Coffee and Pie Chat December Edition
Hey friends! I'm finally back with another edition of Coffee and Pie Chat. My apologies for being late. You'll find out why in my weekly roundup (hint, hint). If you remember, last month we made an Apple-Cranberry pie and it was delicious! I know I'll add that to my seasonal rotation but tweak it with different fruit combos (apple-currant, pear-cranberry, pear-currant). I also made the most perfect pear pie. It was so beautiful. And it was baked perfectly. You could have eaten it like a slice of pizza. But...as I alluded to here...there's always a story! I left the pie covered on the table. We went to bed. Next morning, I looked at the table and the pie was on the other side from where it was the night before. There was a piece on the table. I asked the Mister if he'd done something. Of course he hadn't! Who had? Corny the kitten. That's right. Our little dude has so many food issues that he climbed onto the table during the night, moved the pie and pie plate clear to the other side of the table, and eaten who knows how much! Needless to say, that pie got tossed. But not before I took some pics. (He was totally fine. We kept an eye on him but he showed no signs of having even done anything)
Onwards! I’m back with a new pie for December and this one is a holiday favorite. This is no ordinary pie either. This month we’re making Mincemeat Pie! I chose this one for a couple of reasons. First, it is a very traditional pie in the UK, and I love traditions! Second, when I was reading about mincemeat, it sounded a lot like how I make my venison stews. I love venison stews made with dried fruit, either red wine or a dark beer, and lots of root veggies. It's such a good fall/winter flavor that feels like a warm cozy blanket wrapped around you. Let's start with a little history lesson before we jump into the pie. Then you can see the similarities between the mincemeat and my stew I've described.
Mincemeat pie is exactly what it sounds like--pie with minced meat, fresh and dried fruit, alcohol as a preserving agent, and spices. Way back in the 1400's it was used as an alternative way to preserve meat and were used to serve lots of people. Fast forward and they became a staple of the Christmas table. Then eventually the meat was tossed out and the tradition became to use suet as a binding and preserving agent (along with alcohol of course).
As with many traditional recipes, especially the ones we make and enjoy around big holidays or life events, mince pies are steeped with tradition and customs. Mincemeat would often be made on stir-up Sunday along with the Christmas pudding, the last Sunday before Advent. (As a side note, did you know the Christmas pudding also originally had meat in it?) Stirring the mincemeat was quite an event, and English tradition dictates that it should only be stirred clockwise. Stirring the mincemeat anti-clockwise would lead to bad luck and poor fortune in the coming 12 months. To spread the joy, it was tradition in England that each member of the family gave the mixture a stir, while making a wish. And if you wanted to be ensure good health and happiness in the upcoming year, you should eat one mince pie every day for the Twelve Days of Christmas, from Christmas Eve until the 5th of January.
One resource states that by using fat (i.e. suet) poured into the holes while baking the pie will allow the pie to be preserved for up to one year! But for our pie, we relied on the trusty First Prize Pies by Allison Kave. She, as always, has a really well laid out, thought out recipe. Please do be aware that if you make mincemeat pie, you should allow some time for soaking your ingredients (at a minimum of 4 days). Without further ado, let's get to making mincemeat pie!
The Recipe:
From First Prize Pies by Allison Kave
The Crust:
Classic Pie (see page 38 of the book) for one double-crust 9-inch (23-cm) pie
*If you are not familiar with how to make a pie crust, see this post
For the Filling:
2 large tart apples (Granny Smith or Mutsu), peeled, cored, and minced
3/4 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup chopped dried dates
1/2 cup pitted prunes, chopped
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup shredded suet or melted unsalted butter
1/2 cup applejack, brandy, or rum
1/4 freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/4 cup candied ginger, chopped
zest of 1 lemon
zest of 1 orange
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Topping:
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
egg wash or milk, for glaze
raw sugar, for garnish
Make the filling:
In a large bowl, stir together all of the filling ingredients. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 4 days or up to 3 months.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Roll out half of the dough into a circle about 11 inches in diameter. Transfer it to a 9-inch pie plate. Trim the overhang to 1 inch, and spread the filling over the dough. Brush the rim of the dough with egg wash or milk.
Roll out the second half of the dough and use seasonal or holiday cookie cutters to cut out decorative shapes (you can opt for a lattice instead). Arrange these over the surface of the mincemeat, brush them with egg wash or milk, and sprinkle the top with raw sugar.
Put the pie on a baking sheet and bake it for 20 minutes, rotating it once halfway through. Lower the temperature to 350F and bake it for another 30 to 40 minutes, until the crust is golden. Remove the pie to a wire rack to cool for at least 2 hours before slicing. Sprinkle it with powdered sugar just before serving.
This pie can be refrigerated for up to 1 week., covered in plastic wrap. Let it come to room temperature before serving, or warm it in a low oven. It can be kept frozen for up to 2 months. Cover it in plastic wrap, then in foil, and let it come to room temperature before serving.
Before I show you the final product, I just want you to know this wasn't my finest pie baking attempt. I tried to be all fancy with the topping and it was a fail. The pie was good. The crust was a mess. So here you go!
It reminds me of the character from Scream. Quite the resemblance, no? The pie was supposed to have pine trees and then reindeer on top of the pie. Instead you get this (minus the bloody knife):
Tips & Tricks:
I don't have a ton of tips and tricks for this pie other than I hope your crust turns out better than mine! I also added a fresh pear since I had it laying around and it was about to go bad. I also just used whatever apples I had (I think they were empires). And since this pie has a lot of booze in it (I used spiced rum) and it really has a rummy flavor, I would imagine you could omit that and just use a citrus juice (fresh orange would be lovely) or apple juice and let it meld together for a day or so in the fridge. If you try this version, let me know how it turns out! I think the theory is that you just want those dried fruits to rehydrate and soak up some yummy liquid.
That's it! It's actually a pretty easy pie to make especially because you make the filling ahead of time. Next time I'm going to try it with minced venison and see how it goes. Oh. And work on my pie crust situation. Happy baking friends!