Mince pies: a London Shop classic
Author: Stewart Turner
The arrival of December means that mince pies are firmly on the menu. A favourite of our Executive Chef Stewart Turner, they’re served fresh from the kitchen every Thursday, Friday and Saturday in our London Shop. Pop in between 1pm – 6pm to enjoy a complimentary mince pie, or have a go at making them yourself with Stewart’s simple recipe.
Mince pies are my favourite of all the festive treats, and we serve them in our London Shop throughout December. We give them a crumble topping, which adds a bit of a contrast and helps with the pastry-to-filling ratio – which is one of my biggest bugbears with even the most highly rated mince pies. Mincemeat has been around since the Middle Ages, and it did actually once contain meat. It was originally a method of preservation, by which meat was minced, mixed with dried fruit, spices and a preserving liquid.
What to drink with them: Tawny Port or The King’s Ginger
Mincemeat
225g Bramley apple, grated
115g suet – beef or vegetable
175g raisins
115g currants
115g sultanas
115g chopped mixed peel
175g dark brown sugar
Juice and grated zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange
25g flaked almonds
2 tsp ground mixed spice
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
50ml The King’s Ginger
Preheat the oven to 120°C. Mix all the ingredients, except The King’s Ginger, in an ovenproof pot or a casserole with a tight-fitting lid. Cover and place in the oven for around three hours, stirring occasionally.
Remove from the oven, allow to cool, and then stir in The King’s Ginger. Place the mixture in sterilised jars and refrigerate until needed.
Hazelnut crumble mix
150g flour
75g butter
75g brown sugar
100g hazelnuts, roughly chopped
Rub the butter into the flour, then mix in the remaining ingredients.
Bake in a preheated oven at 160°C, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes until the mixture is lovely and golden.
To finish, fill blind-baked tart cases with a good spoon of the mincemeat. Top with a bit of crumble, then return to the oven for five minutes until they are warm throughout. Finish with some icing sugar.
