Dessert

Margaret Fulton's Christmas mince pie recipe

Name: Margaret Fulton's Christmas mince pies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 24 pies
Ingredients: 2 cups (300g) plain flour; ¼ tsp baking powder; 185g unsalted butter, cut in cubes; ¼ cup (55g) caster sugar; 2 egg yolks; 1-2 tbs lemon juice; 1 eggwhite, lightly beaten; Icing sugar, to dust (optional); 170g raisins; 150g currants; 160g sultana; 40g almond; 1 Granny Smith apple, cored, grated; 80g brown sugar; 50g butter, melted; 60ml brandy; 1/4 tsp mixed spice; Zest and juice of 1 orange

1 rating

15m

20m

24 pies

Jump to recipe

by Kate Gibbs

delicious. team

Oct 20, 2001

Nothing says Christmas quite like a big tray of Grandma's fruit mince pies. Food writer Kate Gibbs shares a classic mince pie recipe taught to her by her grandmother, Margaret Fulton. You'll need to start this recipe at least 2 days ahead. Image: Mark Roper from Margaret Fulton’s 12 Days of Christmas.

2 cups (300g) plain flour
¼ tsp baking powder
185g unsalted butter, cut in cubes
¼ cup (55g) caster sugar
2 egg yolks
1-2 tbs lemon juice
1 eggwhite, lightly beaten
Icing sugar, to dust (optional)

Fruit mince

1 cup (170g) raisins
1 cup (150g) currants
1 cup (160g) sultanas
1/4 cup (40g) blanched almonds, coarsely chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, cored, grated
1/2 cup (80g) lightly packed brown sugar
50g butter, melted
1/4 cup (60ml) brandy or rum
1/4 tsp mixed spice
Zest and juice of 1 orange

Method

1.

Place dried fruit and almond in a food processor. Pulse to coarsely chop. Spoon into a bowl and combine with apples, sugar, butter, brandy or rum, spice, orange zest and juice. Cover and chill, stirring daily, for at least 2 days before use (see note).
2.

Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced.
3.

Make pastry by sifting flour with baking powder. Rub in the butter until it resembles breadcrumbs, then stir in sugar. Add yolks with enough lemon juice to make a dough, knead lightly, then cover in plastic wrap and chill 30 minutes.
4.

Roll out the pastry and using a round cookie cutter cut into rounds to fit 24 patty pans. Spoon fruit mince into each. Lightly knead pastry scraps and use a smaller round or star cookie cutter to make pastry rounds or stars to top the pies.
5.

Brush with egg white and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden. Serve warm or cooled, dusted with icing sugar.