Perfect Pastry for Mince-pies

Today I’m adding a new section to the website: Family Friendly Recipes! We’ve been doing loads of baking at home to try and reduce our use of pre-packaged additive and preservative laden goods. Whilst I am the only vegan in the house, I’ve discovered that by carefully selecting my ingredients, I can make delicious goodies that everyone loves…without realising they are vegan! 😀

Whilst I don’t generally eat refined sugar, white flour or butter (vegetable spread), I’ve realised that these are great for passing off vegan alternatives as standard baked goods! Woohoo! They taste amazing and nobody knows they’re vegan (and I’m not telling them)! 😛

I have several recipes to add, including cinnamon pretzels, rock cakes, fluffy scones, welsh cakes, shortbread and this amazing melt-in-the-mouth pastry which is the perfect casing for these mince pies!

Any ‘dairy free’ spread will do and we have used all of the following with great results.

Vitalite                               Pure Sunflower            Flora Dairy Free           Stork packet

Our preference however is Vitalite (not sponsored just we love this one) and it’s fairly readily available and it’s been around for so long that they know what they’re doing! Who remembers this… 😛 (apologising for the quality! It’s an old advert!)

Anyway, back to the recipe! This is a very buttery flaky pastry and it doesn’t need any liquid adding, nor chilling time, nor rolling! 😀 Yes indeed! This is so easy to make and tastes so amazing! Don’t be tempted to add liquid and although you could try rolling if you were trying to make these perfectly shaped! these are supposed to be quick and easy to whip up! Believe me these are good! We’ve also used the pastry for jam tarts (when we’d made so many mince pies we’d used up all three jars of mincemeat) and a berry tart with a crumble topping! 😀 You can of course use store bought mincemeat, use your own favourite recipe, or make this totally delicious less sugary mincemeat version.

Check out the recipe below and don’t forget that we love chatting with you, so don’t be afraid to write in the comments below!   Suggest a recipe you’d like to see, or topic you’d like covered, ask a question or just say hello!  As always, remember that if you do have a go at making this or any of our recipes, please share your photos using the hashtag #LifeDietHealth or tag us @LifeDietHealth on instagram. If you’re not following us everywhere why not!? Have a look and see what we’re up to on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook! We’d love you to join us! Don’t forget to subscribe here as well so you get your free weekly recipe straight to your inbox! 🙂 

Speak soon!

Laurena x

Print

Perfect Pastry

10 mins

15 mins

Time

25 mins

 

Perfect buttery flaky pastry perfect for mince pies. Easy and quick no chill, no roll recipe.

Keyword: pastry

Created by:: Laurena @LifeDietHealth

Gather

• 340 g plain flour gluten free if required
• 220 g butter
• 40 g coconut sugar
• 60 g granulated sugar
• 1/2 jar mincemeat of choice
• 2 tablespoons milk for glazing

Prepare

1. Put the flour in a large bowl and rub the butter in using your fingertips (if you're wearing rings you might want to take them off)! Continue until you have a mix resembling breadcrumbs.

2. Add both the sugars and mix through thoroughly.

3. Gently start to squeeze the mixture together and gradually it will form into a cohesive dough. Once you have a ball of pastry wash your hands and prepare your tins. (I grease them and dust with flour).

4. Divide your dough into two pieces, 1 larger than the other (1/3 and 2/3). Divide the larger piece in half, then half again. Each piece should make around 3-4 bases. Pull of a piece, roll it into a ball them squash it between your palms until you have a rough round less than half a cm thick. Gently put this in the tin and repeat with the remaining dough.

5. Put a spoonful of mincemeat on your base (fill all of them). Divide the other piece of dough as before and this time make a smaller round for the lid. Using the tines of a fork, make three sets of holes in lid before placing it over the mincemeat. Gently press the edges to seal with your fingertips (no water required). Repeat until all the pies are topped.

6. Brush each lid with milk (you can also use your fingers if you don't have a pastry brush). Then bake on the middle shelf at Gas Mark 6 (400f / 200c) for 15-17 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a couple of minutes before carefully removing from the tin. Cool on a wire rack.

7. Enjoy!

Tips & Storage

• Sprinkle with icing sugar or coconut sugar whilst still warm.
• Eat warm as they are or allow to cool.
• Add some cream, custard or ice-cream.
• Use the pastry for other sweet pies.
• Make one large pie instead of individual pies.
• Try adding a layer of freshly chopped apple to the mincemeat before baking.
• Vary the amount of mincemeat used and/or change the thickness of the pastry to suit you (may need to adjust cooking times if changing the pastry thickness).
• Store covered for up to three days (if they last that long)!