Description
Delight in festive Mince Pie Trees featuring layers of buttery puff pastry and sweet, spiced mincemeat. These charming holiday treats are perfect for adding a decorative and delicious touch to your seasonal celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry
- plain flour, for dusting
- 425g pack ready-rolled puff pastry (2 sheets in each pack)
Filling
- 350g jar mincemeat
Finishing
- 1 egg, beaten
- icing sugar, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Heat your oven to 200C (fan 180C, gas mark 6) and line two baking sheets with baking parchment to prevent sticking.
- Prepare the Puff Pastry Base: Unroll one sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface with the long edge nearest to you. Spread the 350g jar of mincemeat evenly over this sheet, then top it with the second sheet of pastry.
- Cut the Pastry Shapes: Cut the layered pastry in half widthways to create two pieces. Then, for each piece, cut into four vertical strips measuring 6cm, 4cm, 2cm, and 1cm wide. Next, cut across evenly to make 12 horizontal ‘ladders’ of pastry. Dip the knife in flour as needed to prevent sticking. Brush these strips with beaten egg and chill for 10 minutes.
- Assemble the Mince Pie Trees: On the baking sheets, stack the pastry strips for each tree, starting with the longest strip at the bottom and ending with the smallest on top. Position the mincemeat sides facing upward and gently fold strips in the middle to create a tree-like shape. Press down lightly to flatten and form a firm shape.
- Bake the Trees: Bake the assembled trees in the oven for 20 minutes if fresh, or 25 minutes if frozen, until the puff pastry is golden brown and the mincemeat filling is bubbling.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the trees to cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes. Using a palette knife, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust the finished mince pie trees with icing sugar before serving for a snowy, festive look.
Notes
- You can freeze the assembled mince pie trees for up to one month before baking—just add an extra 5 minutes to the baking time when cooking from frozen.
- Be sure to dust your knife lightly with flour when cutting the pastry to prevent sticking and ensure clean edges.
- For a decorative twist, try folding each pastry strip slightly in the middle to enhance the tree shape.
- Serve these as delightful individual treats perfect for parties or as festive gifts.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes (25 minutes if baking from frozen)
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: mince pie trees, puff pastry mince pies, festive pastries, Christmas treats, holiday baking, mincemeat desserts
