Renthead Mommy Posted December 22, 2016 Share Posted December 22, 2016 A few years ago we had found an English shop while getting teas and cookies for a Downton Abbey event. I had my then 10/11 year old with and he wanted to try mince pies. We got them, he like them, and eventually we pcsed and forgot about them. Well super coincidence, but here it is 3-4 years later and he mentions them. The next day I went into a World Market for the first time, and not only did they have numerous different kinds of Walker's shortbreads, but they had the mince pies he was just talking about! So I got a box to have for dessert on christmas eve. But what do you ususally serve with it? Ice cream? Whip cream? Clotted cream? (What exactly is clotted cream? I have had it before on scones and loved it, but no clue what it really is.) Note, we are having chinese food and peking duck for xmas eve dinner, so it's not like a fancy meal, just fun. But it needs something on the side and was not sure if there certain way it was done. PS - I dropped tons of hints of how surprised I was at how many varieties of Walkers, my favorite cookies, World Market sold. We'll see if that materializes into anything. The males around here don't always get hints that don't hit them upside the head. I I probably should have hit them up side the head with a Walker's box... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jen3kids Posted December 22, 2016 Share Posted December 22, 2016 We've never had any 'sides' with our mincemeat. In my experience, mincemeat is not a normal fruit pie, so it doesn't go well with a sweet side. My mom's is made with deer meat, raisins and apple, but I'm guessing that is not what yours are made with! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted December 22, 2016 Share Posted December 22, 2016 I love mince pie! My mom used to make them. She never had anything with them. I can't imagine mince pie with ice cream or whipped cream. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted December 22, 2016 Share Posted December 22, 2016 Vanilla ice cream is good with it but quite honestly it's also very good alone. If you've never had them I'd just enjoy the mincemeat flavor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bibiche Posted December 22, 2016 Share Posted December 22, 2016 Hard sauce. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura in CA Posted December 22, 2016 Share Posted December 22, 2016 We just got back from England, and mince pies were offered at every Christmas carol service and concert we attended (and we attended several :) ) – and the mince pies were only accompanied by mulled wine. Since I don't drink, I like Sadie's suggestion of tea! I'll have to try that (we brought several boxes back, including a Walkers and a Waitrose box ... but it's great to know World Market has them. I figured we could probably get them here, but just in case ... :) ) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne Posted December 22, 2016 Share Posted December 22, 2016 Hmm. I've never had individual mince pies before - what you're talking about sounds like hand pies, yes? I make a two-crust mince pie for Thanksgiving when I am with my dad b/c he and I are the only people in the family that really like mince. We like it with vanilla ice cream..... Anne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lailasmum Posted December 22, 2016 Share Posted December 22, 2016 I just have them with a cup of tea too. I wouldn't serve anything with them they're very rich normally. I eat them many times a week this time of year so they're not really a fancy pud in my eyes. Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nevergiveup Posted December 22, 2016 Share Posted December 22, 2016 Not quite the same as hard sauce but we have always had rum sauce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted December 22, 2016 Share Posted December 22, 2016 A cup of tea. This is my usual Christmas night supper - a cuppa and a few of my Dad's homemade mince pies. Do you have a recipe? This is something I've been wanting to try! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted December 22, 2016 Share Posted December 22, 2016 If I remember in the morning, I'll ask my dad. I always rely on him to bake them. It's probably something like this. Busy years he probably just uses a jar of fruit mince. (I think Amazon sells it - Robertson's brand). The trick is to keep the pastry fairly thin. You definitely want more fruit mince than you do pastry. Well, I do, anyway :) Thanks! I'm going to give that a try! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horsellian Posted December 22, 2016 Share Posted December 22, 2016 My first thought from the topic was "mulled wine"! But I'd usually just have a bit of cream with a mince pie as a meal-time pudding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renthead Mommy Posted December 22, 2016 Author Share Posted December 22, 2016 They are only about two inches across, so mainly shortbread cookie (crust and top). I'd be surprised if they have more than maybe two tablespoons of mince inside, which is why I wondered what to go with. I love shortbread, but that seems like a lot at one time, especially if you are not doing a tea dunk here and there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted December 22, 2016 Share Posted December 22, 2016 Hard sauce is traditional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah CB Posted December 22, 2016 Share Posted December 22, 2016 Hard sauce is traditional. And amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renthead Mommy Posted December 23, 2016 Author Share Posted December 23, 2016 What is hard sauce? