Asda and Leiths’ Star-Topped Mince pies

Rich sweet shortcrust pastry

  • 170g plain flour
  • pinch of salt
  • 100g unsalted butter, diced
  • 2 tbsps caster sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tbsps iced cold water
  • pie tray
  • circle cutters
  • star cutters

Filling

  • 1 jar of Asda Extra Special mincemeat (whisky and orange or brandy and port)

To serve

  • 1 tbsp icing sugar for dusting

Method

  1. Sift the flour with the salt into a large bowl.
  2. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
  3. Add the caster sugar and mix.
  4. Mix the egg yolk with two tbsps of water and add to the flour mixture.
  5. Mix to a firm dough, first using a cutlery knife then using one hand to bring the mixture together. It might be necessary to add a little more water to bring the mixture together but it should not be too damp. Although crumbly pastry dough is more difficult to handle, it produces a shorter and lighter result.
  6. Pre-heat the oven to 200C (using a hot oven means that the pastry cooks before the butter melts).
  7. Divide the pastry into two, about two thirds and one third.
  8. Roll out the larger piece to about 3mm thick. Cut out 12 circles a little wider than the indentations on the tray. Press the pastry circles gently into the indentations in the tray.
  9. Roll out the smaller piece of pastry to about 3mm thick. Cut out 12 larger stars or 24 smaller stars and place on a baking tray.
  10. Chill both pastry trays in the fridge for 20 to 30 hours (this relaxes the gluten in the pastry, ensuring the pastry doesn’t shrink when cooking). 
  11. Place a tsp of mincemeat in the centre of each pastry circle (don’t overfill the circles as the mixture will bubble as it reheats and might spill over the edges).
  12. Place the stars lightly on top of the mixture.
  13. Bake the pies in the oven for about 15 minutes until golden brown.
  14. Remove the pies from the tin and place them on a wire rack to cool. 
  15. Before serving, dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.

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