Mince pies don’t have to be complicated to make from scratch, in fact, they can be whipped up from just five ingredients and the help of an air fryer.
Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, baking expert Candice Bannister of Candy’s Cupcakes said: “Mince pies are the go-to bake of the season and a lot of people assume they are complicated to make, which is not true!
“They require minimal ingredients and the main part of the recipe is creating the pastry, so if you’ve ever done this before, it will be very easy.
“We love a drizzle of melted chocolate or Biscoff to the top but some sugar or cinnamon is just as good.”
While they can be cooked in the oven, those with an air fryer can make use of the energy-efficient appliance for ease.
READ MORE: Storage method for mince pies helps them stay fresh for weeks
Ingredients
- 225g mincemeat (store-bought or homemade)
- Melted chocolate (chocolate of choice, measure from the heart!)
For the Pastry:
- 225g all-purpose flour
- 115g unsalted butter (cold and cubed)
- Two to three tablespoons of cold water
- A pinch of salt
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Instructions
Combine the flour and salt, then add the cold butter and rub it into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.
Slowly add cold water, mixing until the dough comes together, then start to form it into one large ball.
Wrap it up in clingfilm to rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes or until it becomes firmer.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough and cut out circles for the pie bases, then re-roll the pastry out and portion out the smaller circular lids.
Spoon a small amount of mincemeat filling into each pastry base and top each pie with the smaller circles, pressing the edges together to seal each one together.
Arrange carefully in the fryer basket leaving some space between each one, then leave them to cook for about 10-12 minutes or until the pastry turns golden brown.
Allow to cool and drizzle over the melted chocolate of choice, which in terms of measurements, Candice suggested measuring “to your heart’s content”.
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