

Steps:

• To make the pastry tip the flour into a large bowl and rub in the chilled butter using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and the satsuma zest.
• Spoon out 4 tbsp of the pastry mixture and set aside. Add approximately 4 tbsp of the juice from the satsumas to the main pastry mix to make a fairly soft dough, kneading gently until smooth. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 mins.
• Lightly flour a surface and roll out the pastry to a £1 coin thickness. Using a 9cm fluted cutter, stamp out 12 circles of pastry. Gently press these into individual tartlet tins, the pastry should just protrude above the tins to allow for shrinkage when cooked. Spoon the mincemeat into the pastry cases being careful not to overfill.
• Sprinkle the pastry crumble mix over the mincemeat to cover lightly, top with the flaked almonds and drizzle over the stem ginger syrup. At this stage you can cover them with cling film and freeze the whole tray ready for baking.
• When you're ready to bake the mince pies, heat the over to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Remove the cling film from the tray and bake the mince pies straight from the freezer for 25 mins until golden and cooked through. Cool on a wire rack and serve dusted with icing sugar. Bake unfrozen pies for 18-20 mins.