Mince pies made in Maud's honour

[strictlysalsaclare Profile]

Hello all

I do hope I'm not too late with this idea, but I may have had a brainwave whilst driving into work this morning. As we will have all realised, QinNortham's best friend's late mother Maud was so highly spoken of on the mince pies thread (especially regarding her legendary version of them with their Viennese whirl style topping). I don't know about anyone else, but I felt that I had got to know Maud whilst reading QinN's lovely posts about her. I have therefore had a change of plan regarding how I make mine this year, which is now with a Viennese whirl flourish on the top in her memory. I was wondering whether any of you lovely people out there would be prepared to do the same? I think it would be very fitting and lovely if at least some of us are prepared to do this, but maybe I am being overly sentimental! The recipe for the topping is as follows (which I copied from the original mince pies thread):

6oz butter slightly softened
2oz icing sugar
4oz plain flour
2oz cornflour
Vanilla extract

Cream butter & icing sugar. Sift flour & cornflour. Gradually incorporate the "flours" into the butter & sugar mix. Add a little vanilla extract.

You will need a sturdy piping bag because the mix is quite stiff. Pipe onto your mincemeat filled pie shells, don't be overly generous because the mix does spread.

SSC EDIT: I would suggest cooking the mince pies at Gas Mark 4/180 deg C/160 fan for about 20-22 minutes

[Pampy Profile]

That's a really kind idea, Clare. I don't make mince pies but I'm sure that some of those who do will join you in such a lovely tribute.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

A lovely plan.
And I'm in. It will be for New Year, not Christmas. As there's a big family to feed on that second wave.

And my homemade vanilla extract has been put to good use for a while.

Let's go for it. xxx

[QinNortham Profile]

Strictly, you have brought tears to my eyes with your kindness. Maud was actually my best friend J's Mother but we were very close. Much as I adored her my late MinL probably never made a mince pie in her life, she wasn't exactly a hands on cook! Come to think about it I don't think J has ever made a mince pie either, she certainly didn't inherit her Mother & Grandmother's talent for confectionary of any kind

It was Maudie's funeral yesterday and for a variety of reasons we couldn't go but today J is calling me to tell me how everything went, I will tell her of your post.

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy & Peaceful New Year.

Q
XXX

[strictlysalsaclare Profile]

Hello Qin Northam

Sorry about my faux pas about Maud, and thanks for your reply. It is wonderful how such close friends can almost become family to you. My own grandmother's best friend and her husband were like family members to me and my parents too. In fact I called them Aunty and Uncle when I was little.

[strictlysalsaclare Profile]

I made some Maud mince pies today, and have just sampled one. Oh my word, they are incredible! Mr Strictly gave them the thumbs up too! Thank you for the recipe Maud, and thank you QinNortham for sharing it with us all

[QinNortham Profile]

Strictly, so glad that you have had a "test drive". They are good aren't they? I spoke to J yesterday very briefly but will be speaking to her in the next day or so and will report on Maudies mince pies.

Much love
Q
X

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Nice one Strictly.

[QinNortham Profile]

OK, I've now reported to J re Maudie's Mince Pies going "semi viral" - she laughed so much and......................asked for the recipe! I told you she'd probably never made a mince pie.

[strictlysalsaclare Profile]

Aww, so lovely to hear of J's reaction, and that she wants the recipe.

[Sakkarin Profile]

I wasn't going to bother with Mint Spies this year, but I've just succumbed and bought some suet, apple, orange and lemon (all the rest I already had), will try that topping, although is there not supposed to be some sort of raising agent?

[QinNortham Profile]

Sakks, no, no raising agent - exactly as the recipe Strictly has kindly copied over from the mince pie thread. I think I've seen some recipes that use S/R flour but I've always used plain as per Maud.

[strictlysalsaclare Profile]

Hi Sakkarin

I am very happy to confirm that they do puff up nicely

[Lusciouslush Profile]

Good one Strictly
Hopefully I'II have a go nearer NY - depending.......

[Sakkarin Profile]

Not the prettiest pies , but tasted the biz, with Delia mincemeat and pastry base and Maud Topping.

You are not joking about that Maud Mix being tough to pipe!

I wasn't sure what the end result was supposed to be, from the way it piped I assumed it would be like Viennese whirls, and it took me several goes to get the whirl effect on top, and in fairness they ALL looked fairly rubbish. But it didn't matter a jot, as the filling just completely spreads out, it ends up more like a bakewell sponge, although lighter. Not sure how I'd tackle it next time, now I know that.

Glad I made a last minute decision to make proper mincemeat, it really is so much better than the jarred stuff, and a hundred times better than the gunk they put in commercial mint spies.

[strictlysalsaclare Profile]

They look so scrumptious in a rustic chic kind of a way Sakkarin! Mine had a little more definition, but only just. Not sure quite how I managed that as I used mainly buttery spread with a little butter! I also completely agree with you regarding mincemeat. I always make my own, although there was once year when I didn't because I was recovering from a knee injury so cheated. We both regretted that decision when we tasted it . I also find the ready made mince pies too sickly and spicy as well.

My mum was a Type 1 diabetic from a teenager, so she always used to make her own, from a recipe in the Diabetic Assocation magazine. It was sweetened with extra apple and carrot and was fab. I think my Gran, who was a keen basic cook made her own as well. She definitely made her own Christmas Puds before her arthritis got too bad. If I was staying there on Stir Up Sunday weekend I got the job of peeling the unblanched almonds. Whenever I do that task these days it brings back all those lovely memories.

[QinNortham Profile]

Mmm, not sure on this one and of course we can't ask Maud! I do recall the first few times I made them they were "whirly" when baked, weren't this time (haven't made them for at least 3 years).

Wondering if they need a quick blast at a higher temperature to "set" and then turn down?

I use Nigella's shortcrust pastry recipe and I have to say was pleased with myself. Because of the house declutter & moving haven't done pastry for a while - it is short beyond short.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

They look great, Sakkarin.
Although the swirl has gone, it doesn't matter.

I appear to have too many people saying they don't want mince pies.
Is there something else I can put inside do you think, that can still be baked?

[QinNortham Profile]

Gill, would lemon curd or say rhubarb cooked in orange with a touch of ginger work?

[DEB Profile]

I find that for many people mincemeat is too rich and when I mix it 50 50 with apple they enjoy it. If you did not want to use mincemeat I would use a thick apple puree mixed with spices and possibly some chopped Stem ginger in sugar syrup.

Hope this helps