3 alternative mince pie recipes

Mulled wine, mulled wine everywhere, but not a single bite to eat – until now. Yes, us Brits really do love a mince pie to slug down a nicely spiced mug of mulled wine, and especially those with a fancy twist. This year we are pleased to say we really have some great twists for you.

The Mince Pie Project 2013 was littered with super-famous faces and super-cool twists on the ye olde classic mince pie – from Michel Roux Jr to Marcus Wareing, everyone had their own fantastic take on the spicy-fruity festive pie we all love at Christmas time.

Indulge in our 3 favourite recipes – you might even be inspired by a Michelin-starred chef or two!

1. Deep Fried Mince Pies by Heston Blumenthal

Prep/cook time:  1 hour, 30 minutes

What you will need:

150g currants

100g sultanas

100g chopped nuts (we like a mix of hazelnuts, almonds and pecans)

150g golden caster sugar

100g unsalted butter

½ tsp ground clove

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Zest of 1 lemon

Zest of 1 orange

60ml lemon juice

½ tsp salt

5 drops rosewater

500g all butter puff pastry

1 egg, beaten

What you need to do:

Combine the currants, chopped nuts, citrus zests, lemon juice, spices and salt. Heat butter together with sugar in a large saucepan. When butter starts to bubble, stir in fruit mixture. Remove the pan from the heat, when cool add rosewater.

Divide filling into balls of 25g, place these into freezer for one hour. Roll out the puff pastry to a thickness of 2 – 3mm and cut out circles using a 9cm pastry cutter. Brush the pastry circles with egg, and then add a ball of frozen filling to centre of each. Wrap pastry around fillings and seal edges together, rolling to form a ball. Turn each mince pie over so the join is on the bottom. Score the top of each mince pie twice.

Place in the freezer for 30 minutes (the mince pies can be frozen and stored at this point)

Bake for 20 – 25 minutes at 200°C / fan 190°C / gas mark 5 (adjust times for your oven) or just until the pastry has turned golden brown – alternatively deep fry until golden in colour.

Allow to cool slightly and dust with sugar before serving.

2. For the chocoholics – Chocolate Orange Mince Pies

Prep/cook time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

What you will need:

25g (1oz) dark chocolate chips

125g (4oz) mixed dried fruit

25g (1oz) dried cherries

3tbsp marmalade

½ large Cox apple, coarsely grated

1tsp ground mixed spice

1tbsp cream sherry

350g (12oz) short crust pastry

1 batch chocolate orange mincemeat, as above

1 medium egg, beaten

Icing sugar, to dust

Flour, to dust

What you need to do:

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl – use immediately or keep covered and chilled for up to two weeks.

Pre-heat oven to 190°C /170°C fan/ gas mark 5. Roll out pastry on a floured surface until it is 3mm (⅛in) thick. Stamp out 12 rounds using an 8cm (3¼in) fluted cutter and line a 12-hole cake tray. Divide mincemeat among pastry cases. Re-roll leftover pastry and stamp out lids.

Top each pie with a lid and brush with beaten egg.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden. Leave in tins for three minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature with a dusting of icing sugar

3. Mini Mince Pies by Michel Roux Jr

Prep/cook time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

What you will need:

360g ready-made pastry (preferably a rich and crumbly pastry like pâte sablée)

Egg-wash (1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tbsp milk)

60g caster sugar

225g sultanas

450g raisins

450g currants

450g beef fat, finely minced, or suet

1 large cooking apple, peeled, cored and grated

100g glace fruits (cherries, orange and angelica), finely chopped

350g brown sugar

1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1 tsp freshly grated mace

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp ground cinnamon

50ml Cognac or rum

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

What you need to do:

For the mincemeat, rinse the dried fruit, dry thoroughly and roughly chop the sultanas and raisins. Put the beef fat or suet in a very large bowl, and then add the dried fruit and all the other ingredients in the order listed, mixing with a spatula until well combined.

Cover with cling film and leave to macerate in a cool larder or the vegetable drawer of the fridge for 24 hours. Pack the mincemeat into sterilised preserving or Kilner jars. Make sure there are no air pockets by pushing the mixture hard into the bottom of the jars and filing them to the brim. Cover each with a waxed paper disc and seal the jars with the clip. Store them in a larder or the vegetable drawer of the fridge.

To make the mince pies, roll out the pastry to a 2mm thickness and use 6cm and 4.5cm pastry cutters to cut out 48 discs of each size. Line 48 lightly greased 4.5cm diameter (1cm deep) mini tartlet tins with the larger discs, prick the bases and fill with mincemeat. Lightly brush the borders of the smaller discs with cold water and place them on top of the filled mince pies. Press the edges gently to ensure that the lids are sealed to the pastry cases. Leave to rest in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC/Gas Mark 4. Brush the pastry with egg-wash and bake the pies for about ten minutes until pale golden brown. Sprinkle with the caster sugar and return to the oven for one minute to glaze. Immediately unmould the pies before they cool in the tin, and place on a wire rack. Serve warm, with a glass of sherry or a cup of coffee.

Top tip: The mincemeat needs to macerate for at least 2 weeks before using, so make it well in advance. Make the little mince pies just a few days before Christmas and keep in a dry place. Allow three per person, as each one is only a delicious mouthful.

Bethany Stone