Should mince pies be frozen before or after cooking?
We prefer to bake, cool and freeze. Then defrost and warm as and when needed. However you can freeze them uncooked. Open-freeze the mince pies in their oven trays then knock them out and store them in polythene bags for up to 3 months.
How do you cook Jus Rol shortcrust pastry?
Preparation and Usage
- Take out of the fridge and remove from the carton approximately 45 minutes before use.
- Remove from plastic wrap and unroll the pastry sheet.
- Bake in preheated oven at 200°C (180°C for fan assisted ovens)/Gas Mark 6, or at the temperature required in your recipe.
How do you make James Martin puff pastry?
Method
- Put the flour and salt on a marble worktop or in a bowl.
- Put the block of butter between two pieces of silicone paper and bash out with a rolling pin to a 15cm x 10cm rectangle.
- Dust the worktop with a little flour and roll out the dough to form a rectangle measuring 30cm x 20cm, with the long side facing you.
How do you keep mince pies from bubbling?
Just cut up a plastic drinking straw and place them in the pie, preferably through little decorative splits in the crust and they will vent the steam just like the piebirds. Macaroni can also be used in place of the drinking straws. And there you have it, a perfect, non-filling-bubbled-over pie.
How do you keep mince pies from sticking to the tray?
How do I stop my mince pies sticking to the baking tray? A professional cake baker told me the best way is to use an oil such as vegetable oil in an aerosol to grease the baking tray. The oil is easiest to apply with an aerosol. You can also use a brush to apply a light covering to the tin.
Do you need to blind bake ready rolled shortcrust pastry?
To prevent them becoming soggy, shortcrust pastry cases need to be partially cooked before adding moist fillings. This process, known as blind baking, which seals the surface and results in a crisp pastry case.
Which pastry is best for pies?
Puff pastry can generally be described as flaky, light and buttery, good for pies and pastries, while shortcrust pastry has a more crumbly, biscuit-like texture which is good for tart or quiche cases.
Should I grease my mince pie tin?
Grease the holes and also grease around the edges as this is where the pies are most likely to stick. Wait until the pies have cooled slightly before removing from the tray.
Why is my mince pie pastry hard?
If your pastry is hard and tough, this may because too much liquid was added or the pastry was over-handled, resulting in the development of gluten. If your pastry is too crumbly and hard to handle, this may be because too much fat was added, it was over-mixed or not enough liquid was added to bind the fat and flour.