Every Christmas Eve, I make the mince pies my Mum used to make before she hung up her oven gloves (she’s 93 now, so someone else has taking over the baking!) and my Dad’s Irish Cream Liqueur – we were allowed a glass before the whisky was added!
They’re both delicious and take me straight back to Christmases at home, when I was young, and the anticipation of Christmas Day was enough to keep me awake all night long.
These days, one of Mum’s mince pies and a glass of Dad’s Irish Cream are the perfect Christmas Eve treat while I’m doing last minute bits and pieces. Some traditions are too good to be forgotten!
Enjoy!
Sybil’s Mince Pies
Homemade Mincemeat
Ingredients
• 100g currants
• 100g raisins
• 100g sultanas
• 100g dried cranberries
• 100g mixed peel
• 1 large apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 100 butter, cut into cubes
• 25g light brown sugar
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• Finely grated rind and juice of 1 orange
• 100ml brandy, dark rum, or orange liquer (optional)
Method
1. Measure all of the ingredients into a large pan, except the alcohol, if using. Heat gently to melt the butter and then simmer gently for fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Leave the mixture until it is completely cool, then stir in the alcohol, if using.
3. Pour or spoon the mincemeat into sterilised jars, seal tightly, and store in a cool place.
Homemade Shortcrust Pastry
Ingredients
• 125g/4oz plain (all-purpose) flour
• A Pinch of salt
• 55g/2oz butter, cut into cubes
• 30-45ml/2-3 tablespoons cold water
Method
1. Put the flour and salt in a large bowl and add the cubes of butter.
2. Rub the butter into the flour, using your fingertips, until the mixture resembles large grains of sand and you have no lumps of butter that have not been combined. (Note; The cooler your hands are, the better the results will be).
3. Using a knife, stir in just enough of the cold water to bind the dough together. You don’t want a dough that’s too sticky so be careful when adding the water.
4. Wrap the dough in cling film or greaseproof paper and chill in the fridge for fifteen minutes before use.
To assemble and bake your mince pies
1: Heat the oven to 220ºC/200ºC fan/gas mark 7.
2: Roll out the pastry to 3mm thick.
3: Using a round pastry cutter (to fit your muffin tin) cut out 12 circles and place them into the wells in the muffin tin, to cover the bottom and sides.
4: Put 1½ tablespoons of the mincemeat mixture into each well.
5: Brush the edge of each pie with beaten egg.
6: Roll the pastry again and cut out lids for each pie, pressing them around the edges to seal.
7: Use the remainder of the egg to brush over the tops before sprinkling with caster sugar.
8: Make a small hole in the top of the pie to allow any steam to escape.
9: Bake the pies for 15-20 mins until golden brown.
10: Leave to cool before taking them out of the tin and enjoying warm, or cold. Dust with icing sugar if desired.
Note: If you don’t want to make your own mincemeat or pastry, you can buy them already prepared in supermarkets. Or, if you don’t want to make your own mince pies, you can buy them ready made too!
Denis’s Irish Cream Liqueur
Ingredients
• One and a half pints of double (heavy) cream, or single cream if you prefer.
• One small can of condensed milk
• One and half tablespoons of chocolate syrup
• One cup of Irish whisky
Please note, these measurements were to my Dad’s taste. He used to add and taste, add a bit more and taste, several times as he went along. You may not like so much whisky or chocolate syrup. You may like more. Or you may prefer to leave it out altogether. I sometimes add a couple of tablespoons of Camp coffee to the mixture, which puts a different twist on it. It’s entirely down to your personal taste.
Method
1: Mix all the ingredients (except the whisky) slowly together.
2: Add the whisky and blend for a few seconds more. (Don’t mix for too long if you’re using double (heavy) cream, because the drink may split).
3: Pour into sterilised bottles and keep in the fridge for up to a month. If it lasts that long.