Good Morning Lovelies, 

Every Christmas, our house becomes a place full to the brim with mince pies. On Christmas Eve, we spend time making homemade versions, after spending December trying the new versions of an old classic via shop brought kinds. 

To mark this festive tradition, I thought I would share with you all a recipe that I can’t wait to make for those who come to our house. Served with a classic cup of hot chocolate, a festive mulled wine or a simple cup of tea, this recipe is a Christmas gift in itself. I hope you like it lovelies…

Ingredients

One Sheet of Ready Made Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

200g of Cream Cheese

50g of Plain Sugar

One Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

One Small Egg

200g of Mincemeat

One Teaspoon of Rum or Brandy

30g of Chopped Glacier Cherries

30g of Chocolate Chips or Chunks (Any Kind Is Fine)

20g of Chopped Pecans or Almonds

Zest of ½ Orange

Icing Sugar, For Decoration

Flour, For Rolling The Pastry

Tools

A Cupcake Tray

A Rolling Pin

A Round Cookie Cutter

Two Mixing Bowls

A Mixing Spoon

A Whisk

A Teaspoon

A Small Sieve

Method

1. Start by preheating the oven to 180°C, before grabbing a cupcake tray and lightly greasing each hole. 

2. Place your pastry onto your  floured surface and roll out. Then cut 12 circles using a cookie cutter and place into each hole of the cupcake tray. Put it to one side. 

3. Next, place the brandy or rum, cherries, chocolate, nuts and orange into a mixing bowl, before adding in the mincemeat and stirring. Once well combined, leave to the side. 

4. Grabbing another mixing bowl, add in the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and egg. Beat with a whisk, until smooth and a cheesecake-like consistency. 

5. Taking your baking tray and mixing bowls, start to construct the pies by adding a teaspoon of the cheesecake mixture into each pastry case. Then top with one to one and a ½ teaspoons of the mincemeat mixture.

6. Once all the ingredients have been added to the pastry cases, place into the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the pastry is golden and cheesecake set. 

7. When ready, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before dusting them with icing sugar. They are now perfect to eat!

Mince pies are always great, both as they traditionally are or with a bit of a makeover like I have given them here! These are like two puddings in one however, and let’s be honest, who doesn’t want that at Christmas! Enjoy lovelies! 

Joey X