A smidgen difficult mince pies

Up until last year, I’d made mince pies just once, and was disappointed by the recipe from my usual reliable celeb chef.  I resurrected the search last year after failing to find good mince pies here in Canada. Orlando Murrin’s ‘Unbelievably easy mince pies’ on the BBC Good Food website is now my official mince pie recipe.  Although ‘unbelievably easy’ might be over-egging things a tad Mr Murrin.   I grant you that the ingredient list is scant but bringing the pastry together requires dedication.  With no egg or liquid to bind, it can seem an unsurmountable task to turn the sandy crumbs into pliable dough. I capitulated the first time and added beaten egg.  This year I would achieve the impossible.

This is what you start with

And it can be done.  It will crumble to begin with, but keep moulding it together with both hands as if you were making a freeform sandcastle.  Soon it will be robust enough to begin turning it over and kneading.  It might still crumble, but just press in the bits that fall off and keep going.  After about 5 minutes of pressing, moulding and kneading you’ll get there.  I promise.



Last year's baked ones



Ready to go dough

A footnote:
An oven warm mince pie with double cream and a wodge of rum butter can’t be beat. If you are in London, hot foot it down Piccadilly to Fortnum & Mason, excuse-moi your way past French tourists and pick up a jar of their rum or brandy butter: the perfect mince pie accessory. Rum-buttery scrumptiousness in a jar.