Mini Orange Mince Pies Recipes

MINI MINCE PIES

Steps:

• Peel, core and grate apple. Chop nuts.
• Combine all mince ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until well combined. Set aside.
• Sift flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
• Cut cold butter into cubes, then rub into flour until small crumbs form.
• Stir in powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and egg yolks to make a dough.
• Form dough into a ball, press into a disk shape, then wrap in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350F/175C.
• Roll out dough to 1/8 inch [3mm] thick. Use a cookie or biscuit cutter a little larger than your mini muffin tin to cut rounds out of the dough.
• Press dough into mini muffin tin. Prick the bottom of the dough a couple times with a fork.
• Fill 3/4 full with mince filling (about 3/4 teaspoon).
• Re-roll the dough (thinner than before) and use mini cookie cutters to cut out shapes to place on the tops of your pies. Then, sprinkle vanilla sugar over the top (or use an egg wash).
• Bake at 350F/175C about 18 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in airtight container.

MINI MINCE PIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine apricots and raisins. Cover with hot water and let soak for 30 minutes. Drain fruit and chop finely. Return to bowl and add apple, orange juice, orange zest, Splenda Sweetener, ground spices, salt, walnuts, and margarine. Stir to combine, adding a few drops of hot water to mixture if it seems very thick. Set aside.
• With a 2.5″-round cutter, cut 15 rounds from one crust and 9 from the other. From remaining crust, cut 24 1"-star shapes and place on an ungreased baking sheet.
• Coat each cup of a mini-muffin tin lightly with cooking spray. Press dough rounds into muffin cups and prick the bottom of each crust generously with a fork. Chill muffin tin and baking sheet with star cutouts for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F.
• Spoon a heaping tablespoon of filling into each crust. Place a dough star on filling and lightly brush the top of each tart with beaten egg. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until crust is light golden-brown.
• Cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

STAR-TOPPED MINCE PIES

Steps:

• Make the mincemeat in advance. In a large pan, dissolve the sugar in the ruby port over a gentle heat. Add the cranberries and stir. Add the cinnamon, ginger and cloves, currants, raisins, dried cranberries and the zest and juice of the clementine. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 minutes, or until the fruit has broken down and has absorbed most of the liquid in the pan. (You may need to squish the cranberries a little with the back of a wooden spoon to incorporate them fully.) Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little. Add the brandy, almond extract, vanilla extract and honey and stir well with a wooden spoon to mash the mixture down into a paste. Spoon the mincemeat into sterilised jars and, once cool, store in the fridge for up to two weeks. Then once you are ready to make your mince pies, get out a tray of miniature tart tins, each indent 4.5cm / 2 inches in diameter, along with a 5.5cm / 2¼ inch fluted, round biscuit cutter and a 4cm / 1¾ inch star cutter. Measure the flour into a shallow bowl or dish and, with a teaspoon, dollop little mounds of vegetable shortening into the bowl, add the butter, diced small, shake to cover it, then put in the freezer for 20 minutes. This is what will make the pastry so tender and flaky later.Mix together the orange juice and salt in a separate, small bowl, cover and leave in the fridge to chill. After the 20 minutes, empty the flour and fat into the bowl of your food processor and blitz until you've got a pale pile of porridge-like crumbs. Pour the salted juice down the funnel, pulsing until it looks as if the dough is about to cohere; you want to stop just before it does (even if some orange juice is left). If all your juice is used up and you need more liquid, add some iced water. If you prefer to use a freestanding mixer to make the pastry, cut the fats into the flour with the flat paddle, leaving the bowl in the fridge to chill down for the 20-minute flour-and-fat-freezer session. Add liquid as above. I often find the pastry uses more liquid in the mixer than the processor. Turn the mixture out of the processor or mixing bowl onto a pastry board or work surface and, using your hands, combine to a dough. Then form into 3 discs (you'll need to make these in 3 batches, unless you've got enough tart tins to make all 36 pies at once). Wrap each disc in clingfilm and put in the fridge to rest for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/gas mark 7/425ºF. Roll out the discs, one at a time, as thinly as you can without exaggerating; in other words, you want a light pastry case, but one sturdy enough to support the dense mincemeat. This is easy-going dough, so you don't have to pander to it: just get rolling and patch up as you need. Out of each rolled-out disc cut out circles a little wider than the indentations in the tart tins; I use a fluted cookie cutter for this. Press these circles gently into the moulds and dollop in a scant teaspoon of mincemeat. Then cut out your stars with your little star cutter - re-rolling the pastry as necessary - and place the tops lightly on the mincemeat. Put in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes: keep an eye on them as they really don't take long and ovens do vary. Remove from the oven, prising out the little pies straight away and letting the empty tin cool down before you start putting in the pastry for the next batch. Carry on until they're all done. Dust over some icing sugar by pushing it through a tea strainer, and serve the pies with one of the butters from "Nigella Christmas".

