Description
A festive recipe for traditional Frangipane Mince Pies featuring a buttery pastry crust, rich fruit mincemeat filling, and a creamy almond frangipane topping. Perfect for holiday celebrations, these pies are baked to golden perfection and can be enjoyed warm or cold.
Ingredients
Scale
All Butter Pastry
- 220 g plain flour (all-purpose)
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 115 g unsalted butter
- 60 ml ice cold water
Fruit Filling
- 350 g mincemeat (fruit filling)
Almond Cream (Frangipane) Topping
- 1 zest of orange
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 115 g unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs
- 100 g ground almonds (almond meal)
- 20 g plain flour (all-purpose)
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 30 g flaked almonds
- 1 tablespoon powdered icing sugar
Instructions
- Make the Pastry: Rub the butter into the flour. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add cubed unsalted butter and toss to coat. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles large peas.
- Add Water and Form Dough: Gradually add ice cold water, a little at a time, gently tossing the mixture with your fingertips until the dough starts to come together when pressed.
- Chill the Dough: Gently squeeze the dough in the bowl to form a disc. Wrap it well in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up.
- Prepare Pastry Cases: Remove the dough from the fridge and allow it to rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes to soften slightly. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about ¼ inch thickness. Using a 9 cm (3.5 inch) cookie cutter, cut out rounds.
- Fill Cupcake Tray: Preheat oven to 180C (350F). Lightly flour a cupcake tray and press each dough round into the holes, shaping to fit the base and sides.
- Add Fruit Filling: Spoon 2 tablespoons of mincemeat fruit filling into each pastry case.
- Make the Frangipane Filling: Rub the orange zest into the granulated sugar to infuse flavor. Beat the butter and orange sugar together with electric beaters until pale and creamy. Lightly whisk the eggs and add to the butter mixture, beating for about a minute even if it looks curdled.
- Add Dry Ingredients to Frangipane: Stir in ground almonds, plain flour, and salt; beat until the mixture is thick and creamy.
- Top the Pies: Fill a zip-lock or piping bag with the frangipane mixture and pipe or spoon it over the mincemeat filling in each pastry case. Sprinkle flaked almonds on top.
- Bake the Pies: Cover the cupcake pan with an aluminum foil tent and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil tent and continue baking for another 15 minutes or until the pastry and almond cream topping are golden brown.
- Cool and Serve: Let the pies cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Dust with powdered icing sugar. Serve warm or cold, plain or with custard, cream, or ice cream.
Notes
- Refer to step-by-step photos on the blog for visual guidance throughout the process.
- Store pies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- Pies can be frozen for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and re-crisp in a 180C (350F) oven for 10 minutes before serving.
- Use cold butter for the pastry dough to ensure flakiness.
- Avoid overworking the dough to prevent tough pastry.
- Customize the mincemeat filling with your favorite flavors for a personal touch.
- If the frangipane looks curdled after adding eggs, continue beating; it will come together once almonds and flour are added.
- Tent the cupcake pan with foil during the initial baking to prevent over-browning.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pie
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
