Festive Fusions: Homemade Brandy and Mince Pie Ice Cream.

Indulge in our very Festive Homemade Brandy and Mince Pie Ice Cream! A spirited blend of brandy richness and mince pie sweetness in every delicious scoop.

As the festive season swiftly approaches, we all eagerly anticipate the familiar flavours that the season brings. Two such flavours are Brandy and Mince Pies, both synonymous with the festive season.

So how about Brandy and Mince Pies in a deliciously smooth and indulgent Ice Cream? It’s a wonderful fusion that brings together familiar festive flavours and captures the essence of Christmas in every delicious scoop.

In this article, we will provide information about the festive fusion of Brandy and Mince pies, a little background information on each, and of course, we will provide you with a detailed step-by-step guide on how you can create this incredibly delicious and perfectly festive homemade ice cream yourself, including recipes for Mince Pies, Mince Pie Filling and of course our Homemade Brandy and Mince Pie Ice Cream

If you’d prefer, you can scroll directly to the recipe and method at the bottom of this article, or read along to find out more.

Jump to Homemade Brandy and Mince Pie Ice Cream Recipe
Jump to Homemade Mince Pies Recipe
Jump to Homemade Mince Pie Filling Recipe
Jump to Optional Brandy Glaze

The Warm Embrace of Brandy

Brandy, a spirit known for its warmth and distinct notes is a much-loved beverage with a rich history and has been delighting palates for centuries. From its smooth, caramel undertones to the subtle hints of fruit, brandy brings a comforting warmth that feels like a festive hug in every sip.

Derived from fermented fruit juices, with grapes being the most common source, this distilled alcoholic beverage offers a nuanced and complex flavour profile.

The aging process in wooden casks contributes to its distinctive taste, which can feature notes of fruit, vanilla, and even subtle hints of spice.

Beyond its role as a sipping drink, brandy works its magic in the culinary setting too, elevating dishes with its deep, warm undertones. Whether infused into sauces for meats, incorporated into desserts, or sipped alongside a sweet treat, brandy adds a layer of sophistication and depth.

When it comes to Ice Cream, the addition of brandy introduces a subtle warmth, enhancing the overall flavour profile and providing a delicious adult twist to your frozen desserts.

Mince Pies: A Christmas Culinary Tradition

Mince pies, with their flaky pastry shells and a filling of spiced fruits, are an iconic Christmas treat that has graced tables for centuries. Beyond their festive appearance, mince pies carry a deep culinary legacy, often associated with holiday gatherings and Yuletide traditions.

As a symbol of Christmas cheer, their aromatic blend of spices and sweet fruits makes them a perfect partner for the velvety smoothness of brandy in our Homemade Brandy and Mince Pie Ice Cream. It’s a very merry fusion that captures the essence of the season in every spoonful.

Not Just a Confectionery Delight

Mince pies are steeped in holiday tradition, with their origins tracing back to medieval times.

The filling, a fragrant blend of spices and sweet fruits serves as a festive ambassador on Christmas Eve, adorning tables and, as the lore goes, making a delicious offering for the ever-jolly Santa Claus himself.

Transforming these two flavour profiles, deeply associated with Xmas, into a Homemade Ice Cream makes perfect sense and once you taste the results you’ll understand why.

Let us take you through the stages:

Our Homemade Mince Pies Recipe

Of course, you can easily pick up some ready-made mince pies, especially at this time of the year, but we like to make our own. This way, like with all our ice creams, we know exactly what goes into our mince pies and we can tailor them to our exact taste preferences.

Here’s our recipe for homemade mince pies:

Ingredients:

• 225g plain flour
• 100g unsalted butter, cold and diced
• 25g icing sugar
• 280g mincemeat
• 1 small egg, beaten (for glazing)
• A sprinkle of caster sugar (for dusting)
• Optional: 1-2 tablespoons brandy (adjust to taste)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C for fan ovens).
2. In a mixing bowl, rub the cold, diced butter into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Stir in the icing sugar.
4. Add a little cold water, a tablespoon at a time, and mix until the dough comes together.
5. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to around 3mm thickness.
6. Cut out circles to fit your mince pie tin using a round cutter.
7. Gently press the circles into the tin.
8. Spoon a generous teaspoon of mincemeat into each pastry case.
9. Use smaller cutters to create tops for the pies, either with a full pastry cover or fun shapes.
10. Brush the tops with beaten egg and sprinkle with caster sugar.
11. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
12. Allow to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack.

Now you have created your own super delicious homemade festive mince pies with a splash of optional brandy. You have a dilemma, lol. Do you devour them straight away, or do you use them for your Homemade Brandy and Mince Pie Ice Cream? Hmm, it’s a hard call.

Thankfully we have a solution: By using Oat milk or Almond milk instead of the usual cow’s milk in your ice cream base, these alternative milks provide an oaty, almost pastry-like taste to homemade ice cream.

With that, you can use your mince pies if you want to by blending them into the mix or simply add one of these alternative milks to the mince pie filling instead (additional information to follow in the Brandy and Mince Pie Ice Cream recipe).

So, you can have your mince pie and eat it after all.

