Gluten-Free Deep-Filled Mince Pies

by Becky Excell, featured in How To Bake Anything Gluten Free

Published by Quadrille

Introduction

What would Christmas be without mince pies? Fortunately, I never struggle to find gluten-free mince pies in the supermarket, but trust me — you absolutely can’t beat making your own, especially when it comes to pastry. Feel free to use store-bought mincemeat from the supermarket, which speeds up the process massively — just ensure it's gluten-free.

TIP: Chill! Using cold butter and chilling the dough makes your gluten-free pastry stronger and more workable. Making any type of pastry on an incredibly hot day isn’t advisable as the warmer your dough is, the more fragile it will become. However, make sure that, once chilled, you allow your pastry to warm up a bit before rolling, otherwise it can be very hard to work with.

As featured in

How To Bake Anything Gluten Free

Image of Becky Excell's Deep-Filled Mince Pies — Photo by Hannah Rose Hughes

Ingredients

Makes: 12

Metric Cups

FOR THE GLUTEN-FREE SHORTCRUST PASTRY

300 grams gluten-free plain flour
1½ teaspoons xanthan gum
145 grams very cold butter (cut into 1cm (½in) cubes)
3 tablespoons caster sugar
2 large eggs (beaten)
butter or oil, for greasing

FOR THE MINCEMEAT FILLING

200 grams raisins
150 grams currants
150 grams candied mixed peel
150 grams gluten-free vegetable suet/shortening
200 grams dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground mixed spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemons
Grated zest and juice of 1 oranges
1 cooking apple such as Bramley (cored, peeled and finely chopped)
50 millilitres brandy (optional)

FOR THE PIES

butter, or oil for greasing
1 medium egg (beaten)
caster sugar (for sprinkling)

FOR THE GLUTEN-FREE SHORTCRUST PASTRY

2¼ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons xanthan gum
⅔ cup very cold butter (cut into 1cm (½in) cubes)
3 tablespoons superfine sugar
2 large eggs (beaten)
butter or oil, for greasing

FOR THE MINCEMEAT FILLING

7 ounces raisins
5 ounces currants
5 ounces candied mixed peel
5 ounces gluten-free vegetable suet/shortening
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemons
Grated zest and juice of 1 oranges
1 apple such as Bramley (cored, peeled and finely chopped)
generous 3 tablespoons brandy (optional)

FOR THE PIES

butter, or oil for greasing
1 medium egg (beaten)
superfine sugar (for sprinkling)

Method

Gluten-Free Deep-Filled Mince Pies is a guest recipe by Becky Excell so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe

ULTIMATE GLUTEN FREE SHORTCRUST PASTRY

In a large mixing bowl, mix together your flour and xanthan gum.
Make sure your butter is really cold; if not, put it in the fridge or freezer until nicely chilled. Add the cubes to the bowl and mix it into the flour. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour to form a breadcrumb-like consistency. Make sure your hands are cool, as we want to avoid the butter getting warm! (You can also achieve the same result by using a food processor to blitz the ingredients together.) Stir in the sugar.
Add your beaten egg and, using a knife, carefully cut it into the mixture until it comes together. It should form a ball and not be crumbly – it will be a little sticky to touch but not unmanageable.
Wrap the dough in cling film (plastic wrap) and leave to chill in the fridge for around 30 minutes before using. You can freeze this pastry for up to 2 months; defrost fully before using.

FOR THE MINCEMEAT FILLING

For the mincemeat, combine all the ingredients except the brandy in a large, lidded ovenproof dish. Cover and leave to soak for at least 12 hours.
Preheat your oven to 100°C fan / 120°C / 250°F. Transfer the mincemeat dish to the oven and cook for 2–3 hours, then give it a good stir and leave to cool. Once completely cooled, give it another good stir, then stir in the brandy, if using.
Preheat your oven to 180°C fan / 200°C / 400°F and lightly grease a 12-hole muffin or cupcake tin (pan). If your chilled pastry dough is quite firm, leaving it out at room temperature ahead of time is definitely advised. Remember not to excessively handle your dough as this will warm it up and make it more fragile.
Place the pastry dough on a large sheet of non-stick baking parchment and roll out to a large rectangle, around 3mm (⅛in) thick. Use a 9cm (3½in) round cookie cutter to cut out 12 circles for the bases of your mince pies. Carefully ease them into the holes of the muffin tin, pressing them in gently.
Spoon around 2 teaspoons of your mincemeat filling into each pastry case, level with the top of the case. Brush the edges of each pastry case with beaten egg.
Re-roll the remaining pastry to a similar thickness as before. Use a 7.5cm (3in) round cookie cutter to cut out 12 lids. Carefully press the lids on top of the filled pastry cases to seal them, then brush the tops of each pie with a little more beaten egg.
Generously sprinkle sugar on top of each mince pie, then, using a sharp knife, cut two small slits in the lid of each.
Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes until the pastry is lovely and golden. Allow to cool before removing from the tin.

ULTIMATE GLUTEN FREE SHORTCRUST PASTRY

In a large mixing bowl, mix together your flour and xanthan gum.
Make sure your butter is really cold; if not, put it in the fridge or freezer until nicely chilled. Add the cubes to the bowl and mix it into the flour. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour to form a breadcrumb-like consistency. Make sure your hands are cool, as we want to avoid the butter getting warm! (You can also achieve the same result by using a food processor to blitz the ingredients together.) Stir in the sugar.
Add your beaten egg and, using a knife, carefully cut it into the mixture until it comes together. It should form a ball and not be crumbly – it will be a little sticky to touch but not unmanageable.
Wrap the dough in cling film (plastic wrap) and leave to chill in the fridge for around 30 minutes before using. You can freeze this pastry for up to 2 months; defrost fully before using.

FOR THE MINCEMEAT FILLING

For the mincemeat, combine all the ingredients except the brandy in a large, lidded ovenproof dish. Cover and leave to soak for at least 12 hours.
Preheat your oven to 100°C fan / 120°C / 250°F. Transfer the mincemeat dish to the oven and cook for 2–3 hours, then give it a good stir and leave to cool. Once completely cooled, give it another good stir, then stir in the brandy, if using.
Preheat your oven to 180°C fan / 200°C / 400°F and lightly grease a 12-hole muffin or cupcake tin (pan). If your chilled pastry dough is quite firm, leaving it out at room temperature ahead of time is definitely advised. Remember not to excessively handle your dough as this will warm it up and make it more fragile.
Place the pastry dough on a large sheet of non-stick baking parchment and roll out to a large rectangle, around 3mm (⅛in) thick. Use a 9cm (3½in) round cookie cutter to cut out 12 circles for the bases of your mince pies. Carefully ease them into the holes of the muffin tin, pressing them in gently.
Spoon around 2 teaspoons of your mincemeat filling into each pastry case, level with the top of the case. Brush the edges of each pastry case with beaten egg.
Re-roll the remaining pastry to a similar thickness as before. Use a 7.5cm (3in) round cookie cutter to cut out 12 lids. Carefully press the lids on top of the filled pastry cases to seal them, then brush the tops of each pie with a little more beaten egg.
Generously sprinkle sugar on top of each mince pie, then, using a sharp knife, cut two small slits in the lid of each.
Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes until the pastry is lovely and golden. Allow to cool before removing from the tin.