Shortcrust Pastry...and Mince Pies!

Shortcrust pastry is ridiculously easy and quick to make, here is the recipe ready for your mince pies!

There is a very useful little rule to remember, so you can make this without fiddling with recipe books and things: you need half the amount of fat to flour (half of which is butter and half lard), and one teaspoon of water for every ounce/25g flour.....it's easier than that makes it sound, promise!

8oz/200g plain flour

2oz/50g cold butter

2oz/50g cold lard

pinch salt

8tsp cold water

(this quantity makes about 20 mince pies (topped with a star) and uses up approximately one jar of mincemeat) (ish)

Pre heat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6

Hand method:

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl, add the butter and lard and cut into small pieces.

Rub the fat into the flour between your fingers and thumb (hard to demonstrate while trying to photograph!)

  Use both hands and it is best if your hands aren't too hot.  You want a sort of breadcrumb texture, but don't overwork it or it'll make the pastry tough.

Blender method:

Easier, quicker and fail-safe!

Put the sifted flour and salt in a blender, add the butter and lard roughly chopped.

Blend until you have a breadcrumb-y texture.

Both methods:

Add the water and bring the dough together using a butter knife.

Finally give a few squeezes to bring it into one lump.  The less you touch it/knead it, the better.

Dust the work surface and rolling pin with flour.

 Always roll away from you.

Turn the pastry through 90 degrees, add a little more flour if necessary and roll again.  Keep moving and rolling until it's about 3mm thick.

Turning the pastry rather then rolling at different angles makes rolling easier and stops you getting carried away only to find it has stuck firmly to the table.

Give the mincemeat a stir and add a splash more brandy if you want particularly boozey mincers.  Cut rounds to line the patty tin, spoon in the mincemeat and top with a star or a smaller circle, depending on how you like your mince pies.

You can brush the tops with a little beaten egg and milk, but I can never be bothered, you end up wasting most of an egg unless you are making millions.

Bake for 12-15 mins until just turning golden, then remove and cool on a rack.  Dust with icing sugar before serving hot or cold.

And lo, there were the crispest, crumbliest, mouthwateringest mince pies in all the land.

Teeny tiny mince pies are fab for parties as they can be shoved in ones mouth whole, preventing crumb-y, dribble-y, party-dress-ruining disasters.

For time saving/ready-for-any-occasion mincers, make them as above but don't bake them, instead bung the tin in the freezer overnight, then remove them from the tin and store in a freezer bag.  When you fancy some or have sudden unexpected guests, whip them out, drop them back into the patty tin and bake from frozen for 20-25 minutes until golden and piping hot all the way through.