Buttery, flaky pastry and juicy mincemeat topped with a melt-in-the mouth biscuit spiral – thee deep-filled pies are a fantastic luxury twist on a classic.
Step 1For the pastry, in a food processor pulse the flour, icing sugar, butter and a pinch of fine salt until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Alternatively rub the butter into the flour mixture using your fingertips. Add the egg yolk and 1/2tbsp ice-cold water and pulse or mix with a cutlery knife until the pastry starts to clumps together.
Step 2Tip out on to a work surface, bring together into a disc, wrap and chill for 1hr (up to 24hr).
Step 3Dust a work surface with flour and roll out pastry to 3mm thick. Using a 9cm round cutter, stamp out 12 rounds, rerolling trimmings as needed. Press the rounds into the holes of a muffin tin, then spoon the mincemeat into the pastry cases.
Step 4For the Viennese whirl, In a medium bowl using a handheld electric whisk, beat the butter until pale and moussey (it needs to be very soft). Sift in the icing sugar, flour and cornflour and beat to make a soft paste (it will take a while to come together). Scrape into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm star nozzle.
Step 5Pipe the Viennese whirl mixture on to the mince pies in a spiral, starting from the outside and working in. Chill for 30min to firm up.
Step 6Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C) mark 5. Bake the mince pies for 25min, or until the biscuit top is pale golden. Allow to cool in tin for 10min. With the help of a small spatula or cutlery knife, carefully transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.
Step 7Lightly dust with icing sugar and serve just warm or at room temperature.
TO STORE:
Once cool, keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To serve warm, reheat on a baking tray in an oven preheated to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4 for 5-7min.
FREEZE AHEAD:
Prepare to end of step 5 (no need to chill). Freeze until solid. Transfer the mince pies to an airtight container, with baking parchment in between layers. Alternatively wrap in the tin in a few layers of clingfilm. To serve, return to a muffin in (if needed) and bake from frozen in an oven preheated to 180°C (160°C) mark 4 for 30min.
A crack team of highly skilled food content producers, the GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurstis our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time.
