Mince pies - with a difference please

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I have agreed to make mince pies this year for various people. Could you clever mumsneters provide some inspiration for making them a little different.

I shall make some with bakewell style sponge topping but but I could do with other ideas.

Does anyone has a receipe for a short biscuit mixture which is piped on top ? My local deli does these and they are lovely.

Thanks

please

ooh lurky lurky - I too need to make some fab mince pies this year.

Mmmmm I need to eat some fab mince pies! Those ones they advertise from Morrisons with the cream top always tempt my taste buds

Ah well now, currently in my oven is a mincemeat experiment. I have used instead of candied fruit peel a mixture of dried tropical fruit, dried blueberries, dessicated coconut and rum - oh and a dash of rocks blackcurrant cordial. It smells fantastic.

Ooh Bakewell mince pies sound scrummy.

I usually just shove a grated apple, some chopped dried apricots, some orange rind and a slug of Grand Marnier into the mincemeat.

They might be nice with meringue on top?

I posted a Gordon Ramsey recipe on this thread.

Have just made it, with Grand Marnier instead of the other spirits, and it is just as good as I remember .

Thanks all for posting. I was hoping for topping ideas as I buy my pastry and my mincemeat (but add stuff to it).

Made them last year with filo pastry just scrunched the square up into parcel and dusted with icing sugar they looked very grown up and so light.

Not radically different, but I do Mr Harriots mince pies here, with orange rind in the pastry.

They are very nice.

clotted cream.
Filo pastry mince parcels are good too, easy to make and look a million dollars with a dusting of iceing sugar. MUCH swisher than shortcrust.

Are your local deli ones Viennese pastry topped? - they're fab but I've never made Viennese pastry so can't help you with that.

Mince pies topped with mixed chopped nuts, broken pistachios and/or slivers of candied peel (proper stuff) are good.

And puff pastry instead of short is nice too.

Buy a packet of mince pies. Lift the lids orf and discard (eat).

Put a blob of ice cream in the middle of each pie and pop in freezer.

Make a meringue mix and pipe or dollop onto each one.

Put under medium grill for 3-4 mins until topping is just browning but hopefully icecream not melting.

Eat straight away. Ta Daa! Mini baked mince pie alaskas.

I was also going to suggest orange rind in the pastry and also use fresh orange juice intead of water to make the pastry