Fine food, festive feeling and luxurious surroundings, when combined, do a divine Christmas in Northamptonshire make. In our latest blog we will be sharing a very special, luxury mince pie recipe.

To honour our skilled chefs and our beautiful Orangery, we thought the season needed a touch of indulgence; be sure to share your pictures on social media if you attempt to follow this unusual mince pie with orange pastry recipe.

This recipe will make approximately 24 pies. You will need:

A dash of milk to glaze

500g plain white flour

175g caster sugar

25g golden caster sugar

375g butter

Finely grated rind and juice of one and a half oranges

250g cream cheese or mascarpone

25g golden caster sugar

500g mincemeat

Grated rind and juice of two lemons

 

Method

To make the pastry first sift 500g of flour and 175g of sugar into a mixing bowl. Using a knife, carefully cut 375g of butter into small pieces before stirring into the flour. Rub lightly between your fingertips until the mixture has a breadcrumb texture. Now, stir in as much or as little orange rind as you would like. Using a spoon, stir in orange juice until the dough just begins to stick together. Wait a moment before gathering up the dough, mould into a ball, wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

While the dough is in the fridge, work cream cheese and caster sugar into a bowl and beat until smooth. Remove the dough and knead lightly – roll out three quarters, as thick as you prefer. Using a 7.5cm diameter pastry cutter cut out 24 rounds before buttering two sheets of tins and line them with the pastry rounds. Spoon mincemeat into a bowl and stir in lemon juice followed by rind. Fill the tins to about half their depth with mincemeat, then add a teaspoon of cream cheese mixture – spread evenly. Roll out remaining pastry (you should have enough!) and cut out 24 stars using either a cookie cutter or a knife. Place the stars on top of each mince pie and brush with milk.  Pre-heat the oven to 220C/gas mark 7.

Bake your mince pies in the centre of the oven for 15-20 minutes until light golden-brown. Let the pies cool down before easing them from the tins gently with a round-bladed knife. Serve warm (they can be reheated), or at room temperature. Before serving, sprinkle with caster or icing sugar.

Rum butter with citrus zest would accompany this perfectly, or even some double cream or ice cream – those with a more complex palate can even add grated dark chocolate or a dash of cinnamon.

Don’t want to spend more time in the kitchen than you have to? Why not experience fine dining in Northamptonshire courtesy of our restaurant?

 

To spend your Christmas in Northamptonshire, contact a member of the team or take a look at our brochure today.