The Fastest Mince Pies Ever

10 minutes - 12 minutes

Makes 28.

This recipe is from Delia's Christmas Easy Magazine December 1983

Until you actually make these you’ll never appreciate just how easy and fast they are.

You can freeze them and re-heat in a hot oven straight from the freezer. See end of method.

The Delia Online Cookery School: Another Christmas recipe is Stollen - watch it being made in our video here.

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Method

Begin by unrolling the packet of pastry, leaving it on the Cellophane, then just cut out 28 x 2 inch (5 cm) discs and arrange them on the baking tray.

Next, using the 1½ in (4 cm) cutter, press this into the centre of each disc, making an incision to just three-quarters of the way into the pastry (but be careful not to go right through). Now brush the edge of each disc with a little milk, then pile about a teaspoonful of mincemeat into the centre of each disc. Arrange 3 almonds on half the mince pies and 3 cranberries on the rest, then dust the nuts and cranberries with a little caster sugar.

Bake the mince pies on a high shelf of the oven for 10-12 minutes or till golden, then remove them to a wire cooling tray. Serve warm, dusted with icing sugar.

Note: If freezing the pies, allow them to cool, then transfer to a plastic freezer box (layered with baking parchment).

To re-heat, cook from frozen in an oven pre-heated to gas mark 7, 425°F (220°C) for 4-5 minutes. Then dust with icing sugar.