Post by Aussie on Dec 20, 2004 17:19:20 GMT -5
Fruit Mince
You can buy the Robertson's fruit mince here in Sweden from The English Shop, but home-made mince is really much nicer. This recipe uses butter instead of suet (which you can't get here) and the flavour, texture and moistness of this one is superb. Another recipe from my gran, who was a wonderful cook.
500g sultanas
500g raisins
500g currants
225g mixed candied peel
grated rind and juice of 2 oranges
grated rind and juice of 2 lemons
2 cups finely chopped dried apricots
50g almond slivers
4 tart apples, cored and either grated or finely chopped
1-2 cups brandy
125g melted butter
4 tsp ground mixed spice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cardamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
6 350ml capacity jars
Mix well together in a large bowl. Cover with a clean cloth and leave overnight in a cool place. Place in sterilised jars ** and seal. Prepare it at least a month before needed and this will keep for approx. 3 years. You need about 1 dessertspoon full of fruit mince in a pie.
** To sterilise the jars, wash them and the lids in warm, soapy water. Rinse well and dry thoroughly with a clean tea towel. Place them onto a baking tray and pop them into the oven at 180C for 5 minutes.
Sweet Pastry
90g butter
90g sugar
1 egg yolk
pinch salt
150g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
60g cornflour
Cream butter and sugar. Add egg yolk, stir in sifted flours and salt and mix to form a stiff dough. This is a soft dough, so you must chill it first for at least 30 minutes and when rolling it out, do it between 2 sheets of freezer wrap.
This dough has a beautiful texture and is always light and crisp. It will make enough for 2 dozen tarts or 1 dozen covered little pies.
Putting it all together
A little milk for glazing
icing sugar for serving
Preheat oven to 200C.
Roll out half the pastry as thinly as possible, then use a 7.5cm cutter to cut out rounds. Place the rounds in greased patty tins, adding a spoon of mince mixture to each one.
Next, roll out the other half of the pastry and repest the exercise with a 6 cm pastry cutter. Dampen the edges with a little milk and press them lightly into position on top of the mincemeat to form lids, sealing the edges.
Brush the pies with milk, make 3 snips in the top of each with small scissors and bake them on the top shelf of the oven for 20 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack and dust with icing sugar before serving.
You can buy the Robertson's fruit mince here in Sweden from The English Shop, but home-made mince is really much nicer. This recipe uses butter instead of suet (which you can't get here) and the flavour, texture and moistness of this one is superb. Another recipe from my gran, who was a wonderful cook.
500g sultanas
500g raisins
500g currants
225g mixed candied peel
grated rind and juice of 2 oranges
grated rind and juice of 2 lemons
2 cups finely chopped dried apricots
50g almond slivers
4 tart apples, cored and either grated or finely chopped
1-2 cups brandy
125g melted butter
4 tsp ground mixed spice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cardamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
6 350ml capacity jars
Mix well together in a large bowl. Cover with a clean cloth and leave overnight in a cool place. Place in sterilised jars ** and seal. Prepare it at least a month before needed and this will keep for approx. 3 years. You need about 1 dessertspoon full of fruit mince in a pie.
** To sterilise the jars, wash them and the lids in warm, soapy water. Rinse well and dry thoroughly with a clean tea towel. Place them onto a baking tray and pop them into the oven at 180C for 5 minutes.
Sweet Pastry
90g butter
90g sugar
1 egg yolk
pinch salt
150g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
60g cornflour
Cream butter and sugar. Add egg yolk, stir in sifted flours and salt and mix to form a stiff dough. This is a soft dough, so you must chill it first for at least 30 minutes and when rolling it out, do it between 2 sheets of freezer wrap.
This dough has a beautiful texture and is always light and crisp. It will make enough for 2 dozen tarts or 1 dozen covered little pies.
Putting it all together
A little milk for glazing
icing sugar for serving
Preheat oven to 200C.
Roll out half the pastry as thinly as possible, then use a 7.5cm cutter to cut out rounds. Place the rounds in greased patty tins, adding a spoon of mince mixture to each one.
Next, roll out the other half of the pastry and repest the exercise with a 6 cm pastry cutter. Dampen the edges with a little milk and press them lightly into position on top of the mincemeat to form lids, sealing the edges.
Brush the pies with milk, make 3 snips in the top of each with small scissors and bake them on the top shelf of the oven for 20 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack and dust with icing sugar before serving.