Puff Pastry Mince Pies With A Custard & Crumble Top
I’ve been a bit bored with traditional mince pies lately. While I love them, they can be disappointing—often too much thick, bland shortcrust pastry coated in sugar. To me, a mince pie is a balance of two equally important parts: the mincemeat and the pastry. Over the years, I’ve started making my own mincemeat (though store-bought is fine too—just jazz it up with a dash of rum, chopped apple, or orange). For the pastry, I’ve turned to my favourite: puff pastry. It’s crunchy, delicious, and holds its own even when rolled thin. For the topping, I took inspiration from custard tarts, adding a layer of custard and a crumble topping. The crumble is essentially pastry without water, and I’ve swapped some of the butter for marzipan to add a hint of almond. And there you have it—my take on the classic mince pie!
Makes 12
Hands-on Time 50 minutes (plus chilling)
Baking Time 30 minutes
Ingredients
100g plus 4 tsp plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
4 tsp caster sugar
4 tsp cornflour
Pinch of salt
Pinch of ground nutmeg
2 medium eggs
200ml full-fat milk
1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or seeds from 1/2 vanilla pod)
25g unsalted butter (chilled)
50g marzipan
2 tsp soft brown sugar
500g mincemeat
1 tsp spiced rum or brandy
Equipment
Rolling pin
Sharp knife
12-hole muffin tray
3 mixing bowls
Hand whisk (silicone if possible)
Saucepan
Spatula
Clingfilm
Spoon
Wire rack
Method
1. Prepare the Pastry
Roll out the puff pastry into a 36cm x 32cm rectangle. Roll it up like a Swiss roll and cut into 12 equal pieces.
Flatten each piece into a circle slightly larger than the muffin tin holes. Press into the tin and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Make the Custard
Whisk eggs and 4 tsp caster sugar until pale. Add 4 tsp flour, cornflour, salt, and nutmeg. Whisk until combined.
Heat milk and vanilla in a saucepan until steaming. Slowly whisk into the egg mixture.
Return to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Transfer to a bowl, cover with clingfilm, and let cool.
3. Make the Crumble Topping
Rub 100g flour, chilled butter, and marzipan into breadcrumbs. Stir in soft brown sugar.
4. Assemble the Tarts
Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C (fan)/375°F/Gas Mark 5.
Divide the mincemeat between the pastry cases, pressing down with a spoon.
Spoon the cooled custard over the mincemeat. Top with crumble, gently pressing it down.
5. Bake the Tarts
Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 170°C/150°C (fan)/325°F/Gas Mark 3 and bake for another 20 minutes.
Let the tarts cool slightly before removing from the tin. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Enjoy!
