Cranberry Mince Pies with Star Tops
Cranberry mince pies have flaky pastry and a homemade fruit filling with port and spice. Makes 36 mini pies in about 1½ hours, and they freeze well.
I love how these little pies look on a cookie tray, with a tiny pastry star sitting on top like a Christmas decoration. The cranberries make the filling a bit tart and bright, so it is never too sweet. I like to make the filling first, so the baking day feels calm.
Saúl’s Tip
Use only about a heaping teaspoon of filling per cup, and press the pastry stars on gently. A small amount of filling keeps the juices from bubbling over and sticking to the tin.
Tips for Success
- Freeze the flour and fats first. Cold fat makes the pastry flaky.
- Roll the dough very thin so the pies stay delicate.
- Do not overfill. Too much filling bubbles out and sticks to the tin.
- Cool the tins between batches before refilling them.
Make-Ahead and Storage
The cranberry mincemeat keeps in sterilized jars in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Baked pies keep in an airtight container, layered with parchment, for up to 1 week. Freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw and warm before serving.
Variations
- Use a round pastry lid instead of a star.
- Add chopped pecans to the filling for crunch.
- Brush the stars with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar for extra sparkle.
- No alcohol? Replace the port with an equal amount of cranberry or pomegranate juice, and swap the brandy for 1 tbsp orange juice plus an extra 1/4 tsp vanilla.
Cranberry Mince Pies with Star Tops
Ingredients
Instructions
- Put the brown sugar and port in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir until the sugar melts into the port.
- Add the cranberries, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, currants, raisins, dried cranberries, clementine zest and clementine juice.
- Simmer (keep it at small, lazy bubbles) for about 20 minutes, stirring now and then. It is ready when the fruit has broken down and most of the liquid is gone.
- Take the pan off the heat and let the mixture cool for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the brandy, almond extract, vanilla and honey. Mash it with a fork into a thick paste.
- Cover and chill the cranberry mincemeat while you make the pastry.
- Put the flour in a shallow dish. Add the shortening and the cold butter cubes, then freeze for 20 minutes. Cold fats make flaky pastry.
- Stir the salt and orange zest into the chilled orange juice.
- Tip the cold flour and fats into a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until the mix looks like fine crumbs.
- Pulse in the orange juice a little at a time. Stop just before the dough comes together into a ball. Add a spoonful of ice water only if it looks too dry.
- Divide the dough into 3 flat discs and wrap each in plastic. Chill for 20 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 425°F.
- Roll out one disc on a floured surface until it is very thin, about ⅛ inch.
- Cut rounds about 2¼ inches wide. Press each into a mini muffin or tart tin, pushing it into the corners.
- Add a scant teaspoon of the cranberry mincemeat to each pastry round. Do not overfill or it will bubble over.
- Cut stars about 1½ inches wide from the leftover dough and rest one lightly on top of each pie. Re-roll the scraps as needed.
- Repeat with the other 2 discs, keeping them chilled until you roll them.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, checking often, until the pastry is pale gold at the edges.
- Let the pies cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then lift them out gently.
- Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use store-bought mincemeat?
Yes. You need about 1¼ cups. Stir in a handful of chopped fresh cranberries to give it a brighter, tangier taste.
Can I freeze mince pies?
Yes. Freeze the baked pies for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight on a rack, then warm them in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes.
Why is my pastry tough?
The dough was probably overworked or too warm. Keep the fats very cold, stop mixing as soon as it starts to cling together, and chill it before rolling.
