The Hobbit An Unexpected Party Mince Pies
Try this The Hobbit An Unexpected Party Mince Pies recipe, or contribute your own
Try this The Hobbit An Unexpected Party Mince Pies recipe, or contribute your own
- Carbohydrate 0.0108016666666667 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.000543333333333333 g
- Fiber 0.00441666666666667 g
- Protein 0.001825 g
- Saturated Fat 0.000163333333333333 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (115g)
- Sodium 0.00733333333333333 mg
- Sugar 0.006385 g
- Trans Fat 2.33333333333333E-05 g
- Calories 0 calories
Step-by-step
- Sift together flour and salt, before cutting cold butter into the flour.
- Mix the flour and butter together until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Then add cold water, drop by drop, and mix until a dry dough is formed.
- If you make it too wet, add more flour.
- Roll out the dough thinly and use to line pie shells.
- Leave ¼ of the dough to roll out and cut out circles as pie covers.
- Spoon in mince mixture, lay pie cover over and pinch edges.
- Using a skewer, punch 3 or 4 holes into the top.
- Bake at 150oC for ~20 minutes or until pastry is golden.
The Role of Cold Butter in Flaky Pastry
Cold butter does the heavy lifting in any shortcrust pastry by creating discrete pockets of fat that melt during baking to produce steam and flaky layers. Working with 115 grams of chilled dairy requires deliberate speed so that ambient kitchen warmth does not soften the solids before they reach the oven. Incorporating the salt and flour thoroughly before cutting the fat ensures even distribution throughout the dough. Add water strictly by droplets to prevent the gluten network from developing too much chew.
Freezing and Make-Ahead Strategies
Pies built on standard butter pastry freeze exceptionally well when assembled unbaked on a sheet pan and transferred to an airtight container for up to three months. Moving frozen pastries directly into a preheated 150 degrees Celsius oven preserves the structural integrity of the butter layers rather than letting them slump at room temperature. Because moisture expansion behaves predictably in solid fats, unbaked frozen shells actually yield a flakier crumb structure than freshly rolled dough that has rested too long on the counter. Always remember to pierce the top crust before baking to allow trapped steam to escape safely.
Judging Doneness Visually
Determining when small pastry items finish baking relies entirely on visual and textural indicators rather than internal temperature probes. Watch for the edges to turn a rich, uniform golden brown while the surface loses its raw flour sheen. If the butter begins pooling excessively on the baking sheet, the oven temperature is likely too low and needs adjustment. Allow the hot pies to rest in their tins for five minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to firm up.
