BAKING,  DESSERTS

Holiday Baking| Christmas Fruit Mince Pies …

“Marge, it’s 3 AM. Shouldn’t you be baking?”
Homer Simpson

Christmas Mince PiesDid you make your own fruit mincemeat this year? I just about did, and far too late in the month IMHO. I procrastinated forever; then noticed it was the 18th of December and hit the panic button. It was now or never since it needs a few days to soak the fruit. I eventually got it done, also getting distracted along the way …  and suddenly, it was time for a batch of Christmas Fruit Mince Pies!Fruitmince sans suetChristmas Mince PiesDay 3 yesterday and the soaked fruit was looking plump, good and shiny. I should have waited to turn the whole batch into my Garam Masala Christmas Cake, but I couldn’t resist making some little mince pies! {I write this post as my fruit cakes finally bake in the oven!}Baking goodiesChristmas Mince PiesMy sister sent me a load of baking goodies with the BIL who flew in from the US, much like Santa who got here before time. Petit tins of all sizes, something that I love, vanilla beans, sprinkles, a dessert cookie baking tray, a Lindzer cookie cutter, a ‘sack‘ of baking chocolate chips … loads more!Christmas Mince PiesDespite telling her that I hardly bake ‘fancy‘ {read tedious} cookies any more, I pulled out the Lindzer set to make a batch of Toasted Walnut Linzer Cookies with Strawberry Filling. Typically, my mind wandered in the opposite direction, and  I whizzed some pâte sucrée in the Thermomix. Soon the dough was being rolled and the Lindzer cookie cutters were being used to make toppings for petit fruitmince pies!Christmas Mince PiesChristmas Mince PiesIts dangerous to have a big bowl of fruit soaking on the counter. Hungry mouths on the prowl get attracted to it, so I hid it … but couldn’t get it it out of my head! Yesterday I figured I could nick some for a before Christmas cake treat. These little pies are fun to make; quick too. I love using the snowflake cutters sweet Nic @ Cherrapeno gave me … so festive!Christmas Mince PiesChristmas Mince Pies Use your favourite pâte sucrée / sweet pastry dough or use the one below. This works a classic 2:1 ratio of flour and butter. As with pie/pastry dough, keep handling/kneading to an absolute minimum. That way you’ll have a nice light, crisp pastry once baked. If you like, you can add some apple to the filling, like Alli did in her Christmas Chocolate & Fruit Mince Pies. Nice!!Christmas Mince Pies

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deeba
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About me: I am a freelance food writer, recipe developer and photographer. Food is my passion - baking, cooking, developing recipes, making recipes healthier, using fresh seasonal produce and local products, keeping a check on my carbon footprint and being a responsible foodie! I enjoy food styling, food photography, recipe development and product reviews. I express this through my food photographs which I style and the recipes I blog. My strength lies in 'Doing Food From Scratch'; it must taste as good as it looks, and be healthy too. Baking in India, often my biggest challenge is the non-availability of baking ingredients, and this has now become a platform to get creative on. I enjoy cooking immensely as well.

21 Comments

    • John Robbins

      Tried this recipie myself – taking a few days off – brilliant I love them and they taste a lot better than they look – fantastic Christmas treat for me and back to the Gymn in January!!

  • Nisha

    Wow, so many lovely patterns & so many ideas for it! The pies look great.
    And great collection of bakeware! *thinking when will I own so many* 🙂

  • Helene

    I love your gifts and can’t wait to see what you are going to bake in 2012. These pies are beautiful. Merry Christmas!

  • Suma

    Extremely festive and tempting looking pies, the snowflake cut -outs look the festive-est!! I procrastinated and procrastinated, finally made a fruit cake which was not meant to be – power cut when the cake was baking 🙁

    Whoa!! Look at all those baking goodies, and bang in the season of baking, have fun!!

  • Miri

    I soaked two batches this year becsuse I have family viisiting this year as well as friends for new Year – the mincemeat soaking is irresisitible! Made my Christmas Cake and some yumm Biscotti yesterday and will make another one next week for New Year’s Eve.

    Your pastry looks perfect!

  • Gayatri

    What lovely mince pies! Reminds me so much of Christmas in England. I was craving M&S mince pies when I thought, lets just satiate the apetite with photographs of lovely minces!

    And here you are 🙂

    Not possible to buy some off you, is it, eh? 😀

    Oh well, I guess I’ll just have to make do with Gluhwein.

    Happy Christmas!

    —————————
    Gayatri Kumar
    Look who’s Wearing (LwW)

  • Sanjeeta kk

    A true Santa she is, Deeba! And am sure you can’t get more richer than this what with the wonderful treasure of these tiny baking gadgets.
    Love the star shaped crust and everything about these pies..perfect for any festive gift.

  • jehanne@thecookingdoctor

    ooh, just love those mince pies..I could gobble a dozen of them in a sitting! you know what, you’ve inspired me to get a Thermomix now, seeing that things get done in secs, just what I need! Merry Jolly Xmas, Deeba and family, hope a fab new year is ahead for you:-)

  • shaz

    Happy holidays Deeba! What a lot of baking goodies, lucky you 🙂 And the mince pies look gorgeous. Didn’t get around to baking any this year so I’ll just enjoy looking at yours.

  • Rituparna

    Look at those beauties. When I say that picture of baked goodies I actually thought it’s Christmas & new year & your doing a giveaway.
    Lucky you, Sisters & chocolates make life fulfilling ….

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