Post: Mince Pie Riots

1. Orange Pastry for Mince pies

• 1lb (400g) plain flour
• 8oz (200g) butter
• 4oz (100g) vegetarian suet
• grated rind of 1 large orange
• orange juice

1. Cut fat into flour and rub till it resembles breadcrumbs
2. Stir in the grated rind
3. With a knife, stir in orange juice till it just begins to stick together.
4. Gather into a ball, wrap in foil or plastic bag & put into fridge for half and hour or more before using.

2. Mince Pies:

• 8oz (200g ) full cream cheese
• 2oz (50g) caster sugar
• 1ib (400g) orange pastry (above)
• 1-1^1/4 lb (400-500g) mincemeat
• a spot of milk
• caster or icing sugar for dusting

1. Put cream cheese & 2oz caster sugar in bowl and beat till smooth
2. Knead pastry lightly and roll out rather more thickly than usual
3. Using a 3in (7cm) fluted pastry cutter, cut 24 rounds, re-rolling pastry as necessary and line greased patty tins with rounds
4. Fill to half their depth with mincemeat. Put a teaspoon of the beaten cream cheese mix on top of the mincemeat and smooth over
5. Roll out the remaining pastry and with a smaller fluted cutter (2^1/4 in or 5cm) cut out another 24 rounds.
6. Moisten the underside of the rounds and place on top of the filled pies.
7. Press edges lightly together, make a small slit in the top of each pie
8. Brush with cold milk
9. Bake in centre of oven Gas 7/425F/220C for 15-20 min until light golden.
10. Before serving – either warm or cold – sprinkle with caster or icing sugar.

Enjoy!

This recipe is adapted from Cooking for Christmas., by Josceline Dimbleby, 1978

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