Mock Mince Pie Recipes

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix flour and salt; cut in shortening until crumbly. Gradually add ice water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight., For filling, in a large skillet or Dutch oven, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink, 3-5 minutes, breaking into crumbles; drain. Add apples, apricot, brown sugar, raisins, apple juice, vinegar, orange zest and seasonings. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer until apples are tender, 15-17 minutes. Stir in rum. Remove from heat; cool slightly., Preheat oven to 375°. On a lightly floured surface, roll half of dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut 20 circles with a floured 2-3/4-in. round biscuit cutter. Top half the circles with 1 tablespoon filling. Top with remaining circles; press edges with a fork to seal. Cut slits in top. Brush tops with egg; sprinkle with coarse sugar. Repeat with remaining dough and filling., Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly, 20-25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Steps:

• Combine tomatoes, apples, brown sugar, raisins, vinegar, butter, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and cloves together in a large saucepan; cook and stir over medium-low heat until bubbling and slightly reduced in volume, about 25 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and cool slightly, about 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Press 1 pie crust into a 9-inch pie dish.
• Pour green tomato filling into the pie crust; top with the second pie crust, crimping the edges together to seal.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Decrease oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and continue baking until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Steps:

• Mix sugar, salt and spices. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Turn into pastry lined pie plate. With cookie cutter or knife, cut out star in center of top crust; adjust top crust over filling; seal. Sprinkle top crust with sugar. Bake in hot oven 400^ for 30-35 minutes or until browned. Serve warm.

Steps:

• TO MAKE THE PIE CRUST: Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl or in the work bowl of a food processor.
• Process or cut in the butter or lard until the fat is in pea-size pieces.
• If using a food processor, turn the mixture into a large bowl.
• In a small bowl, whisk the egg, lemon juice, and 3 Tablespoons ice water together.
• Drizzle the liquids over the crumbly mixture.
• With a fork, mix until the pastry holds together in a ball, adding more ice water if necessary.
• Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead once or twice, lightly, to shape the dough into a ball.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before rolling out.
• TO MAKE THE FILLING: Prepare the pie crust.
• On a floured surface, roll out half of the pastry to fit a 10-inch pie pan.
• Line the pan with the pastry.
• Preheat the oven to 425 F.
• In a large bowl, combine the apples, zucchini, carrots, nuts, raisins, and flour; toss to mix.
• In another bowl, mix the brown sugar and butter until blended and stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and lemon juice.
• Mix into the apple mixture.
• Turn the filling into the pastry-lined pan.
• On a floured surface, roll out the second half of the pastry and cut into 1/2-inch strips.
• Arrange on top of the filling in a lattice fashion.
• Trim and seal the strips to the bottom crust.
• In a small bowl, make the glaze by beating the egg and water together.
• Brush the mixture over the top and edges of the pie.
• Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the pie is set and the pastry is golden brown.
• Serve warm with whipped cream, if desired.
• The Great Holiday Baking Book.

Steps:

• For crust:
• Place crusts on 2 rimless baking sheets and chill while preparing filling.
• For filling:
• Place 1/3 of apples in processor. Using on/off turns, chop into small pieces. Transfer chopped apples to large saucepan. Repeat chopping remaining apples in 2 more batches in processor; add to saucepan. Place all dried fruit in processor. Using on/off turns, chop until beginning to stick together. Add dried fruits to saucepan with apples. Add sugar, molasses, rum, brandy, cornstarch, butter, orange peel, lemon peel, spices, and sea salt; stir to blend. Simmer over medium-low heat until mixture is very thick, stirring often to prevent scorching, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat. Transfer pie filling to large bowl and cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 375°F. Transfer 1 crust to 9-inch glass pie dish, leaving dough overhang. Spread cooled filling in crust. Cut second crust into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Arrange 6 dough strips atop filling, spacing 1 inch apart. Place 6 dough strips at 45-degree angle to first strips, forming diamond lattice pattern. Trim strip ends even with bottom crust. Fold crust edge and strips in; press edge with tines of fork to seal. (Feeling ambitious? Click here for tips on making a woven lattice crust.) Whisk cream and sugar in small bowl to blend for glaze. Brush glaze over lattice.
• Bake pie 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and continue to bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer pie to rack and cool completely for filling to set. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours before serving. If desired, rewarm pie in 325°F oven 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
• Serve pie warm or at room temperature.