Apple And Pear Mincemeat Pie

by : Emily Richards

The pastry for this pie can be made up to 3 days ahead or frozen for up to 2 weeks. The filling can be made up to 1 month ahead and used as a filling for 12 individual tarts. The lattice crust exposes the rich dark interior of this famous holiday treasure. Using apples and pears gives you a new fruity flavour to a traditional filling. If you want to make a double crust, roll out pastry to cover filling and cut steam vents in the top.

Pastry

2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour
½ cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
¼ tsp (1 mL ) salt
2/3 cup (150 mL) cold butter, cubed
1 egg
1 egg yolk

Filling
2 tart apples, peeled, cored and diced
2 ripe pears, peeled, cored and diced
1 cup (250 mL) golden raisins
1 cup (250 mL) packed brown sugar
½ cup(125 mL) butter
½ cup (125 mL) currants
½ cup (125 mL) diced candied mixed fruit
2 tsp (10 mL) grated lemon rind
1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice
1 tsp (5 mL) each of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice
½ cup (125 mL) apple or pear juice
¼ cup (50 mL) brandy or dark rum

1. For pastry, combine flour, sugar and salt in large bowl. Using pastry blender cut in butter until coarse crumbs form. Add egg and egg yolk and stir with fork until moist clumps form. Bring dough together with hands and knead to form dough. Divide into 2 discs. Wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.

2. For filling, combine apples, pears, raisins, sugar, butter, currants, mixed fruit, lemon rind and juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and apple or pear juice in a large saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes or until thickened slightly. Stir in brandy and let cool completely.

3. Preheat oven to 425ºF (220ºC).

4. Remove dough from refrigerator and let stand to soften slightly. Knead dough on floured surface. Roll out one disc of pastry to fit a 9-inch (23-cm) pie plate with a ½-inch (1-cm) overhang. Pour mincemeat into pastry shell and smooth top.

5. Roll out remaining pastry to ¼-inch (5-mm) thickness. Using pastry cutter wheel, cut 1-inch (2.5-cm) wide strips. Weave strips on top of filling to make a lattice top. Press ends of strips into rim of crust. Fold over bottom crust to cover lattice ends. Pinch to seal and flute edge. Place on baking sheet.

6. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350º F (180º C) and bake for 35 minutes or until pastry is golden and filling is bubbly. If edge begins to get too dark, cover lightly with strips of foil. Let cool completely.

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Posted in: Food