Paul A Young’s festive hybrid mince pie recipe is a cross between a classic boozy mince pie and a gooey brownie.
For the mincemeat
250g raisins
250g sultanas
50g mixed peel
125g grated eating apple, skin on (about 1½ apples)
Finely grated zest and juice of ½ orange
60g unsalted butter, melted
125g light muscovado sugar (we like Billington’s)
60ml brandy
60ml ruby port
10g ground cinnamon
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
For the sweet pastry
160g unsalted butter, softened
75g golden caster sugar
2 medium free-range egg yolks
250g plain flour, plus extra to dust
For the brownie topping
175g salted butter
80g golden syrup
280g golden caster sugar
320g dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa), in small pieces
4 medium free-range eggs
70g plain flour
Demerara sugar, chopped nuts or chocolate chips to decorate (optional)
Put all the mincemeat ingredients in a large bowl and stir well to combine. Cover the bowl with cling film, then put in the fridge to soak for at least a week (see Make Ahead below and tips).
To make the pastry, use a stand mixer or electric hand mixer to cream the unsalted butter and 75g golden caster sugar in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks, then 25ml water. Add the 250g flour in 3 parts and stop mixing as soon as the flour is fully incorporated (over-mixing will make your pastry tough and cause it to shrink when baking). Cover the bowl, then chill for 1 hour to firm up.
Knead the chilled pastry dough on a lightly floured surface for 1 minute or until smooth and pliable. Roll out until 3mm thick, then cut out discs using an 8-10cm cutter and use to line a 12-hole muffin tin (the pastry should stick out over the top of the holes by 3mm or so). Chill the pie cases for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile make the brownie topping. Melt the salted butter and syrup in a pan over a medium heat, then stir in the sugar for 3-4 minutes until dissolved. Take the pan off the heat, add the chocolate and mix well. Add all the eggs, mixing well. Beat in the flour to combine.
Preheat the oven to 350F/175°C/fan155°C/gas 3½.
Add 1 tbsp of the mincemeat to each pastry case, pressing it flat. Spoon on the brownie mix (about ½ tbsp) to 5mm below the top of the pastry, to allow for rising, then decorate as you like. You’ll have quite a lot of mix leftover, which you can chill/freeze for another time (see Make Ahead) or use to make a batch of brownies (see tip).
Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is lightly golden. Leave to cool in the tin for 20 minutes before carefully turning out. Eat warm or at room temperature.
TIPS
If time is short, use ready-made mincemeat.
Chill the brownie mix in a sealed container for up to a week, then bring to room temperature before using.
The mincemeat will keep in airtight jars in the fridge for up to 3 months.
The brownie mix for up to 3 months, then defrost to use.
The assembled, uncooked pies can be frozen, then baked straight from the freezer – just add 5 minutes to the cooking time. Leftover baked pies can be stored in the freezer, too, then warmed from frozen as needed.
What to do with the leftovers:
For brownies, put leftover mix in a 20cm square tin lined with baking paper.
Bake at 170°C/fan 150°C/gas 3½ for 25-30 minutes until a skewer pushed into the centre comes out a little gooey.
Cool completely in the tin, then cut into squares.