Classic Mincemeat Pie

Every Christmas my mother would make Mincemeat pies. To this day the smell of baking mincemeat pie transports me back to the magical days of Christmas with my family. My family take turns stirring the fragrant filling and upon our first stir we would make a Christmas wish! The only modern change to this recipe is the use of vegetable shortening instead of suet in the pastry.

Serves 10 to 12

Filling

• 3 Granny Smith apples, large, peeled, cored, and cut into quarter-inch dice
• 3 McIntosh apples, large, peeled, cored, and cut into quarter-inch dice
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 cup currants
• three quarters cup packed dark brown sugar
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• one quarter cup diced candied orange peel or ginger
• Grated zest and juice from 1 orange
• Grated zest and juice from 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• half teaspoon ground allspice
• half teaspoon ground ginger
• half teaspoon ground cloves
• half teaspoon salt
• 1 and a half cups apple cider, plus more as needed
• one third cup brandy

Crust

• 2 and a half cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting work surface
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• half cup chilled solid vegetable shortening
• 12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 6 - 8 tablespoons ice water
• 1 egg white, beaten, for glazing crust
• 1 tablespoon sugar for sprinkling over crust

Method

1. For the filling: Place all ingredients except half a cup cider and brandy in large, heavy saucepan set over medium-low heat. Bring to boil and simmer gently, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, until mixture thickens and darkens in color, about 3 hours, adding more cider as necessary to prevent scorching. Continue cooking, stirring every minute or two, until mixture has jam-like consistency, about 20 minutes. Stir in remaining half a cup apple cider and rum and cook until liquid in pan is thick and syrupy, about 10 minutes; cool mixture. (Mincemeat can be refrigerated for several days.)

2. For the crust: Process flour, sugar, and salt in food processor until combined. Add shortening and process until mixture has texture of coarse sand, about 10 seconds. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture; cut butter into flour until mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse crumbs, with butter bits no larger than small peas, about ten 1-second pulses. Turn mixture into medium bowl.

3. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of ice water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together, adding up to 2 tablespoons more ice water if dough will not come together. Divide dough into 2 balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour, before rolling. (Dough may be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

4. To assemble and bake the pie: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Remove one piece of dough from refrigerator (if refrigerated longer than 1 hour, let stand at room temperature until malleable). Roll dough on lightly floured work surface or between 2 large sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap to 12-inch circle. Transfer dough to 9-inch pie plate by rolling dough around rolling pin and unrolling over pan. Working around circumference of pan, ease dough into pan corners by gently lifting edge of dough with one hand while pressing into pan bottom with other hand. Leave any dough that overhangs lip of pie plate in place; refrigerate dough-lined pie plate.

5. Roll out second piece of dough to a 12-inch circle. Spoon mincemeat into pie shell. Fold second piece of dough into quarters, and place with corner at center of pie and gently unfold over filling. Trim edges of top and bottom dough layers to half an inch beyond pan lip. Tuck rim of dough underneath itself so that folded edge is flush with pan lip. Flute edge or press with fork tines to seal. Cut 4 slits in dough top. If pie dough is very soft, place it in freezer for 10 minutes. Brush egg white on top crust and sprinkle evenly with sugar.

6. Bake until crust is light golden brown, 25 minutes. Rotate pie and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees; continue to bake until juices bubble and crust is deep golden brown, about 35 minutes. Transfer pie to wire rack and cool to room temperature before serving.

Serve with vanilla bean ice cream or whipped cream.

Bon Appetit!