Christmas At Our House - Part 1 of 3

The last 3 days before Christmas...

... are filled with the kind of cooking you do only once a year. 

Today, I made mini mince pies. It is one of my husband's favorite Christmas treats. His mother taught me how to make them years ago. 

You start with a basic pie crust recipe:

2 cups of organic flour

2/3 cups + 2 Tablespoons of unsalted butter (I use half unsalted organic butter & half organic Earth Balance)

1/2 teaspoon of salt

Enough ice water to hold the dough together in a ball.

Mix the dry ingredients, cut in the shortening, add the water & form it into a ball. Handle it as little as possible. Roll it out on a floured pastry board.

Cut out a variety of shapes (2 of each) or just cut circles using a kitchen glass.

Roll out a nice, thin crust, but be careful not to handle the dough too much or it will be tough.

Fill with a rounded teaspoon of mincemeat filling.

I also cut a small vent hole in the top of the upper crust piece.

Moisten the edges with ice water... 

... and place a 2nd shape of dough on top. Seal the edge with a fork.

 

If you didn't cut out a tiny vent hole in the top crust with a mini cookie cutter, vent the top crust by making a cross with a knife. 

Sprinkle with organic sugar...  and bake @ 350 degrees until the edges are light brown.  Cool.

 ... and bake @ 350 degrees until the edges are light brown.  

Cool.

This favorite English Christmas dessert if the first part of my 3-part Christmas dessert cooking series. 

Stop by tomorrow for part 2.