Frangipane Mince Pies - My Gorgeous Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is frangipane made of? ›

What is frangipane? A creamy mixture of ground almonds, butter, sugar and eggs that is sometimes used to fill tarts. Halved stone fruit, such as apricots and plums, can be baked on top to make a delicious dessert.

The reason mincemeat is called meat is because that's exactly what it used to be: most often mutton, but also beef, rabbit, pork or game. Mince pies were first served in the early middle ages, and the pies were quite sizeable, filled with a mixture of finely minced meat, chopped up fruit and a preserving liquid.

Going on to how one should formally eat a mince pie, she explains: 'One would pick up the mince pie with a thumb and first finger, and lift [it] away from the plate. 'The mince pie is crumbly, so make sure anything that falls from the mince pie falls onto your plate.

Even today there are traditions associated with mince pies. When making the mincemeat mixture for the pies, for good luck it should be stirred in a clockwise direction. You should always make a wish when eating the first mince pie of the season and you should never cut one with a knife.

(1) A rich French pastry made with eggs yolks, flour, butter and milk that is very similar to choux pastry.

Not anymore, a couple of hundred years ago it would have had some sort of minced meat in with the rest. modern mincemeat accepts that it's better without it, so it's just chopped fruit and spices in a sweet pastry.

Mincemeat pie is a dish that isn't very common in the American kitchen, which can lead to some confusion for cooks, even those on the Allrecipes staff.

A mince pie (also mincemeat pie in North America, and fruit mince pie in Australia and New Zealand) is a sweet pie of English origin filled with mincemeat, being a mixture of fruit, spices and suet. The pies are traditionally served during the Christmas season in much of the English-speaking world.

It has been claimed that eating the snack is illegal in England if done so on Christmas Day. The tradition comes from the time of Oliver Cromwell in the 1650s, when mince pies were banned at Christmas, along with other tasty treats. Cromwell wanted to tackle gluttony in England.

Mince pies are best served warm but not hot, dusted with icing sugar and with a dollop of cream, homemade brandy butter, or a drizzle of custard on the side. So, what do drink with it? Sherry is the traditional tipple-of-choice for mince pie lovers in Britain.

Why are mince pies only eaten at Christmas? ›

According to reports, medieval people believed that if you ate a mince pie every day between Christmas and Twelfth Night, you'd be brimming with luck and happiness for the next 12 months. While there may not be any truth in the old myth, the tradition of eating mince pies every Christmas has certainly stuck.

Heat a pile of mincemeat in a pan with sugar, orange and lemon juice, orange peel, half a cinnamon stick and brandy, wait for it to thicken and then stir in some whipping cream.

Go with the tradition and eat a dozen

There is a tradition of eating one mince pie each day over the 12 days of Christmas from Christmas Eve to 5 January.

They became a popular treat around the festive period thanks to a tradition from the middle ages, which saw people eat a mince pie for 12 days from Christmas day to Twelfth Night. Doing this was believed to bring you happiness for the next 12 months.

Another difference between frangipane and almond paste and marzipan is the ingredients. In addition to almonds and sugar, frangipane contains eggs, butter, and flour. French-style frangipane also requires milk to prepare a custard, which is then mixed with ground almonds. Frangipane has a very soft consistency.

In essence, frangipane is an almond filling, sometimes called frangipane cream. It isn't the same as marzipan, which is an almond-sugar paste that's so dense it can be formed into decorative shapes and painted in bright colors.

Frangipane is a rich, cream-based filling, while marzipan is a thick paste mostly used for decorative purposes. The main thing they have in common is the almonds required to make each one, but beyond that, they're wildly different — especially in consistency — meaning you'll find them used differently, too.

While they share some similarities, there are distinct variations: Crème Frangipane: Contains ground almonds, sugar, butter, and eggs. It has a richer and creamier texture and is often used as a filling in pastries. The classic frangipane cream is mixed with crème pâtissière (pastry cream) for added flavor and texture.