Authentic Mince Pie Recipe England, Europe

Mince pie is a classic sweet pie that has been commonly enjoyed during the Christmas season in most of the English-speaking world for centuries. Mince pie consists of a soft and crumbly shortcrust pastry shell and a gorgeously aromatic filling (mincemeat) made with various dried fruits, spices, and spirits. Unlike traditional shortcrust pastry, mince pies are made with a bit more butter, which gives the pastry an even softer and richer texture. Initially, the filling included minced meat, and the pie was rectangularly shaped to resemble the manger Jesus had been laid in. Today, mince pies are bite-sized snacks typically made without meat, but suet (hard beef or mutton fat) still plays a vital role in preparing the filling. Much like with confit, once hardened, suet creates a protective layer that helps preserve the mincemeat for a very long time. Thanks to mincemeat’s commercial availability, preparing mince pies has become a fairly quick and simple process; granted, homemade ... Read more