Jeweled Pie Recipes

Steps:

• Put flour, almonds, butter, orange zest and sugar in a food processor and whizz into crumbs. Add the egg yolk and a teaspoon of cold water and pulse to form a dough. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to fan 180C/ conventional 200C/gas 6.Roll out the dough thinly and, with an 8-9cm plain cutter, stamp out 18 rounds - they need to be larger than the bun tin holes. Use to line one and a half 12-hole bun tins, pinching and fluting the dough edges above the level of the tins with your fingers.
• Put a heaped teaspoon of mincemeat in each case. Quickly knead the trimmings and roll out. Use a star cutter to make 18 stars.
• Put a star on top of each pie. Brush stars and pastry edges with egg white and dust lightly with caster sugar. (The pies can be frozen at this stage in the tins, then removed, packed into freezer bags and frozen for up to 3 months.) Bake the pies for 12-15 minutes (18-20 minutes from frozen) until the pastry is crisp and golden. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Steps:

• Melt butter and ½ tbsp oil in small saucepan, then fry cardamom, bay and cinnamon for 2 mins. Stir in rice to toast for 1 min, then cover with 200ml water. Bring to the boil, cover, then turn heat down and simmer for 5 mins. Stir in barberries, if using, and cook for 5 mins more. Mix saffron with a small splash of boiling water. Once almost all the water has been absorbed by the rice, scatter saffron on top. Cover again, turn off the heat and sit for 5 mins.
• Meanwhile, fry cumin seeds, onions and some salt in the remaining oil until golden and beginning to crisp - this will take around 15 mins. Then spread onions on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.
• To serve, remove whole spices if you like, and scatter the onions on top.

Steps:

• 1. In small bowl toss together cookie crumbs, coconut and margarine or butter. Press onto bottom and sides of 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool completely.2. In small mixing bowl beat cream cheese and honey on medium speed of electric mixer until fluffy. Carefully spread in crust. Arrange fruit on top.3. In small saucepan stir together sugar and cornstarch. Stir in apple juice. Cook and stir over medium heat until boiling and thickened. Cool slightly. Spoon over fruit. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.4. Garnish as desired. Store in refrigerator.*NOTE: Soften cream cheese in microwave at high for 15 to 20 seconds.

Steps:

• In large bowl, stir boiling water into gelatin at least 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Mix cold water and ice to measure 3/4 cup. Add to gelatin, stirring until slightly thickened. Remove any remaining ice.
• Stir in whipped topping with wire whisk until smooth. Refrigerate 15 to 20 minutes or until mixture is very thick and will mound. Spoon filling into crust. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Garnish with sliced strawberries before serving.

Steps:

• Tip the bacon, pork and sausagemeat into a large bowl, then grate in the nutmeg and add the sage, cranberries, apricots, pistachios, ¼ tsp salt and a good grinding of black pepper. Mix to combine, then cover and keep chilled while you make the pastry.
• Tip the lard and butter into a small pan with 150ml water and bring to a simmer. Weigh the flour out in a heatproof bowl with ½ tsp salt. When the butter and lard have melted and the mixture is steaming, pour it over the flour and quickly mix to form a scraggy dough. Tip out onto a surface and knead briefly until smooth. Cut off a third, then wrap and set aside.
• Roll the remaining pastry out to the thickness of a £1 coin, then lift using a rolling pin and unroll into a deep 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin. Press the pastry into the edge and up the side - don't worry if it doesn't reach the top, just press into an even layer and ensure there are no holes.
• Spoon the filling into the pastry case and pack in with the back of the spoon to expel any air pockets. Mound it up in the centre to create a dome, leaving about 1cm of the pastry edge protruding.
• Roll out the reserved pastry to the same thickness as before, then use a plate as a template to cut out a 20cm circle. You can either top the pie with the pastry lid as it is, or create a lattice effect. To do this, you will need to use a lattice cutter or ruler and knife. Hold the ruler over the pastry circle and, starting from the left or right side, cut 1cm vertical lines in the pastry going from top to bottom, leaving 1cm gaps between the incisions. After completing one line of cuts, move the ruler ½cm to the side and make another line of cuts. Continue all the way along the pastry. Gently tease the holes open with your fingers to create a webbed lattice effect, then use the same 20cm template to retrim the lid. Carefully lift it over the pie, folding over the excess pastry and crimping all the way around the edge to seal. Brush the pastry with some of the beaten egg. Re-roll any offcuts and use to decorate the pie, if you like (we cut out star shapes). Stick these on and brush with more beaten egg. Will keep covered, uncooked, in the fridge for up to 24 hrs.
• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Bake for 2 hrs until the pastry is deep golden brown. If you have a food thermometer, the internal temperature should reach 70C. Leave to cool completely in the tin, then chill for at least 4 hrs before serving. Will keep covered in the fridge for up to five days.