Kick-start Christmas: how to make mince pies and an Amazon Giveaway

It’s day  of the Kick-Start Christmas Giveaway and I’m sitting watching Barbie The Nutcracker with The Girls. I can feel stirrings of something approximating Christmas spirit, despite the early hour. Which makes it the perfect time to tell you about today’s Giveaway.

It couldn’t be simpler: I have a £25 Amazon voucher. No tricks, no plugging. Yours for a comment telling me what you’d buy with it. And if you are feeling generous, you might want to like the Domestic Goddesque Facebook page.

This competition is now closed. Congratulations to Laura from Cupcakes for Clara.

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There are things that are synonymous with Christmas aren’t there? Over on Facebook I’ve been asking for favourite Christmas film suggestions. For me, there is nothing that says Christmas more than the smell of mince pies baking. It’s the hot spicy citrus smell, I suppose.

I don’t remember not making mince pies. I learned long ago on some foreign shore when the arrival of the mincemeat in the NAAFI was a sure sign that the festive season was underway. Of course that was back in the days when The Mothership made her own pastry. I remember making insane quantities of bases and lids, but I could just be imagining it.

These days, particularly with little helpers, I prefer to use ready rolled shortcrust, because I can and because it saves a couple of steps. One sheet makes about 10, annoyingly, since most muffin trays hold 12.

In addition you need:

jar of mincemeat, home-made or shop-bought (I like to use shop and mix half-and-half with my cranberry sauce. But don’t tell anyone.)

beaten egg

water

caster sugar

1. You need to cut the bases. For this you will need a cutter that is larger than the diameter of your muffin ‘hole’.

2. Cut the corresponding number of tops using a cutter that is the same diameter of the ‘hole.

3. Press down the larger disc of pastry into the muffin ‘hole’ carefully but firmly, leaving the very edges draped over the rim.

4. Add a teaspoon of mincemeat to each pie.

5. Dip a finger or pastry brush in the water and brush around the rim of the base.

6. Add the pastry top, and press firmly in place. Neaten edges if necessary (I used a crimped cutter for the top layer for the purposes of the pictures.)

7. Brush the tops of the pies with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.

8. Bake at 180C for 20 minutes or so until golden brown. Cool on a baking tray. Serve with (optional) brandy butter and (imperative) Mulled wine!