I've been waiting for this weekend for months and months and months! My parents arrive at some point on Saturday and then...the festivities begin!! In preparation for the big arrival I planned on making some luxurious mince pies...how better to welcome my parents to Christmas in Edinburgh than with fresh homemade mince pies.
I've never made mince pies...I've never made mincemeat, either...David's not a fan and I'm quite partial to the M&S Classic pies anyway.
A few weeks ago the fabulous Hilary over at My Monkfish posted an incredible looking recipe for mince pies...with a twist!! It was the twist that got me drooling (that and the WI seal of approval)...a little dollop of cream cheese under the lid!
Now...I think I need to insert a DISCLAIMER here...despite the disastrous escapade that ensued Friday night and the tears and flour throwing that inevitably occurred...these are HANDS DOWN the best pies I've tasted and EVEN DAVID LIKES THEM (which is saying a lot since previously he has insisted that I buy mini apple pies for him instead of mince pies).
Because David and I were barely home over the last week we agreed to a cleaning party on Friday night to prepare the flat for my parents' arrival...and Christmas...so I thought, I don't really have the time to make my own pastry and since these luxurious mince pies call for luxurious store bought mincemeat I thought surely I could use shop bought pastry...mistake number one...I was so so so upset with the way that everything turned out.
Wasted 1/2 a jar of mincemeat, 1/2 the batch of cream cheese...all the pastry...so out came the cold butter, out came the flour, out came the caster sugar and in went my WAY TOO HOT hands...and I got on with making my own flipping pastry...Mymonkfish's recipe uses orange rind and orange juice to make the dough (which I didn't have) so I added a cap full of almond extract...and...while the assembly leaves much to be desired...the taste is INCREDIBLE!
After moaning on twitter my spirits were lifted by the lovely Jac over at Tinned Tomatoes, thank you Jac! Rustic-looking surely is so much more welcoming than pristine Michelin Star Mince Pies!!!
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They look pretty wonderful to me and I am loving the sound of that cream cheese. Have a great time with your parents ;0)
ReplyDeleteI confess I've never tasted a mincemeat pie, but yours looks amazing, I have to check out the recipe, if only for the crust! Enjoy your holidays Victoria!
ReplyDeleteWell, I think they look really appetising. I don't know what all the worry was about, tee hee! Thanks for the lovely mention xx
ReplyDeletewell I think they look pretty damn good... perfection is a fools game and if they tasted good then what does it matter!
ReplyDeleteWell done for not giving up with those mince pies. Being a perfectionist as you seem to be i think maybe you were a little hard on yourself. They look lovely to me.....xx
ReplyDeleteOhhh, cream cheese? That does sound the most delicious of twists! Have a lovely festive time with your family
ReplyDeleteThe pastry looks great. Perfection always looks shop bought, homemade always tastes so much better!! Have a wonderful Christmas!
ReplyDeleteThey do look lovely, the cream cheese and orange do spind like an interesting twist. I always think it's the taste that really matters and I'm sure your parents were delighted.
ReplyDeleteHey Victoria I gave you an an award today---check it out on my blog! Have a great week.
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