Great British Food - Christmas 2025

Best BritishMince Pies Serves: 12 Prepare: 20minutes Cook: 30minutes 250g plain flour, plus extra to dust 1 tbsp caster sugar 1 egg yolk 100ml coldwater 140g chilled Castle Dairies butter, plus 35g chopped and extra for greasing 250gmixed dried fruit 100g light brown sugar 100g glacemorello cherries, chopped 50gmarzipan, finely chopped, plus 50g 3 tbsp brandy 2 tbspmixed peel 2 tbsp crushedmixed nuts 1 apple, grated 1 tsp grated nutmeg Milk, to brush Icing sugar, to dust Gold spray, to decorate (optional) Baking paper A 12-hole cake tray 9cmcookie cutter 8cm fluted cookie cutter 1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, egg yolk and cold water until you have a thick paste. Knead with Castle Dairies Halen Môn Salted Butter RRP £3.25 Available from retailers across England andWales one hand for 30 seconds. Place the butter between two sheets of baking paper and hit with a rolling pin until a flat square. 2. Lightly dust a clean kitchen surface with flour, then roll the dough out to a 20cm by 30cm rectangle. Place the butter in the middle of the rectangle and fold one side of the pastry over the butter, then fold the remaining side of pastry over the top of that, so you have a square. Turn the square 90 degrees and roll into the same sized rectangle. Turn one side into the pastry and then the other side over that, and turn 90 degrees. Repeat the rolling and folding process one more time. Wrap in cling film and chill for 1 hour. 3. In a large bowl, mix together the 35g chopped butter, mixed dried fruit, light brown sugar, cherries, marzipan, brandy, mixed peel, nuts, apple and nutmeg. 4. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas mark 5 and grease the holes in the cake tray. On a surface dusted with flour, roll the pastry out to around 1/2cm thick then cut out 12 x 9cm circles with the cookie cutter. Line the tray holes with the circles of pastry then fill the pastry cases with the fruit mixture. Bring the offcuts of the pastry together and roll out again. Cut 6 x 8cm circles from the pastry and top six of the pies with then. Using a skewer or fork, prick the tops of the pies with the pastry lids, then brush themwith milk. Bake for 20-25 mins until golden. Allow to cool complete within the tray. 5. Roll out the extra marzipan and cut out two stars. Place the stars on one of the open pies. Dust with icing sugar and spray with gold spray. The Ultimate Mince Pies Create a festive showstopper thewhole familywill love usingCastleDairies’ 100%British butter M ince pies are the perfect celebratory indulgence during the festive period, andby treating your loved ones to thosemade usingCastle Dairies’ award-winning butter you can guarantee they’ll be flocking back formore. CraftedwithBritishpride at its heart, this butter is undoubtedly a step above the rest. Almost 60years on since launch, Castle Dairies remains an independent family business, using onlynatural ingredients from its’ BritishSuppliers tomake the best butter in the land!What'smore, the butter is hand saltedwithHalenMôn sea salt crystals from the Isle of Anglesey inNorthWales. The quality of CastleDairies’ butter is instantly recognisable –nowonder it haswonnumerous awards (including aBronze in theGreat BritishFoodAwards 2025) and shoppers around theUKare raving about its superior flavour. To celebrate this deliciously creamy butter at its festive best, add it to your shopping baskets this Christmas andwhipup these magical, deliciousmince pies. GBF PROMOT ION 51 greatbr i t i shfoodawards.com