I am so late making mine this year!
Its the thing that marks the beginning of the autumn season in our house. The wonderful aroma that fills the house from the fresh fruit and spices lasts all day and is just heavenly!
I like to make it around the end of September. Well I say I like to make it the end of September but every year I seem to get later. I finally got round to making it last week. I use Delia’s six pound recipe and find that I usually have a small jar left that gets turned into pies around July… such a treat!
I like to use wild apples for the mincemeat and I pick them the same day as I use them to make sure they are as fresh as possible. I just feel it makes the mincemeat that bit more special and of course they are free! I make it with vegetable suet as my son is a vegetarian.
For the pastry I always use the self raising/all butter recipe. I know its not the traditional way but its how we like them. I hate the rolling out as the dough easily falls to pieces and has to be treated gently but it is so worth it. They also freeze really well, although I have to hide them in our house as they don’t last very long.
I am hoping to eat them warm and drenched in caster sugar whilst cuddling my new grandson. He is due on Christmas eve so we should have a few left….
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November 16, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Jules
I’m planning to make mine next weekend. I use Nigella’s suet free mincemeat and it always goes down well.
I like the sound of your all butter pastry recipe.
November 16, 2008 at 11:18 pm
shirleyuk
Hi Jules. I’ve never tried Nigella’s mincemeat. I suppose when you find something that you love, you tend to stick to it. Besides, up until recently Delia was my cooking goddess but we all know how that story ends….
The pastry I use is all butter so it makes for quite a ‘short’ texture. It is really lovely but so difficult to roll out. It is not pliable at all and really sticks to surfaces. I still think its worth it though
I can put the recipe up and some pictures when I start pie making or just give me a shout if you want a peep at the ingredients sooner.