Pastry for mince pies

[JodieG1]

I used the delia smith recipe last year and it was far too crumbly, does anyone have a good one? I've already made the mince.

asking the same question here!!

Surely not everyone buys mince pies? Doesn't anyone make their own?

waiting for some answers as well (I bought the mince pie filling though!)

the niceset ones i made were ones where i actually made my own mincemeat. Rose Elliot has a good version. Home made stuff is much less claggy and more fruity

I made my own mincemeat, just need a nice pastry recipe

My Mil makes divine mince pies, not sure of quantities but I know she uses self raising flour, lard and water, not half lard half butter.Not much help am I?

I'm rubbish at pastry so last time she was here I got her to make me 2 batches up and froze them!!

w&c & jodie - agree homemade is best. Next year I'll hopefully be more organized!

I've googled and found this
www.fashion-era.com/Christmas/christmas_food_mince_pies_recipe.htm which sounds like a nice pastry, guess I'll try that. I need to go an buy the ingredients soon as I plan to make some later on.

I use Nigella's recipe
240g plain flour ( preferably Italian 00)
60g Trex or other veg fat (in little mounds... it doesn't dice)
60g cold butter diced
juice of 1 orange
pinch of salt
1 egg for glazing optional.

Rub fat into flour, add salt if using, I don't. Add in orange juice and combine, chill for 20 mins then roll out. I make the pastry in a food processor, it's always turned out nice. I make double the amount for about 30 or so mince pies.

I do DElia and love it. Are your hands cold enough? It does need quite a lot of water, I find.

jodie - let us know how they turn out!

Thanks for the recipe. I haven't had time to make them yet and just went to the shops but forgot the ingredients, typical. I'll have to make them tomorrow.

Hmm, my hands are usually quite warm, could that be why it crumbles?

Well I make the mincemeat and buy puff pastry, sorry

12oz plain flour
pinch of salt
3oz trex
3oz butter
Juice of an orange.
Bung everything apart from orange juice into processer, whizz until bread crumby, pour in oj pulse until everything starts coming together and chill for at least 1/2 an hour

opps sorry Brightwell, didn't see your post.

When I was hairdressing in a salon a customer would bring in the BEST mince pies. She insisted you had to use italian lard but I haven't ever seen it?

Having warm hands wouldn't make your pastry crumbly I don't think. My understanding is that warm hands makes the pastry claggy. My grandmother could make gorgeous pastry - and her mince pies would melt in your mouth - but unfortunately neither my mother nor I inherited her way with pastry. I always buy the ready made pastry and use that