Living in England and not being able to travel home to the States every year for the holidays has meant that I have become accustomed to lots of English Christmas traditions. One such tradition is the mince pie. Mince pies are simple little creatures, a simple pie crust is filled with mincemeat (not beef- remembering Rachel from Friends making that trifle comes to mind!). Mincemeat is booze soaked fruit that contains spices and candied citrus peel for a tart, rich filling that just screams Christmas.
Come September, these little pies full of mincemeat line the supermarket shelves and feature in towers at the front of every store. This is my take on the mince pie- by topping mine with frangipane (almond paste) and flaked almonds for the best little Almond Topped Mince Pies.
I don’t think I could have Christmas now without these Almond Topped Mince Pies. Not only are they yummy, they are super easy to make, especially if you take a few shortcuts (like refrigerated pie crust dough). Do feel free to make your own crust, that will make them all the more satisfying, however during the holidays it’s always great to save yourself a few precious minutes in the kitchen.