Skip to navigation Skip to content
Print

Waitrose

Zoomer icon

Pear Mince Pies

Back

 
 

Pear Mince Pies

A touch of fragrant cinnamon in the pastry will tempt Santa down any chimney. Ask the kids to make a wish while stirring the mincemeat.

  • Vegetarian
Preparation time:
30 minutes, plus 60 minutes macerating
Cooking time:
20 minutes to 25 minutes
Total time:
2 hours 20 minutes to 2 hours 25 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 25 minutes
Makes:
 24 pies

Ingredients

  • Pastry
  • 350g plain flour
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 75g butter, cubed
  • 75g lard, vegetable shortening or butter, cubed
  • Pear mincemeat
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 3 ripe pears, peeled, cored and chopped into 1cm cubes
  • 50g crystallised ginger, chopped
  • 75g pecans, shelled and chopped
  • 400g dried fruit
  • 50g dark muscovado sugar
  • ½ tsp ground mixed spice
  • 1 lemon, finely grated zest
  • 3 tbsp Poire William, brandy or apple juice
  • 1 medium egg yolk, with 1 tbsp water

Method

  1. If using a food processor, pulse the flour a couple of times, then add the sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add the fats and pulse till it looks like fine breadcrumbs. Trickle in 2–3 tbsp ice-cold water while pulsing, to bind. If making by hand, rub the fats into the flour, salt, sugar and cinnamon until they resemble breadcrumbs; add 3–4 tbsp water, then, using a knife, shape into a ball. Form into a disc, wrap in clingfilm and rest in a fridge for 30 minutes.
  2. Mix the mincemeat ingredients well in a bowl and set aside for 30–60 minutes before using. Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 4. Roll the pastry on a cool, lightly floured surface. With a 7–8cm cutter, cut 24 rounds and lay in 2 x 12-hole muffin tins. Cut the remaining pastry into 1cm-wide strips or stamp out stars and leaves. Fill each pie with 1 rounded tsp fruit mix and lay the pastry strips (in crosses) or shapes on each one. Trim the excess and brush with egg wash before baking for 20–25 mins. When cool, dust with icing sugar.

Comments and images

Average user rating 4 stars out of 5

Add your comment and share your thoughts and pictures with others.

No comments have yet been made

Add comment/image

Delete comment

Are you sure you want to delete this comment?

Cancel

4 stars out of 5

Average user rating Based on 9 ratings

Thank you for rating this recipe. If you'd like to comment further on this recipe you can do so in the Customer comment & images section on the bottom of the page.

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

Click to rate this recipe

Nutritional Info

Typical values per serving:
Energy 215.0kcal
Sugars 19.2g
Fat 8.9g
Saturated Fat 3.4g
Salt 0.1g

Click here for more information about health and nutrition


This recipe was first published on Waitrose.com in December 2006