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 What is hard sauce? It's been years since I made it, but I want to say it is basically butter, sugar, and booze. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Wow, that would be way too rich for me with pastry and fruit mince. It's normally served with christmas pudding (the rich, fruitcake type stuff). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 clotted cream is from a particular area. a passing imitation has cream cheese, sour cream, and sugar. - until you have a nice smooth consistency you can run your fruit through easily. we serve something other people will eat. dh and sil love them - but no one else will eat them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Mouthwash, LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 I think my grandma drinks coffee with hers. I'm not even sure what she makes it out of but I know my dad really likes it. I should get the recipe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Wait..is "mince pie" the same as "mincemeat pie"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 I've never served it with anything. I make cute little pies in a muffin tin. But, I've never served them with a specific thing. Maybe homemade whipped cream because all the other pies get whipped cream? I like whipped cream on anything, lol. I usually just use jarred mincemeat, but add in the grated rind of an orange and a couple tablespoons of brandy. That makes it taste much better. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lailasmum Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Wait..is "mince pie" the same as "mincemeat pie"?Traditionally they had meat in them but rarely these days. They're mixed dried fruit. Some have alcohol in them. Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lailasmum Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 They are only about two inches across, so mainly shortbread cookie (crust and top). I'd be surprised if they have more than maybe two tablespoons of mince inside, which is why I wondered what to go with. I love shortbread, but that seems like a lot at one time, especially if you are not doing a tea dunk here and there.I wouldn't underestimate how filling they are. If they're good ones with buttery pastry all that butter and sugar is a big hit to add something else to. Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diplomum Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 A cup of tea, or my grandma's favourite: a glass of sherry. She was also known to warm some mince pies in the aga, pop off the lids and place a knob of brandy butter inside. Home made is best but it's hard it's hard to get them right in an American muffin pan. The Brits have a shallower, more rounded pan/tin that works much better. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowbeltmom Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 My mom serves them with English custard. That and Christmas pudding are my two favorite Christmas dishes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 A cup of tea, or my grandma's favourite: a glass of sherry. She was also known to warm some mince pies in the aga, pop off the lids and place a knob of brandy butter inside. Home made is best but it's hard it's hard to get them right in an American muffin pan. The Brits have a shallower, more rounded pan/tin that works much better. It's been difficult to find the correct pan in the US. I have recently seen some on Amazon called 'mini pie tin' that aren't just mini quiche pans, so that is progress. But I've been making them in a muffin tin so long I don't really see the need to change. And I also have it on good authority that plenty of people in the UK use a muffin tin. If it's good enough for Paul Hollywood, then I'm ok with it, lol. These days a muffin tin is something people are more likely to own, rather than a specialty pan. I bake a lot more than most people, and even I don't feel like buying a pan I will use once a year. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 (edited) If I remember in the morning, I'll ask my dad. I always rely on him to bake them. It's probably something like this. Busy years he probably just uses a jar of fruit mince. (I think Amazon sells it - Robertson's brand). The trick is to keep the pastry fairly thin. You definitely want more fruit mince than you do pastry. Well, I do, anyway :) A friend makes hundreds of pies that are served at many local events and Sadie's recipe looks like his. He just uses muffin/ fairycake tins normally which are slightly smaller than American cupcake tins but not mini muffin size. Served with coffee or tea. Sometimes mulled wine. I have never seen custard or cream eaten with the pies and have been at lots of dessert events where both were available with other choices. Eaten warm if possible. Era.....dry sherry is served sometimes too. Edited December 23, 2016 by mumto2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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