# Mince pies



## Martin62 (Nov 10, 2021)

Hi all
With Christmas on the horizon, my mind turned to mince pies.
As a mince pie lover I trawled the internet for diabetic friendly ones to buy with no luck. 
I did however find a recipe for them on sugerfreelondoner's website . They looked good so I may have to have a bash at making some to try.
I've never baked anything before , but if I follow the recipe I can't go too far wrong , there is even a recipe for Christmas pud.
Martin


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## rayray119 (Nov 11, 2021)

Martin62 said:


> Hi all
> With Christmas on the horizon, my mind turned to mince pies.
> As a mince pie lover I trawled the internet for diabetic friendly ones to buy with no luck.
> I did however find a recipe for them on sugerfreelondoner's website . They looked good so I may have to have a bash at making some to try.
> ...


wouldn't you jut give yourself insullin to cover the carbs in it?


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## Lucyr (Nov 11, 2021)

Martin62 said:


> Hi all
> With Christmas on the horizon, my mind turned to mince pies.
> As a mince pie lover I trawled the internet for diabetic friendly ones to buy with no luck.
> I did however find a recipe for them on sugerfreelondoner's website . They looked good so I may have to have a bash at making some to try.
> ...


What do you mean by diabetic friendly mince pie? There’s carbs in them but you’re on insulin so either read the carbs on the back of packet or estimate the carbs and inject accordingly.


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## Martin62 (Nov 11, 2021)

Perhaps I worded my post wrongly, lower carb mince pies would of been better.
Of course I know that I can eat regular ones and inject appropriate insulin, but the average mince pie has the same amount or more carbs than in an average meal.


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## Peely66 (Nov 11, 2021)

I, too, love mince pies. Thank goodness Christmas is only once a year. Surely if you make them yourself they're not going to be as loaded with sugar as you have control over what goes in. Make your own mince meat perhaps? Not sure I could be bothered with that myself. I used to make them but haven't got round to it for a few years now.

I've also bought the smaller ones in various supermarkets. Can't remember brand or shop.


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## Peely66 (Nov 11, 2021)




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## Martin62 (Nov 11, 2021)

Peely66 said:


> View attachment 19093


Stop it peely,  you are making my mouth water, I can just taste them slightly warm with a dollop of cream


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## starfish212 (Nov 13, 2021)

Martin62 said:


> Hi all
> With Christmas on the horizon, my mind turned to mince pies.
> As a mince pie lover I trawled the internet for diabetic friendly ones to buy with no luck.
> I did however find a recipe for them on sugerfreelondoner's website . They looked good so I may have to have a bash at making some to try.
> ...


I will be taking a look at that website too, I was wondering today about mincemeat suitable for someone following a low sugar diet.  I was so glad to read your recommendation of the website recipe.


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## Felinia (Nov 13, 2021)

I've seen ones where the pastry is swapped for 3 pieces of filo, and left open.  Surely that would reduce the carbs?


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## starfish212 (Nov 13, 2021)

Can you buy filo ready made .?


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## starfish212 (Nov 13, 2021)

Im feeling like taking shortcuts this Christmas.  Will definitely be making rock cakes for diabetics from the website Allrecipes,  so easy to bake, no fuss, just sit back and nibble just and only one a day…..


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## Felinia (Nov 13, 2021)

starfish212 said:


> Can you buy filo ready made .?


Yes I think you can - I recall the number of professional bakers remarking they don't have time to make filo!!!


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## starfish212 (Nov 13, 2021)

ill look out for a box of chilled filo.  I will dearly miss a mince pie.  Maybe eat a low sugar recipe one slowly, half a piece a day …


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## Pattidevans (Nov 13, 2021)

Filo pastry is available in any supermarket on the chilled counter - usually next to butter and hard cooking fats.  Chefs rarely if ever make their own filo or puff pastry.  I did know a Greek chappie who used to make filo in his bakery in Corfu... you could hear him bashing the stuff two streets away, but it was indeed delicious!


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## starfish212 (Nov 13, 2021)

Corfu, must be like me thinking about proper Cornish pasties in Newquay, Cornwall….


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## helli (Nov 13, 2021)

Felinia said:


> I've seen ones where the pastry is swapped for 3 pieces of filo, and left open.  Surely that would reduce the carbs?


The carb content of mince pies is primarily in the filling. It is just dried fruit with the option of nuts, alcohol and sugar syrup plus a little suet.
The pastry contributes a very small portion of the carbs.
Replacing the pastry with filo is reducing the fat so they have a bigger sugar hit.
Given there’s no point in half full mince pies, I go for full fat full filling shortcrust pastry pies and oodles of insulin.
Ocassionally, I follow my Dad’s example - take the top off, pile in the brandy butter and return the lid. Works best with warmed mince pies so the brandy butter melts.


