Mince Pie

Mince Pie is a sweet pastry that is eaten in the UK traditionally at Christmas time and New Year.

Production

Mince pies are small pastries filled with fruit mixture. You can consist of both shortcrust and puff out. As a rule, they are covered with dough, missing the pastry lid, referred to them as Mince Tart or Mincemeat Tart. English mince pies have a diameter 5-7 cm, in the United States are mince pies usually much larger ( diameter up to 25 cm).

The name is derived from mince pie filling, as Mincemeat (literally minced meat) is referred to, although it contains no meat. A typical mince pie is filled with dried fruits like raisins, currants, apricots, cherries and candied fruit, chopped nuts, such as walnuts also with and almonds. The soup is seasoned the mixture with cinnamon or nutmeg. Often it contains some alcohol, usually brandy or rum as fat traditionally used Rindernierentalg.

The finished mince pie is garnished with frosting or icing sugar. Still warm serving it with brandy butter.

History

Mince pies go on a medieval pastry called Chewette back. Chewettes were either baked or fried and filled with liver or pieces of meat mixed with boiled eggs and ginger. As an alternative, you filled the Chewettes with dried fruit and other sweet ingredients. In the 16th century it developed into a Christmas specialty. During the 17th century, the liver and the meat has been increasingly replaced by suet, since the 19th century, the sweet form in Britain and North America has become widely accepted as a typical mince pie. Since the 19th century mince pies are no longer common with meat.

Traditions

Mince pies are considered a favorite dish of Santa Claus. One or two mince pies are traditionally placed on Christmas Eve in front of the fireplace, along with a glass of sherry, brandy or milk and a carrot for the reindeer, to thank for the filled stockings with gifts.