Mincemeat Squares

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 20
• 2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup lard
• 1 egg yolk, reserve the egg for the top
• 1/2 cup milk, enough to make 1/2 cup
• 3 cups mincemeat
• 1 -2 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 egg , for top crust
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Recipe

• 1 pastry:.
• 2 sift flour, sugar and salt into a large bowl.
• 3 cut in lard with a pastry blender until it resembles coarse meal.
• 4 put egg yolk in measuring cup, add milk to make 1/2 cup.
• 5 add egg mixture to bowl; stir until dough clings together and forms a ball.
• 6 roll out half the dough on a floured surface to a 15" x 11" rectangle; transfer to a cookie sheet.
• 7 note: you can make a parchment paper or wax paper pattern measuring 15â€? x 11â€?. roll out pastry directly onto the paper for easy transfer to baking sheet.
• 8 filling:.
• 9 spread mincemeat filling evenly over dough to within 3/4 inch of edges.
• 10 dot the top of the mincemeat with the bits of butter.
• 11 final assembly:.
• 12 roll out remaining half of dough; cut vents.
• 13 moisten edges of bottom pastry with cool water using a pastry brush or your fingers. cover filling with the top pastry, sealing edges.
• 14 pinch edges together and crimp.
• 15 topping:.
• 16 beat egg until stiff; spread on top crust.
• 17 bake in preheated 400 degree fahrenheit oven for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. remove to wire rack.
• 18 glaze (optional):.
• 19 combine icing sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl.
• 20 drizzle over warm pastry.
• 21 cool slightly before cutting into squares to serve.