Clementine and sloe gin mince pies

Try your hand at creating these alternative mince pies to truly get yourself in the Christmas spirit, that spirit being gin! 

Ingredients: 

  • 300g plain flour 
  • 170g unsalted butter, chilled and diced 
  • Finely grated zest 2 clementines 
  • 2 medium free-range eggs 
  • 400g good-quality mincemeat (make sure it’s vegetarian if you need it to be) 
  • 20g flaked almonds, plus extra to garnish 
  • 1 tbsp sloe gin 
  • Demerara sugar to sprinkle 
  • Icing sugar to dust (optional) 

To make the pastry for mince pies, begin by combining flour, butter, and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Pulse the mixture until it reaches a consistency similar to wet sand.  

Add half of the clementine zest and one egg to the processor, pulsing again. Gradually add 2-3 tablespoons of water, only as needed, until the mixture starts to clump together. Transfer the mixture onto a floured surface, knead briefly into a dough, and then place it in a bowl.  

Cover and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. 

For the filling, combine mincemeat with most of the remaining clementine zest, flaked almonds, and sloe gin in a separate bowl. 

Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan setting) or Gas Mark 5. After the pastry has chilled, roll it out to a thickness of approximately 4mm. Cut out nine 9cm and nine 7cm discs, re-rolling the trimmings as necessary. Use the larger discs to line the holes of a muffin tray.  

Fill each with the mincemeat mixture. Beat the remaining egg and brush the edges of the pastry cases. Place the smaller discs on top as lids, crimping the edges shut with a fork. Make a small cross on each lid to vent steam, then brush with more egg wash and sprinkle a bit of demerara sugar on top. 

Bake the pies for 20 minutes. Allow them to cool in the tin for 10 minutes to firm up before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.  

Optionally, finish with a sprinkle of the remaining zest and a dusting of icing sugar. 

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