Christmas mince pies

[Chantholtmouse]

My local supermarket got Christmas stock in last week 🤣. Looked at the bb date on the mince pies as I passed them today. The 5th of OCTOBER!! As much as I love Christmas, that's crazy. I'll probably buy some by next week though 😁

We've just finished our first box of mince pies 🙄😆

My mum has always made her own mince pies all year round. She makes her own pastry that just melts in your mouth.
Shop bought ones just don't cut it for me.
My mum's getting on now and once she goes, those pies of delight will go with her, leaving me bereft 😭
I need to phone her now and place an order....I'll tell her you made me do it op. 😁

Excellent!

😂

@BaaCode
My mum used to make lovely mince pies all year round too. I remember her once berating the manager in a supermarket because there were no jars of mincemeat. He pointed out it was July, she wasn't impressed! 14 year old me was very embarrassed

My late MIL made the most fantastic pastry. We never got the recipe from her. Please get your mum's recipe and share here.

@jazzybelle

The 'secret' is usually lard. It makes deliciously light and crumbly pastry.
Also minimum of water, handle very lightly, don't turn it over when rolling out and don't keep re rolling the same piece.

Some people have a natural way with pastry...and some don't, even with exactly the same ingredients!

Something to do with having cold hands..or is it warm that make better pastry? 😕🤔

Sainsbury's haven't got them in yet 😔. Yes I did just go and try to add them to my order for the weekend 😆

@BeverleyMacker

Cold!
Helps to rub the fat into the flour without a squishy melting scenario.
Alternatively - use a food processor!

They had them in our big Sainsbury's but only the expensive "Taste the difference" ones at the moment.

I need to have a go at making pastry then. My hands are always freezing 🥶

I don’t like shop mince pies - too
much thick pastry. Always make my own, hard Stork and SR flour - and my trusty old Kenwood Chef does the hard work.
Can’t say they’re precisely as good as my DM’s, but she died in 2015 and I never did find out her secret.

I never make the first batch until 1st Dec though (or first day of Advent, whichever comes first) because dh and I are utter 🐷🐷for mince pies.
I shall be making lots of Delia’s lovely mincemeat soon though. 😋