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nats
Joined: 12 Jun 2007
Posts: 795
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 Posted: Tue Dec 09, 08 7:50 pm Post subject: |
 
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| James wrote: |
| nettie wrote: |
| Shortcrust pastry here too...i have no pie tins so just cut circles in the pastry and make half moons |
I also do this. much easier & quicker to make. My wife prefers them to standard mince pies...probably becuase there's less pastry & more filling! |
Now that's an idea...
going to try lard I think, and a higher fat portion to get it shorter, and roll it thinner (I've always used it on the thick side). I normally get the children to help with the cutting out, and aged 5 and 3 they like doing circles but they like stars better so we get star shaped lids! I'll probably try a combination, depending on how time moves on... |
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lottie
Joined: 11 Aug 2005
Posts: 3973
Location: ceredigion
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| Posted: Tue Dec 09, 08 8:26 pm Post subject: |
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My mum always uses all lard for her pastry--I'm not mad on the texture---I use all butter in a pate sucre type pastry for mince pies but last year at the W.I. carol service a very much older member [86]made mincepies with rough puff rather than puff and they were easily the best of the hundreds baked for the after service snacks   |
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Tristan
Joined: 29 Dec 2004
Posts: 375
Location: Hampshire
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| Posted: Tue Dec 09, 08 10:44 pm Post subject: |
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If you can get it, a veg fat called Trex works well in place of lard.
My favourite is 8oz soft flour
2oz caster sugar
Pinch salt
5oz margarine
1 egg
Cream the egg and sugar, add marg and mix quickly, add flour and salt slowly, mix until smooth.
Be sure to rest this pastry in a cool place for about half an hour before rolling it out. It's worth adding orange zest and brandy to the mincemeat for a better flavour. |
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James
Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 2667
Location: York
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| Posted: Wed Dec 10, 08 9:36 am Post subject: |
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Trex or similar (Crisp n' Dry block), combined with butter/ marg makes very good pastry (the best shortcrust, imho), but (rightous eco-warrior warning), its palm-oil based, so it's really rather bad for tropical rainforest eco-systems and (imo) should be avoided if possible. Lard had almost identical properties, its cheaper and isnt produced on the other side of the world.
I make shortcrust with whatever I have lying around- all butter or all marg, or half/half with lard. I'd never use pure lard for mincepies. I find the key is to work quickly and keep everythig cold. Use a food processor, very cold water & fat, and chill the pastry for 30 mins before using. This rest allows the grains to glutinize, which makes the pastry much easier to work. Before working the pastry, I chill my hands in bowl of very cold water.
I've recently been experimenting with frozen lard and strong white flour to make Cornish Pasty pastry- similar to the rough pastry that lottie mentioned, but more stretchy. Very nice indeed for savoury pies. |
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Mrs Fiddlesticks
Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 10460
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| Posted: Wed Dec 10, 08 10:06 am Post subject: |
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I always put an egg in my pastry instead of (or as well as depending on quantity) water. Helps colour wise.
Lids should be loose so that when reheated a sliver of rum butter can be slid underneath whilst warm..
Mince pies are on my To Do list for today  |
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