RECIPES

MacNean Old fashioned Mince Meat Pies

No surprisingly, my Auntie Maureen is also the champion of this Maguire classic. Before she retired she was a Domestic Science teacher in a variety schools in Cavan and I don’t believe she ever had a pupil who didn’t learn how to make her marvellous mince meat pies. Once you’ve made it yourself, you’ll never buy another jar of the stuff again.

Ingredients
Sweet Pastry
125 g / 5 oz butter or margarine
225 g / 8 oz plain flour
50 g / 2 oz icing sugar
1 egg yolk
t tablespoon cold water
½ teaspoon lemon juice
Jar of mincemeat, homemade

Mincemeat
350 g / 12 oz eating apples
225 g / 8 oz raisins
225 g / 8 oz sultanas
225 g / 8 oz currants
100 g / 4 oz candid citrus peel
225 g / 8 oz melted butter
100 g / 4 oz blanched almonds, chopped
175 g / 6 oz dark brown sugar
Grated rind 1 orange
Grated rind 1 lemon
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoon brandy or whiskey

Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C / Gas 4.  Sieve flour and icing sugar into bowl.  Add butter cut into 5 small pieces.  Add egg yolk, water and lemon juice.  Beat with electric mixer at slow speed until mixture forms dough. 

Place pastry in greaseproof paper or a plastic bag in refrigerator, for at least 30 minutes before use. Roll out 2/3 of pastry thinly on a lightly floured board.  Cut out rounds with a cutter a little larger than the tins.  Line the tartlet tins with rounds of pastry.  Put 1 tbsp mincemeat in each. 

Roll out the remainder of pastry and cut with a slightly smaller cutter to fit the tops.  Brush the edges of the mince pies with water and place smaller rounds on top, seal with tips of fingers.  Make a small slit in each mince pie.  Brush with beaten egg.  Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C / Gas 6, for 15-20 minutes. Cool in tins before lifting out the mince pies.  Dust with icing sugar

Mince Meat
Peel, core and finely chop apples.  Melt butter.  Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and cover with a teacloth.  Leave overnight. Mix well and pack into clean dry jars.  Seal and store in a cool dark place for 3-4 weeks before use.

Tip
Why not make twice the amount of mincemeat and put in some sterililized fancy jars, wrap with a red ribbon and give a jar to your friends for a Christmas gift?