MARY BERRY'S MINCE PIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 and place a baking sheet inside to heat up.
• For the pastry, either pulse the flour and butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, or rub the flour and butter together in a large bowl using your fingertips.
• Stir in the icing sugar and orange zest, then stir in the beaten egg and mix until the ingredients just come together as a dough. Wrap the dough in greaseproof paper and chill in the fridge for 10-15 minutes, or until firm.
• When the pastry has rested, unwrap it. Place the greaseproof paper on a work surface and lightly dust with icing sugar. Place the dough on top, dust with icing sugar, then cover with another sheet of greaseproof paper. Roll the pastry between the sheets of greaseproof paper to a thickness of 1-2mm. (If you are confident rolling out pastry you do not need to use the greaseproof paper, but it does help prevent the pastry tearing if the dough is a little sticky).
• Stamp 12 rounds from the pastry using a 8cm/3in fluted pastry cutter. (Any leftover pastry can be frozen and used to make jam tarts.) Line each hole of the muffin tin with one of the pastry rounds and prick the base of each with a fork.
• For the filling, mix the mincemeat with the chopped apricots until well combined. Divide the mixture equally among the pastry cases. Top each tart with some of the grated marzipan.
• Slide the muffin tin onto the hot baking sheet and bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes, or until golden-brown and crisp. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm.

MINI ORANGE MINCE PIES

Steps:

• Put the plain flour and caster sugar into a large bowl. Rub the butter into the flour mixture. Add the finely grated zest of the orange and orange juice. Mix and bring the mixture together to form a ball. Knead lightly, cover with cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan200°C/gas 7. Grease a 16-hole mini tartlet tin. Thinly roll out the pastry. Use a 6cm fluted pastry cutter to press out 16 circles and a 4.5cm fluted pastry cutter to press out another 16 circles. Re-roll the trimmings, if necessary. Line the tin with the larger circles. Fill each with a teaspoon of mincemeat and pop the smaller pastry lids on top.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes. Dust with icing sugar and serve with a shot of good whisky.

ORANGE PASTRY MINCE PIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. In a food processor, whizz together the flour, icing sugar and butter until they form fine crumbs (or rub in with your fingers). With the blades running, add the zest, then 3 tbsp orange juice. Process for a few secs until the mixture forms clumps. If you need to, add a few extra tsps orange juice to bring the pastry together.
• Tip onto a very lightly floured surface, knead briefly until smooth, then chill in the fridge for 30 mins or until firm. The pastry can be made up to 3 days ahead or frozen for up to 1 month.
• Lightly dust the work surface with flour, then roll out the pastry to approx £1 coin thickness. Cut out 12 x 8cm rounds with a fluted cutter and press into a 12-hole non-stick bun tin. Re-roll the trimmings to the same thickness and stamp out 12 x 5cm rounds for the tops. Spoon about 1 tbsp mincemeat into each base and press on the tops.
• Brush the tops with the egg, then bake for 15-20 mins until golden and crisp. Cool for a few mins, then lever out of the tins with a table knife and cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Warm gently to serve, dusted with sifted icing sugar, if you like.

