Mince pies are a very old English Christmas tradition. If you go back far enough (perhaps to the 11th Century), the pies were made with a minced meat mixture, sweetened with spices and fruit to represent the gifts of the Wise Men, and in the shape of a manger. Here is a simple way for the children to recreate these "manger mince pies".
You will need:
Ready rolled puff pastry
Beaten egg
Mincemeat
Wheat cereal
Instructions:
Cut out two rectangles of pastry the same size - about 3 1/2 inches x 2 1/2 inches. Cut the centre out of one of them so that you are left with a frame about ½ inch wide.
Brush around the edge of the rectangle with beaten egg and then stick on the frame.
Repeat until you have your full set of pies and have used up your pastry.
Fill the centre of each with mincemeat. Brush the edges of the pastry with beaten egg.
Bake in the oven on a medium heat for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, break the cereal into shreds so it resembles straw. Remove the pies from the oven, scatter with straw and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes. Leave pies on a wire rack to cool.
