Gince Pies

Christmas is simply not complete without crumbly mince pies, and when they are warm out of the oven and oozing with juices, they’re even more delicious! This boozy homemade 6 O’clock Damson mincemeat is so easy to make and is absolutely packed with flavour. The addition of the 6 O’clock Damson Gin brings a beautiful tartness that is perfectly balanced by the sweetness of the fruit and the shortcrust pastry. To make these  6 O’clock Damson Gince Pies with Cranberry and Hazelnuts, you will need:

Ingredients

For the Mincemeat:

• 200ml of 6 O’clock Damson Gin
• 175g of fresh Cranberries
• 175g of Hazelnuts
• 175g of Raisins
• 175g of Currants
• 2 Apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 125g of Butter
• 250g of Light Muscovado Sugar
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 1tbsp of Mixed Spice
• Finely grated rind and juice of 1 Lemon
• Zest of 1 Orange

For the Pastry:

• 400g of Plain Flour
• 260g of Unsalted Butter, cubed and chilled
• 150g of Caster Sugar – plus extra for sprinkling
• 1 Large Egg, plus 1 beaten Egg for glazing

Method: (Makes 12 Mince Pies)

1: To make your mincemeat, roughly chop all the mincemeat ingredients into small chunks and add to a heavy-based saucepan. Add the butter, spices, lemon juice and rind, orange zest and muscovado sugar to the saucepan and set over a medium heat. Stir the mixture until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Leave to gently simmer over a medium/low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the juices have reduced. Remove from the heat and leave to cool before adding the 6 O’clock Damson Gin. This can be made up to 4-6 weeks in advance which allows the flavour to mature or can be used immediately. If you are making in advance, place the mixture in sterilised jars and store in a cool place such as the cupboard.

2: When you are ready to construct your mince pies, start by making the shortcrust pastry. Add the flour and butter to a bowl and using your fingers, combine until you have what resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and egg and combine using a wooden spoon. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and fold until you have a firm dough ball. Wrap in clingfilm and place in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.

3: Once the dough has chilled, preheat your oven to 180C. Lightly dust a surface with flour and roll out your dough to a 3mm thickness. Using a 10cm cutter, cut 12 circular discs from the dough and place them in the muffin tray. Fill with 1 ½ tbsps. of the mincemeat mix, ensuring you add plenty of the Damson Gin juice that will have collected – this is where all the flavour is! Brush the edge of each pie with a little beaten egg.

4: Re-roll out the pastry and cut the lids using a 7cm cutter and press them on top to seal. If you want to be more creative with your lids, you can cut out stars or other festive-themed shapes. Brush the lids with beaten egg and sprinkle with caster sugar. Place in the centre of the oven for between 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top. Once cooked, remove from the oven and leave to cool in the muffin tin before turning out.

5: Serve with a generous dollop of clotted cream and if you are feeling extra indulgent, add a dash of 6 O’clock Damson Gin to the clotted cream and whisk until well combined.  Now don’t be afraid to overfill your mince pies – the extra juice will boil over when baking but this results in the flavours seeping deep down into the shortcrust pastry.

Enjoy responsibly!