English Mince Pies

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 ½ cups unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 beaten egg
• About 4 to 6 tablespoons cold water
• 2 8-ounce jars mincemeat
• ½ cup brandy

24 pies

Preparation

1. Put the flour in a bowl. Chop the butter and blend it into the flour with the tips of your fingers (or with a pastry blender), adding the salt and sugar until it is like bread crumbs. Add the water gradually and work into a dough, moistening with more water as needed. Put the dough on a floured board and knead with the palm of your hand. Shape into a ball and refrigerate for half an hour.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Roll the pastry out thin and cut in rounds half an inch larger than your cupcake tins. Use a glass or a cutter to cut rounds for the lids. Dust the baking tin with flour, fill each cupcake round with a round of pastry, and fill with mincemeat – not too full or it will boil over during cooking. Press on the lids, crimping the edges together.
4. Brush each pie with a little beaten egg and bake in the oven for eight to 10 minutes.

55 minutes