to make mince pies

[WitchWay]

Going to PIL's today for pre-Christmas lunch.

MIL always serves horrible shop-bought mince pies that I & DS don't like. I eat one out of politeness but DS is always "full". DH eats anything sweet so doesn't care.

I'm about to make a batch of delicious mince pies & take them as a gift. MIL will serve them instead she & FIL really like home-made mince pies - they eat loads of mine if they're over here at Christmas.

DH thinks I'm being rude. I'm not - mine are nicer , she can save her nasty ones for another day - win win I'd say...

[Domino777]

Win win yes. Not rude. You can just say that you made them because you know she likes them

[Lucymatilde]

If MIL and FOL both happy then it's not an issue. Can I have one please?

[Amazemedontbeacunt]

A gift of food is never rude

[SanityClause]

Not rude at all! It's always polite to take a gift when you visit someone.

[princessconsuelabannahammock]

You need to say DS (depending on age) made them, how can you get cross at hand crafted food made by your grandchild?

I have just made a big batch, i had forgotten how easy they are and now i feel like a good mummy for cooking with my 3 yr old.

[ProfessorPreciseaBug]

YANBU....
It is not rude to cook for someone and offer some... Give all the shop bought ones to DH and keep the good ones for yourself and PsIL.

[Gliblet]

If they really like home made then no, you're not being rude It'd be different if they served Mr Kipling or something because those were the only ones they liked and you insisted on rocking up with a big plate of 'inferior' pies!

[wonkylegs]

That seems entirely reasonable.
I was going to make some yesterday but ran out of time so will try to do some today

[WitchWay]

They're cooking now - I love making and eating mince pies

[ProfessorPreciseaBug]

And how many will make it to P's IL?,

[NoahVale]

it is not rude, it is lovely, home made are far far nicer than shop bought

[ouryve]

Not rude at all to take a treat for everyone. Your dh is being silly.

[WitchWay]

Prof

made 16, a dozen will be taken, 4 are "test samples" & I still have some pastry left to make more tomorrow

[Seabiscotti]

Would you mind sharing your recipe, please?

[Seabiscotti]

And no YANBU.

[BendydickCuminsnatch]

Yum!! Ah I have a hankering now. Did you make your own mincemeat? I love making mincemeat, weirdly! So squelchy.

[iwantgin]

It isn't rude at all.

I always thought that you should take something along when invited for a meal anyway - wine or chocs.

[ToastedOrFresh]

Could we have the recipe please ?

[WitchWay]

I don't make my own mincemeat, although I have done in the past. I like Tesco Finest Mincemeat.

Shortcrust pastry:
Plain flour
Butter
Lard
Cold water
Pinch of salt

Always half fat to flour so today I used 12ox flour with 6oz fat
Always approximately half lard, hard butter - I prefer slightly more lard as the pastry is flakier
Always fridge-cold fat
Always measure the water - one teaspoonful (using a proper teaspoon measure) per ounce of flour so today I used 12 tsp water (same as 4 tbsp as 5ml tsp & 15ml tbsp) - this is a great tip from my old school cookery teacher

Chop up fat & rub into flour with fingertips - or whizz in a mixer love my Kitchenaid till in crumbs

Stir in all the water - you won't think there is enough but there will be. Once it is clumping together gather it up & knead it into a ball

Wrap & chill for at least 30mins - this is essential

Roll out on a floured board as thinly as possible - do it in batches if necessary - I aim for no more than 2mm thick

Cut out rounds that are a bit too big for the patty tins - pastry shrinks plus the same number of smaller lids

Put in plenty of mincemeat - I don't mind if it bubbles over a bit - prefer that to not enough

Brush with a little egg wash (egg beaten with a little water)

Bake in a hottish (200C) oven for about 15mins

Cool in the tins for a couple of mins then take out onto a cooling rack

Eat once cool enough - mincemeat is bloody hot for at least ten minutes

[WitchWay]

*Oz of flour not ox of flour - no cows in my kitchen

[WitchWay]

Bendy would you post your mincemeat recipe please?

[timelytess]

An 'ox' of flour would have been a mighty amount, I'm thinking. Better an oz.

[bigsnugglebunny]

I usually use shop bought mincemeat, but I titivate it a little bit by adding things - chopped hazelnuts, extra brandy, fresh orange zest etc... it makes it a bit different :)

[SanityClause]

I'm out and about, so I can't post my mincemeat recipe. It was my grandmother's, and includes 1/2 gill of brandy. I have to look up a conversion on the internet every time.

I cheat with my pastry, though. I use a gluten free recipe (again, can't post, as out and about) and I roll it into little balls and place them in a mini muffin tin, and squash them down with a little wooden tool I have. (You could use anything the right size, though.) I then roll out the remaining pastry, and cut tiny shapes, and put them on top, so they don't actually seal in the mince. Sometimes, I decorate them with parlsuker (sp?).

[BendydickCuminsnatch]

It's at work I'm afraid and I'm currently on mat leave (I'm a baker)! I really should have stolen it. But you can google recipes and tweak the dried fruit ingredients, juice, alcohol etc. My fave is cranberry and orange with vegetarian suet.