Did you know you can make Mince Pies in your Thermomix? I did not, that is why I totally fell in love with this recipe for Pear Fruit Mince Pies!
Mince pies are small British sweet pies. A Christmas crumbly and fruity pie, a popular seasonal treat enjoyed by many across the United Kingdom and not only there. It wouldn't be Christmas without at least one Mince Pie!
Originally, it was a savoury pie made of a mixture of minced meat, suet, fruits and various spices and it was known as mutton pie, shrid pie or Christmas pie.
Their preparation involves the traditional mincemeat, a mixture of chopped dried fruits, beef suet and spices. Many modern recipes though do not contain suet but a vegetable shortening that makes a vegetarian version of mincemeat. Anyway this recipe does not include any shortening.
I don't know about you but I have lots of pears at home at the moment so it was a real pleasure to use some of them to prepare these pies. Pear adds a special sweetness to them. I love their taste.
I've found some interesting curiosities about mince pies but I would also like to know from you about your own traditions! Would you like to tell me any of them? :-)
One of the traditions I've read is you must mix mincemeat reverse as stirring it anticlockwise is to bring bad luck for the coming year.
If you have got any suggestions I would be very happy to add them to this page! Everyone's advice is welcome! :-)
Ingredients
For the almond shortcrust pastry- 150 g sugar
- 100 g shelled almonds
- 230 g plain flour
- 100 g unsalted butter
- One tbsp vanilla sugar
- A pinch of salt
- An egg
- One yolk
For the filling
- An orange (zest and juice)
- 700 g pears, peeled and cut
- 250 g sugar
- 200 g raisins
- 40 g fresh ginger (in pieces)
- 60 g flaked almonds
- One lemon, the juice (20-25 g)
- A tsp cinnamon powder
- A tsp nutmeg powder
- A tsp ground cloves
- A tsp cardamom powder
To brush
- A little egg
To dust
- Icing sugar to taste
Let's cook!
Prepare the almond shortcrust pastry.Put 150 g sugar in the mixing bowl and mix 10 Sec. Speed 10. Set aside.
Put 100 g of shelled almonds in the mixing bowl and mix 15 Sec. Speed 10. Set aside with icing sugar.
Put 230 g plain flour, 100 g unsalted butter in the mixing bowl and mix 20 Sec. Speed 4 until a sanded mixture is obtained.
Add the almond flour and icing sugar set aside, a tbsp vanilla sugar, a pinch of salt and mix 10 Sec. Speed 4.
Add an egg, an egg yolk and knead 2 Min. Dough Mode.
Form a dough with your hands, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for 1 hour before using the pastry.
Prepare the filling.
Put the zest of an orange and 250 g sugar in the mixing bowl and mix 10 Sec. Speed 10.
Add 700 g pears and chop 2-3 Sec. Speed 5.
Add 200 g raisins, 40 g chopped fresh ginger, 60 g flaked almonds, the juice of a lemon, the juice of an orange, a tsp of ground cinnamon, a tsp of nutmeg powder, a tsp of powdered cloves, one tsp of cardamom powder and cook 35 Min. Varoma Temp. Speed 1.
Leave to cool and set aside.
Roll out the almond shortcrust pastry at a height of 2-3mm.
Cut the pastry to form the base of the mince pies and the stars. You'll have about 24 pieces.
Use a 7 cm diameter mince pies tin to form the base of the mince pies and a 4.5 cm (from a tip to the base)star biscuits cutter to form the stars.
Put the mince pies tin with the wide side down and cut the pastry into lots of rounds.
Place the pastry in the mince pies tin.
Fill each mince pies tin with the fillinf prepared earlier.
Get the stars from the pastry and cover each pie with one.
Brush the surface of the stars with the beaten egg.
Bake in hot oven 15-20 Min. 200C.
Cool and dust with icing sugar.
Translated from the Italian recipe
Tartellette di Frutta Bimby: Ricetta delle Mince Pies di Natale
Photocredit: Thermomix Recipes