This particular recipe is meat free however some mincemeat pies of centuries past did include various cuts of meat such as beef or ox tongue. Hence the name mincemeat! Contrary to popular belief not all mincemeat pies of the 18th and 19th centuries contained meat. The addition of it was certainly mainstream however it was not required. Some families and recipes chose to opt out of adding meat due as a preference.
The recipe that we will be using today comes from a mid 18th century cookbook called The Art of Cookery by Hannah Glasse. Originally published in 1747, this cookbook would later go on to be a bestseller for just about 100 years! That means that by the early 19th century The Art of Cookery was still a mainstay in American and European kitchens alike.
An 18th century edition of The Art of Cookery. This cookbook would go on to be a bestseller for a century! It was still very popular in the early 19th century.
This is fruit-based pie. Gather the fruits that you will need for this dish. You will need candied orange, currants, raisins and apples. The exact proportions of which can be found in the recipe below.
peel your apples
cut your peeled apples up as finely as you can manage
it looks delicious already and we haven't even assembled our pie yet
Into a bowl add chopped up raisins and currents. We used golden raisins however any will do. Be sure to cut they up with a knife before putting into your bowl.
To this add your chopped apples, chopped orange peel and finely chopped beef suet. The suet will keep the pie moist. Also add your brandy, sugar and spices.
On a well-floured surface roll out your pie crust. A recipe for which is below. The 1797 pie crust recipe that we used is from American Cookery by Amelia Simmons. Be sure that your crust is not too thick. You do not need to prebake this crust.
Once your crust is to your liking and has been cut as you desire place into a pie pan and add your filling
crimp your edges to your liking
With your leftover dough I recommend cutting out designs for the top of your pie. We made two pies one of which had a flower pattern top and another which had a heart in the center surrounded by leaves. How lovely would it be to have one leaf to represent every member of your family gathered to enjoy it?
bake in a 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes until your crust is a golden brown
It tastes as good as it looks!
If the above Youtube video does not work follow this link:
Ingredients (yields 2 pies):
Filling:
1 lb of currants (may substitute with dried cranberries), chopped fine
½ lb of raisins (golden), chopped fine
1 lb of apples, chopped fine (3 medium or 2 large)
½ cup of candied orange peel (you can make your own or purchase)
½ cup of sugar
1 tsp of cinnamon
1 tsp of nutmeg
¼ tsp of clove
1/2 cup of brandy
10 oz of suet (may substitute with shortening), frozen and chopped fine
Crust (1797 recipe):
half a pound of butter (the original calls for one pound however use half for a modern adaption)
3 1/3 cups of all-purpose flour
2 egg whites
1 egg yolk
Directions:
Crust: Rub half a pound of cold butter into 3 & 1/3 cups of flour. Beat 2 whites of eggs and add with a few spoonful's of cold water and one egg yolk. Make into dough and roll it out six or seven times. Chill in a cold place for at least half an hour before rolling out. Roll out onto a floured work surface.
That looks so good and filling!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful pie. It was wonderful watching you.
ReplyDeleteLooks delicious! Could almost imagine the scent of baked fruit and spices filling the room.
ReplyDeleteDon't click on the links above. This is a phishing link!
ReplyDelete