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To make mince pies the best way
To make mince pies the best way is a traditional British recipe, based on Hannah Glasse's recipe of 1747, for a classic method of making mincemeat by boiling together suet, fruit, sugar, spices, brandy and sack before preserving and then using as the base for large mince pies, small mince patties (the fore-runners of modern mince pies and meat-based mince pies). The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: To make mince pies the best way.
prep time
20 minutes
cook time
75 minutes
Total Time:
95 minutes
Makes:
12
Rating: 
Tags : Spice RecipesBaking RecipesBritish Recipes
This is a traditional British recipe redacted from Hannah Glasse's 1747 volume
The Aft of Cookery Made Plain and Easy, the classic Georgian cookbook.
Original Recipe
To make mince pies the beſt way.
TAKE three pounds of ſuet ſhred very fine, and chopped as ſmall as poſſible, two pounds of raiſins ſtoned, and chopped as fine as poſſible, two pounds of currants nicely picked, waſhed, rubbed, and dried at the fire. half a hundred of fine pippins, pared, cored, and chopped ſmall, half a pound of fine ſugar pounded fine, a quarter of an ounce of mace, a quarter of an ounce of cloves, two large nutmegs ; all beat fine, put all together into a great pan, and mix it well together with half a pint of brandy, and half a pint of ſack ; put it down cloſe in a ſtone-pot, and it will keep good for months. When you make your pies, take a little diſh, ſomething better than a ſoup-plate, lay a very thin cruſt all over it, lay a thin layer of meat, and then a thin layer of orange-peel cut thin, over that a little meat, ſqueeze half the juice of a fine Seville orange or lemon, and pour in three ſpoonfuls of red wine ; lay on your cruſt, and bake it nicely. Theſe pies eat finely cold. If you make them in little patties, mix your meat and ſweet-meats accordingly. If you chuſe meat in your pies, parboil a neat's tongue, peel it, and chop the meat as fine as poſſible, and mix with the reſt ; or two pounds of the inſide of a ſurloin of beef boiled.
Modern Redaction
Here you have a recipe for a classic mincemeat which, as a blend of fruit, suet, sugar, spices and brandy is very similar to modern mincemeats. Also given are three recipes for how to use the mincemeat. In large pies (which my mother still makes), in little patties, mixed with sweetmeats (essentially the fore-runner of modern-day mice pies) and also in a mixture with meat (a recipe that hearkens back to Medieval mince pyes).
Method:
Combine the suet, raisins, currants, apple pieces, sugar and spices in a large pan. Stir together well then add the brandy and sack. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the fruit are plump and soft.
Take off the heat and pack into jars that have been sterilized and warmed in the oven. Secure a lid and store in a cool, dark, place until needed.
To use, line a pie plate with shortcrust pastry, add a layer of the mincemeat mixture mad above, add a layer of thinly-pared orange zest that's been finely shredded then add a second layer of mincemeat on top. Moisten with the juice of half an orange and three tablespoons of red wine.
Cover the pie with a crust, crimp in place then use the tines of a fork to make steam holes. Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 180°C and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the filling piping hot. Either serve hot with custard or cream or allow to cool and serve at tea-time.
For making patties, cut out rounds of shortcrust pastry about 6cm in diameter. Mix your mincemeat with ??? sweetmeats ???. Place about a tablespoon of the mixture in the centre of one of the pastry rounds then cover with a second pastry round. Crimp the edges, prick the top with a fork to make steam holes then transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining filling and pastry.
Once done, transfer to an oven pre-heated to 180°C and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the filling is hot. Serve warm (these are, essentially, the fore-runners of modern-day mince pies.
For a meat-based pie take about 300g of minced meat (either boiled beef sirloin or boiled beef tongue that's finely chopped and mixed with 200g of the mincemeat. Use this as the filling for a large pie and bake as in the first example given above.
Find more Hannah Glasse Recipes Hereand more Traditional Georgian Recipes Here.
Find more Christmas Recipes Here