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## Leadinglights (Nov 13, 2021)

If you make your own then you could make a 'pastry' with almond flour or put an almond flour crumble top instead of the pastry top. May make a bit of difference to the carbs.


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## Dave W (Nov 13, 2021)

Mrs W makes them for me but as open topped tarts and this reduces the pastry by about 50%. This also means I can add a drop of brandy before consuming one


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## mikeyB (Nov 23, 2021)

It’s not the flour that has most of the carbs, it’s the fruit. I’ve recently discovered the best hypo treatment for those middle of the night dips. The great and glorious Eccles Cake. Eat one and go straight back to sleep. Did that last night, and woke on 6.2.


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## Sally W (Nov 24, 2021)

https://thelowcarbkitchen.co.uk/low-carb-mince-pies/ these are good. I add in extra spice, chopped apple and a few raisins and they’re fine. I use fibreflour instead of flour such as almonds or coconut


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## Martin62 (Dec 5, 2021)

Here is my first attempt,  a bit rustic but as I've never baked before, not too bad.


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## Jenny105 (Dec 16, 2021)

I had a go at a substitute 'mince pie' this am.  
Almond flour &, milled mixed seeds, plus 2 teaspoons of brown flour.  Approx  8 carbs for 80grams.  
40 grams butter added.  A little water to mix .    I cut out 6 pie bases.
 A Mix of blueberries, blackberries and little red berries from frozen fruit mix. A sprinkling of vegetarian suet, cinnamon, and a tspn of amarulla (liqueur) very optional or swoppable
The Fruit mix went into the pastry rounds in a baking tin . I added a strip of pastry over the top (ideally 2 but ran out)
Baked for 5 - 8 mins
They came out ok BUT the pastry is slightly crumbly. Maybe more almond flour , less nut mix?
 It was tasty.      When hubby has a mincepie I can have a fruity pie with squirt of cream
  Please note my weight is toooo low so I am not concerned with cals . x


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## Almond_tart2021 (Dec 16, 2021)

Martin62 said:


> Here is my first attempt,  a bit rustic but as I've never baked before, not too bad.View attachment 19353


ohh that sugarfreelondeners recipe, looks good, what a great find, ill definitely have a go at that one! well done , they look good,, big dollop of cream with them?


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## travellor (Dec 17, 2021)

Aldi mince pies are my go to


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## Martin62 (Dec 17, 2021)

Almond_tart2021 said:


> ohh that sugarfreelondeners recipe, looks good, what a great find, ill definitely have a go at that one! well done , they look good,, big dollop of cream with them?


A big dollop of Cornish Clotted Cream


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## rebrascora (Dec 17, 2021)

Mascapone works well as an alternative to cream or even Philadelphia cream cheese.


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## Nayshiftin (Dec 17, 2021)

To be honest it’s your body your choice. I for one will have a mince pie . Yes type 2 diabetic on no meds. Going fit HbA1c in January and I am fat. I am going to buy the small size one . I’ll test before n after . If it’s not too bad I’ll have another another day. You could do that with insulin too. It is not a packer mind at a time nor would I do it all the time but for Christmas I will not not have a mince pie. I don’t eat chocolate and all the rest now so a wee bit is good for you. But that’s me as I said lots will get you on healthier options . I used to make it all but not this year. In hospital they do not seem to know what diabetic food is snd it was a private hospital too.


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## Jenny105 (Dec 17, 2021)

Jenny105 said:


> View attachment 19444 I had a go at a substitute 'mince pie' this am.
> Almond flour &, milled mixed seeds, plus 2 teaspoons of brown flour.  Approx  8 carbs for 80grams.
> 40 grams butter added.  A little water to mix .    I cut out 6 pie bases.
> A Mix of blueberries, blackberries and little red berries from frozen fruit mix. A sprinkling of vegetarian suet, cinnamon, and a tspn of amarulla (liqueur) very optional or swoppable
> ...


I took 2 little tarts to a friend's caf. (Bought something to take home to hubby). Consumed the tarts with a cappucino. Nice . Next finger prick b4 lunch was only raised by 0.1.


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## Almond_tart2021 (Dec 17, 2021)

Jenny105 said:


> I took 2 little tarts to a friend's caf. (Bought something to take home to hubby). Consumed the tarts with a cappucino. Nice . Next finger prick b4 lunch was only raised by 0.1.


ooh thats good, i did the sugar free londoner recipe but didn't have enough filling for 8 mince pies as the recipe said, but then i did probably deeper fill them, next time i'll take a tip from you and add some frozen fruits, having ground cinnamon , nutmeg and ginger in the filling really does make them taste like christmas
and the pastry was really easy, now i only made 4 pies, i got enough left to make a 6" quiche!
will make another batch to put in the freezer, so i have a steady supply


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## helli (Dec 17, 2021)

Martin62 said:


> Here is my first attempt,  a bit rustic but as I've never baked before, not too bad.View attachment 19353


Look very good, Martin.
As a baker, I’d recommend making a little hole in the top,of each pie before putting them in the oven. Looks as if you got away without this time but steam build up under the crust and can lead to a cracked/exploding top if there is nowhere for the steam to go.