Homemade Mince Pie Filling Recipe

Like with the mince pies, you can easily pick up a jar or two of mince pie filling from the shops, especially at this time of the year. But we like to make our own and want to share our recipe with you and then you have the option to make your own too.

Here’s our recipe for Homemade Mince Pie Filling:

Ingredients:

• 225g Bramley apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
• 110g suet (you can use vegetable suet to make this a vegetarian/vegan-friendly recipe)
• 175g raisins
• 110g currants
• 110g sultanas
• 175g dark brown sugar
• Zest and juice of 1 orange
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 teaspoons mixed spice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 150ml brandy (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped apples, suet, raisins, currants, and sultanas.
2. Add the dark brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the fruit mixture. Mix well.
3. Stir in the mixed spice, cinnamon, and nutmeg until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
4. If desired, add the brandy to the mixture and stir thoroughly. This step is optional but adds a rich depth of flavour.
5. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and leave the mixture to marinate for at least a few hours or overnight.
6. Transfer the mince pie filling to sterilized jars, ensuring they are airtight. Store in a cool, dark place.

Both of the above can easily be purchased from the shops to make this process swifter, but if you’re an avid baker, and enjoy the process, you’re now fully equipped to make your own Mince Pies and Mince Pie Filling from scratch.

So let’s make some deliciously festive Ice Cream!

Homemade Brandy and Mince Pie Ice Cream Recipe

Ingredients:

• 400ml double cream
• 200ml Oat or Almond Milk
• 150g caster sugar
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 200g mince pie filling (store-bought or homemade)
• 3 tablespoons brandy (adjust to taste)

Instructions:

1. In a saucepan, heat the double cream and milk over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Remove from heat.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and caster sugar until pale and slightly thickened.
3. Slowly pour the warm cream mixture into the egg yolks, whisking continuously to avoid curdling.
4. Return the mixture to the saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
5. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Allow the custard to cool completely.
6. Once cooled, fold in the mince pie filling, ensuring even distribution of the fruit and spices.
7. Stir in the brandy, ensuring it’s well incorporated.
8. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
   1. NB: If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can still make this recipe. Pour the mixture into a freezer-safe container and freeze. Every 30 minutes, stir the mixture vigorously with a fork to break up ice crystals, repeating this process for about 3-4 hours or until the ice cream is firm. Please also check out our post – Homemade Ice Cream: Without an Ice Cream Maker to learn more.
9. Once churned, transfer the ice cream to a lidded container and freeze for at least four hours or overnight.
10. Scoop and serve your Homemade Brandy and Mince Pie Ice Cream, garnishing with additional mince pie filling if desired. If you haven’t eaten all your mince pies and have any left, you can crumble some of these onto your ice cream as you serve it up.
11. Finally, indulge in the festive fusion of brandy and mince pies with each delightful scoop of this homemade ice cream!

Optional Brandy Glaze:

For a delicious extra Brandy hit, you can create a simple glaze to drizzle over your Brandy and Mince Pie Ice cream or mince pies. Here’s how:

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons icing sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons brandy (adjust to taste)

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, mix the icing sugar with 1 tablespoon of brandy.
2. Gradually add more brandy until you achieve your desired consistency.
3. When you are serving your ice cream, you can drizzle the brandy glaze over it, and also the same for your cooled mince pies.
4. Allow the glaze to cool before serving.

This optional addition adds an extra hit of brandy to enhance the festive flavours of your homemade mince pies. Adjust the brandy quantity according to your preference.

Perfect Pairings:

And if the above selection isn’t enough, here’s a list of perfect pairings that you can add to complement the rich and festive flavours of your Homemade Brandy and Mince Pie Ice Cream to make it even more delicious!

1. Caramel Sauce:
   Drizzle warm caramel sauce over a scoop of the ice cream for an indulgent twist.
2. Toasted Pecans:
   Add a crunchy texture by sprinkling toasted pecans on top of your ice cream.
3. Ginger Snaps:
   Serve the ice cream alongside ginger snaps for a spicy and sweet contrast.
4. Whipped Cream:
   Top your ice cream with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream for added richness.
5. Shortbread Cookies:
   Enjoy the ice cream with crumbled shortbread cookies for a buttery and crumbly element.
6. Warm Mince Pies:
   Serve a warm mince pie alongside the ice cream for the ultimate festive dessert.
7. Brandy Snap Baskets:
   Fill brandy snap baskets with a scoop of ice cream for a delicious textural crunch.
8. Dark Chocolate Shavings:
   Grate dark chocolate over the ice cream for a luxurious touch of bitterness.
9. Orange Zest:
   Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh orange zest to enhance the citrus notes.
10. Cinnamon Stick:
    Place a cinnamon stick as a festive garnish and aromatic companion.

These pairings will elevate the experience of enjoying your Homemade Brandy and Mince Pie Ice Cream, providing a variety of textures and flavours to savour.

We truly hope you have enjoyed our article and we have inspired you to give the deliciously festive Homemade Brandy and Mince Pie Ice Cream a go.

Please drop us a comment below if you have any questions and we would love to hear from you if you do give this recipe a go.