This festive season, elevate your Christmas baking with this refined mince pie recipe by renowned pastry chef Benoit Blin, the creative mind behind The Cadogan Hotel’s exquisite patisserie offerings. 

Known for his two Michelin-starred expertise, Chef Benoit brings a touch of French sophistication to the beloved British mince pie, blending rich, aromatic flavours with impeccable pastry. 

“I have grown to love this British tradition around Christmas,” says Benoit. “I personally like my mince pies with a little bit of almond cream at the bottom, but I know not everybody does; too French, maybe? So, for now, these are made the classic way.”

This recipe, crafted with the same precision he brings to The Cadogan’s afternoon tea, features layers of buttery pastry and a spiced, fruit-filled filling that captures the essence of Christmas. 

Makes: 20-24 mince pies
Preparation Time: 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour 45 minutes for the mincemeat, 12-15 minutes for the pies

Special Equipment: 6.5 cm diameter x 2 cm deep non-stick tartlet moulds or muffin tray

Ingredients

For the Sablé Pastry

140g unsalted butter, diced

50g caster sugar

35g icing sugar

Vanilla extract

1 small pinch of salt

20g ground almonds

1 egg yolk

25g cornflour

200g plain flour

For the Mincemeat

75g vegetarian suet

240g mixed dried fruits (¼ mixed peel, ¼ currants, ½ raisins)

105g dark brown sugar

3g mixed sweet spices or Chinese 5-spice

¼ tsp nutmeg powder

1 orange (zest and juice)

1 lemon (zest and juice)

135g Bramley apple, peeled and diced into 5mm cubes

25ml brandy or dark rum

To Finish

100g brown granulated sugar

Method

For the Pastry

1. In a mixer with a paddle attachment, combine the icing sugar, caster sugar, and diced butter on a low speed.

2. Add the vanilla extract, salt, and egg yolk, mixing until incorporated.

3. Add ground almonds, cornflour, and plain flour, mixing until the dough comes together smoothly.

4. Shape the dough into a disc (about 3-4 cm thick), cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

For the Mincemeat

1. In a large bowl, mix all the mincemeat ingredients, except the brandy. Cover and let rest overnight in the fridge.

2. Preheat the oven to 140°C. Transfer the mixture to a small baking tray, cover with foil, and cook for 1 hour 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Remove from oven, cool completely, stirring occasionally to prevent fat from settling. Add brandy once cool, then store in the fridge until needed.

Assembling and Baking

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease the tartlet moulds lightly with butter.

2. Roll out the chilled pastry to about 2-3 mm thick on a floured surface. Cut 24 discs (8 cm diameter) for the bases, and 24 discs (6.5 cm) for the lids.

3. Line the tartlet moulds with the larger discs, fill each with about 20g of mincemeat, and top with the smaller pastry lids.

4. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden. While still warm, coat with brown sugar. Allow to cool slightly before carefully removing from moulds.

Make a reservation to experience Benoit Blin’s masterpiece afternoon tea at The Cadogan here. 

The Cadogan, A Belmond Hotel, 75 Sloane St, SW1X 9SG