Cheese & Pickle Mince Pies

Made with
Original Pickle
Serves
12
Ready in
PT2H

In true festive spirit, we’ve reinvented the classic mince pie to include the perfect combination of cheesy pastry and a healthy helping of Branston Original Pickle. Crafted alongside East London’s baking extraordinaire, Lily Vanilli, we’ve bought back our savoury mince pie to offer all the cheese and pickle lovers out there a treat beyond the Christmas cheeseboard. But be quick! They're only available for the month of December. Our must-have cheesy Christmas treat is sure to please every dedicated fan out there – and convert the sceptics.

Ingredients

Pastry

  • 337g plain flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • 30g icing sugar, sifted (optional)
  • 170g unsalted butter, cubed or grated and refrigerated
  • 5-6 tbsp ice cold water

Pies

  • 120g Maris Piper potatoes
  • Olive oil
  • Sea salt
  • 100g Cheddar (chopped into tiny chunks)
  • 360g Branston Pickle
  • Fresh thyme
  • Cracked black pepper

Egg Wash

  • 2 egg yolks
  • 50ml double cream or milk

Method

To make the pastry

  • Sift the flour, salt and icing sugar from a height on to a cool, clean, dry surface. Add the butter and work into the flour – work towards the middle, rubbing the mixture between your thumb and fingers but handling as little as possible – until it resembles rough breadcrumbs.
  • Add the water very gradually and evenly, one teaspoon at a time, until there’s just enough to bring the dough together into one piece. Form into a round ball. Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for at least an hour.
  • Remove the dough from the fridge, allow it to soften enough to roll out easily, then roll it out to around 3mm thickness. Cut disks to fit your greased cupcake pan and your star-shaped pie tops, using a 3” snowflake shaped cutter. Line a 12-hole cupcake/muffin tray with the pastry and return both the lined tray and stars to the fridge to rest for another 1/2 hour.

To make the egg wash

  • Lightly beat 2 egg yolks with 50ml double cream or milk.

To assemble your pies

  • Preheat oven to 180ºC.
  • Spread the chopped potato out in a baking tray coated in olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt.
  • Roast for 30 mins or until crisp and browning.
  • Combine the cheese and potato and spread evenly between the pie shells.
  • Top each with a 30g scoop of Branston Pickle (spread evenly over the top).
  • Top each with a pastry snowflake, then brush with the egg wash, a sprig of thyme and a crack of black pepper.
  • Bake for 30-35 mins or until the pastry is cooked through and evenly brown over the top. Depending on your oven you may want to rotate the pan half way through the baking time.

Tip

You can also purchase ready-made pastry. If you are not going to use the pastry immediately, it can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Watch the simple recipe video