This article was updated by the Great British Mag contents team on 23 December 2020
Fancy cooking a traditional British Christmas dinner on 25 December, then watch our video and follow the instructions below to learn how to cook the perfect turkey and mince pies.
Instructions for a perfect British Christmas dinner
Feeds:
4 – 6 people
Ingredients:
- Turkey
- 1 orange
- Butter
- Streaky bacon (optional)
- Caster Sugar
- Water
- Premade mince pie meat
- Tin foil
- Plain flour
Instructions:
Turkey –
1. Rub butter all over the turkey and under the skin to create a golden brown when it cooks.
2. Layer streaky bacon on top of turkey.
3. Peel and place orange segments around the bottom of turkey.
4. Cover in tin foil.
5. Cook following cooking time instructions that come with turkey.
6. About 20 minutes before turkey is finished remove tin foil and streaky bacon, place turkey back in oven to cook and become golden!
7. Take out turkey and serve with all the trimmings!
Mince pies –
1. To make the pastry, rub 225g cold diced butter into 350g plain flour, then mix in 100g golden caster sugar and a pinch of salt.
2. Combine the pastry into a ball – don’t add liquid unless very dry- and knead it briefly. The dough will be fairly firm, like shortbread dough. You can use the dough immediately, or chill for later.
3. Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C. Line 18 holes of two 12-hole patty tins, by pressing small walnut-sized balls of pastry into each hole.
4. Spoon 280g mincemeat into the pies.
5. Take slightly smaller balls of pastry than before and pat them out between your hands to make round lids or cut out fun shapes like Hannah did.
6. Top the pies with their lids, pressing the edges gently together to seal – you don’t need to seal them with milk or egg as they will stick on their own.
7. Bake for 20 minutes until golden. Leave to cool in the tin and then remove to cool on a wire rack. To serve, lightly dust with icing sugar or just eat because they are delicious.
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