ORANGE AND ALMOND CRUMBLE CHRISTMAS MINCE PIES

Steps:

• Make the pastry in a large bowl or food processor by blending the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Stir in the sugar and orange zest and then 2 tbsp water.
• Bring the mixture together with your hands, adding a few more drops of water if it feels a little dry.
• Preheat the oven to 180C/375F/gas 4.
• Roll out half the pastry (keep the other half wrapped in the fridge) on a lightly floured surface. You want the pastry to be very thin, so it is crisp when cooked.
• Cut out 12 circles of pastry with a plain 6cm cutter (you will need to re-roll the pastry a couple of times) and use to line a 12-hole, non-stick cup cake or mini muffin tin.
• (It is quite a soft pastry, so any little gaps that form as you are lining the holes can easily be patched up.).
• Chill while you make the topping.
• In a small bowl, make the crumble topping by rubbing the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and almonds.
• With a teaspoon, fill each pastry case with mincemeat, gently pressing it down to leave room for the topping.
• Sprinkle the topping over each pie, place the tin on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes or until the topping is golden.
• Leave the pies to cool in the tin before taking them out carefully. They are fragile when hot, so use a small knife to help lift them out.
• Unless you have two tins, repeat the process with the second batch of pastry, filling and topping.
• Eat the mini mince pies warm or cold, lightly dusted with icing sugar and served with whipped cream or brandy butter.

MINI MINCEMEAT PIES

Steps:

• Mix flour, 6 tablespoons powdered sugar, 2 1/2 teaspoons orange peel and salt in processor. Add butter; process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk egg yolk and 2 tablespoons orange juice in small bowl. Add to processor; blend until moist clumps form, adding more juice by teaspoonfuls if dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Chill 30 minutes.
• Butter eighteen 1 3/4-inch-diameter mini muffin cups. Mix mincemeat, crystallized ginger, cinnamon, remaining 4 tablespoons powdered sugar and 3/4 teaspoon peel in small bowl. Roll out dough on floured surface to 17-inch round. Using 2 1/2-inch-diameter cookie cutter, cut out 18 dough rounds. Press 1 round into bottom and up sides of each muffin cup. Using 1 3/4- to 2-inch-diameter cookie cutter, cut out 18 more dough rounds (reroll dough if necessary). Fill crust in each muffin cup with 1 heaping teaspoon filling. Brush edges of smaller dough rounds with some of egg glaze. Place 1 round atop filling in each muffin cup, glazed side down, pressing dough edges to seal. Cut small X in center of each pie. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover pies and remaining glaze separately and chill.)
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush pies with remaining egg glaze. Bake until crusts are golden, about 20 minutes. Using small knife, cut around pies to loosen; turn out onto rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

MINI ORANGE MINCE PIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Sift together the flour, 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, and cinnamon. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to mix in the butter until mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Stir in the orange zest. Sprinkle with ice water, and gather dough into a ball. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out approximately 18 (3 inch) diameter circles, and 18 (2 inch) circles, rerolling dough as needed.
• Line muffin cups or tart tins using the 3 inch pastry circles. Fill each pastry cup with about 1 tablespoon of mincemeat filling. Top with 2 inch pastry circles, pinching circles together to seal the edges. Brush the top of each pie with egg.
• Bake pies in preheated oven until tops are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool slightly on wire racks. Dust with 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar just before serving.

CHOCOLATE MINCE PIES RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.
• Grease a muffin tin and cut large circles of pastry with your cookie cutter. Press the circles of pastry gently into the muffin tray and place in the fridge.
• To make the brownie mix, melt the chocolate in the microwave in short bursts, stirring in between, then allow to cool.
• In a large bowl, add the sugar to the butter and mix until light and fluffy. Gradually add in the egg, beating after each addition. Add the vanilla essence and orange zest and juice.
• Stir through the melted chocolate then add the flour and cocoa powder. Stir gently until combined.
• Remove the pastry rounds from the fridge and spoon a small amount (around 1tsp) of mincemeat to the bottom of each round of pastry. Top the mincemeat with a large spoonful of brownie mix, making sure you don't fill it right to the top of the pastry.
• Place in the oven and bake for around 20 mins until the brownie is firm to the touch and the pastry is golden. Serve slightly warm with a little cream.