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## travellor (Dec 17, 2021)

starfish212 said:


> Can you buy filo ready made .?



You can.
I buy puff pastry, shortcrust, and filo.
Normally I go for the ready rolled rather than the solid block nowadays, and freeze it.
It lasts ages in the freezer, just remember to take it out a day before you want to use it.


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## Jenny105 (Dec 17, 2021)

Almond_tart2021 said:


> ooh thats good, i did the sugar free londoner recipe but didn't have enough filling for 8 mince pies as the recipe said, but then i did probably deeper fill them, next time i'll take a tip from you and add some frozen fruits, having ground cinnamon , nutmeg and ginger in the filling really does make them taste like christmas
> and the pastry was really easy, now i only made 4 pies, i got enough left to make a 6" quiche!
> will make another batch to put in the freezer, so i have a steady supply
> View attachment 19453


Frozen fruits are brill. I used  little ones.  I added a sprinkling of veggie (or beef) suet -if ok for U. It bulks it out. Apple or apricot is good for bulk but add the apple to mix just prior to cooking as its flesh goes brown in the air. 
For mine I added 2 sultanas to each tart.

The fruits can be mixed the night before with a little water. If ok 4 U the suet and a tad of brandy or rum etc can be popped in overnight. 
Mixing up took  a few mins.  The pastry and cutting took about 10 mins as i need to perfect the rolling out.
My mum used to cut strips of pastry - 3cm long x 1/2cm wide. Hold one end and twist the other slowly. Fix one end to the outside of a tart , lay it over the top. U can add 2 or 3 round the tart.  Or make a small star or circle shape etc and lay it on the top.                                        The pastry doesn't have to cover the whole tart. 
Im definitely going to experiment and use this for Boxing Day when my sons family and in laws are coming. They dont like dried fruit recipes but i think the frozen fruit will go down well. My granddaughter likes blueberries so I'll use a lot of those.


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## Jenny105 (Dec 17, 2021)

travellor said:


> You can.
> I buy puff pastry, shortcrust, and filo.
> Normally I go for the ready rolled rather than the solid block nowadays, and freeze it.
> It lasts ages in the freezer, just remember to take it out a day before you want to use it.


Pop it in the fridge overnight   - keep it out of Santas way.


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## Jenny105 (Dec 17, 2021)

helli said:


> Look very good, Martin.
> As a baker, I’d recommend making a little hole in the top,of each pie before putting them in the oven. Looks as if you got away without this time but steam build up under the crust and can lead to a cracked/exploding top if there is nowhere for the steam to go.


Mr Baker   my almond flour, milled nut mix, a little brown flour plus water worked BUT It was crumbly   how could it adhere a little more .


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## helli (Dec 17, 2021)

I see no mention of my Dad’s mince pie trick.
He always lifts the top off a warm pie and fills it with brandy butter before returning the lid.
The butter melts adding boozy butteriness to the pie.


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## helli (Dec 17, 2021)

Jenny105 said:


> Mr Baker   my almond flour, milled nut mix, a little brown flour plus water worked BUT It was crumbly   how could it adhere a little more .


I have not tried baking low carb pastry - as I have Type 1, I take insulin for the carbs.
Is there any reason why you have no fat in your pastry recipe? You might find adding butter helps with the crumbliness.


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## Martin62 (Dec 17, 2021)

Almond_tart2021 said:


> ooh thats good, i did the sugar free londoner recipe but didn't have enough filling for 8 mince pies as the recipe said, but then i did probably deeper fill them, next time i'll take a tip from you and add some frozen fruits, having ground cinnamon , nutmeg and ginger in the filling really does make them taste like christmas
> and the pastry was really easy, now i only made 4 pies, i got enough left to make a 6" quiche!
> will make another batch to put in the freezer, so i have a steady supply
> View attachment 19453


That looks lovely.


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## Martin62 (Dec 17, 2021)

helli said:


> Look very good, Martin.
> As a baker, I’d recommend making a little hole in the top,of each pie before putting them in the oven. Looks as if you got away without this time but steam build up under the crust and can lead to a cracked/exploding top if there is nowhere for the steam to go.


Thanks for the tip , I'm making some more this week , don't want any explosions


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## everydayupsanddowns (Dec 17, 2021)

Very impressed with all your baking prowess!


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## Jenny105 (Dec 17, 2021)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Very impressed with all your baking prowess!


I enjoy thinking outside the box....... normally we have a basic type of diet.


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