Crust for Mince Pies
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a quick oven”. The 400°F (200°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Make the pastry
In a bowl, mix the wheatmeal and oatmeal.
Cut the butter into the flour mixture until crumbly.
Add the cold water and mix into a paste using a knife.
Shape the pies
Roll out the paste thinly on a floured surface.
Cut out circles with a tumbler or biscuit cutter.
Line small patty pans with the circles.
Fill with mincemeat and cover with more paste.
Moisten the edges and press them together.
Bake
Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 15 to 20 minutes.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Butter or vegetable butter
- Cut into the flour to make the pastry crumbly and rich, adding tenderness and flakiness.
- Cold water
- Binds the flour and fat into a paste that holds together when rolled.
- Allinson fine wheatmeal
- Forms the main structure of the pastry dough.
- Medium oatmeal
- Adds a coarser texture and nutty flavour to the pastry.
The step that matters
Add the cold water and mix into a paste using a knife. Cold water keeps the fat in small pieces that melt during baking, producing a tender, flaky crust. Overworking the dough develops gluten and makes it tough.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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