Miniature Mincemeat Pies

JenPo's Note:

Didn't want to lose this so close to Christmas. I loved making this, and the pastry was almost foolproof (lucky for me). It is from Bon Apetit. Passive work time includes refrigeration.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 18 miniatu ...

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 10 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 3 1/4 teaspoons orange zest
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons orange juice (add to taste)
• 3/4 cup prepared mincemeat
• 3 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 egg, beaten

Directions:

1. Mix flour, 6 tablespoons of the confectioner's sugar, 2 1/2 teaspoons orange peel and salt in processor. Add the butter and pulse until soft and crumbly.
2. Whisk egg yolk and 2 tablespoons orange juice in small bowl. Add to processor; blend until moist clumps form, adding more juice by teaspoonfuls if dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Chill in refrigerator 30 minutes.
3. Butter eighteen mini muffin cups. Mix mincemeat, ginger, cinnamon, remaining 4 tablespoons confectioners' sugar and peel in small bowl. Roll out dough on floured surface to 17-inch round.
4. Using 2 1/2-in cookie cutter, cut out 18 dough rounds. Press 1 round into each muffin cup, smoothing it against the bottom and up the sides. Reroll the dough and cut out 18 more dough rounds with a 2-inch-diameter cookie cutter. Heap 1 teaspoon mincemeat mixture in each muffin cup.
5. Brush beaten egg on edges of the smaller dough rounds. Press one round glaze side down on each muffin cup, sealling around edges.
6. Cut small X in center of each pie. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover pies and remaining glaze separately and chill.)
7. Preheat oven to 375°F Brush pie tops with remaining egg. Bake until crusts are golden, about 20 minutes. Cut around pies with a paring knife to loosen; turn out onto rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.