Chef Rælf would like to thank Good Fairy Delia for the inspiration for the flakey pastry recipe used in his Elfish Mince Pies.
Makes 4 - I used a 4 hole Yorkshire tin.
Flakey Pastry ingredients are: 150g plain flour, 100g coarsely grated slightly salted butter (pop butter in freezer for 45 mins. before grating), 20g icing sugar and the zest of half a lemon. Method: Using a metal spatula, first mix the ‘dry’ ingredients, then add a mix of the juice of 1/2 lemon and @ 45ml of chilled water a tbs at a time (don’t use your hands, continue to use the spatula using a stirring and cutting action until it comes together). Cling wrap and chill for at least 30 mins before rolling out @ 3mm thick. Cut four 12cm circles and the ears, noses and beards.
The ‘crumble’ topping is made as follows: Mix the pastry offcuts with plain flour to a combined weight of 75g. Wizz this together with 20g butter to achieve fine breadcrumbs. Decant into a bowl and add 20g slivered almonds and 30g demerara sugar, then 'crumble' together by hand.
Set oven the 200ºC (gas 6). Blind bake the base circles (not nose, ears and beard) for 15 mins.
Allow to cool and little, then fill each pie with @ 2 tbs mincemeat (see my boozy mincemeat recipe), top with crumble mix, add the flakey pastry ears, nose & beard, plus the eyes (halved glacé cherries), brush added pastry with milk and bake for 15-20 mins.
