‘Fantastic for the festive season!’
If Christmas was a food, it would combine the juicy pop of sweet sultanas, spicy punch of nutmeg, and sticky, viscous brown sugar syrup – cupped in a buttery shortcrust shell.
In this episode, Cam cranks the Cobb, crafts his pastry stars, and delivers his most Christmas-sy camp dish yet. Catch Cam, his brandy, and his careful hand right here – plus more on our YouTube channel, every Sunday from 6pm.
![Cam's most Christmas-sy camp dish yet! A stack of three mince pies with icing sugar.](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/DSC00893-2.jpg)
Cam cranks the Cobb, crafts his pastry stars, and delivers his most Christmas-sy camp dish yet.
Ingredients:
Pastry
2 x cups of plain flour
1/3 cup of caster sugar
160g of melted butter
1 x egg yolk
Water
Filling
2 x cups of dried mixed fruit
1 x cup of firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup of slivered almonds, roughly chopped
1 x Granny Smith apple, grated
40g of melted butter
2tbsps of brandy
3tbsps of grated lemon rind
1tsp of cinnamon
1tsp of mixed spice
1 x pinch of nutmeg
1 x egg
To Serve
Icing sugar
Cam’s Kit:
Rolling pin
Tart shells (preferably with removeable bases)
Star-shapped biscuit cutters
![Cam's ingredients A selection of mince pie ingredients on a wooden table from a birds' eye view.](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/LAR00104-1.jpg)
Cam’s ingredients
![Cam's Cobb portable grill A Cobb portable grill.](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/LAR00107-1.jpg)
Cam’s Cobb portable grill
Method:
1. Crank the Heat (00:32)
For this dish, Cam uses his Cobb portable grill and compatible fenced roasting rack. With a self-lighting cobblestone, there’s no need for firelighters.
Allow to heat for 20 minutes, and place the lid on.
![No need for firelighters A fire torch is lighting a briquette in a portable grill.](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/LAR00108.jpg)
With a self-lighting cobblestone, there’s no need for firelighters.
2. Prepare the Pastry (01:11)
To create the shortcrust, combine melted butter, caster sugar, plain flour, and egg yolk. Add water bit by bit, taking care to keep the mixture from becoming too wet.
Once you reach a texture that resembles breadcrumbs, begin kneading with your hands. Be careful not to over-knead, as the dough can then become sticky and elastic-like.
Ball the pastry with both hands, and leave the poor lump to rest for 10-15 minutes (after all, you’ve been pretty kneady).
![Get hands-on! A hand is kneading pastry dough in a silver bowl.](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/LAR00111-1.jpg)
Get hands-on with it!
![Ball the pastry A hand is kneading pastry dough on a board.](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/LAR00114-1.jpg)
Ball the pastry with both hands.
![Leave the pastry to rest A pastry ball in a plastic container.](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/LAR00115-1.jpg)
Leave the pastry to rest.
3. Prepare the Filling (02:46)
In a bowl, add the mixed dried fruit, butter, brown sugar, mixed spice, nutmeg, cinnamon, lemon zest, and juice of half a lemon.
Either grate or slice the apple (Cam recommends the latter for a more full-bodied filling), and roughly chop the almonds. Add the brandy (that’s two tablespoons – to the cheeky chefs emptying the bottle, we see you!), and crack the egg on top.
Mix thoroughly. Never mind if the brown sugar starts to clump – it will break down more so in the cooking process.
Allow the fruit mix to macerate for 15 minutes.
![Combine the fruit mince ingredients A bowl of dried fruit, apple, nuts, sugar, egg. and butter in a silver bowl.](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/LAR00118-1.jpg)
In a bowl, add the mixed dried fruit, butter, brown sugar, mixed spice, nutmeg, cinnamon, lemon zest, juice of half a lemon, apple, almonds, brandy, and egg.
4. Roll, Cut, and Craft (04:55)
Take your dough (*sigh* not that dough, put your wallet away), and roll flat to roughly 2mm thick.
If your pastry is too thick, it will still be raw after cooking – though if it’s too thin, your pies will fall apart. Ever been stretched too thin, to the point where you just crumble in a heap on the floor? Yeah.
Space the tart shells evenly across the sheet of pastry, and use a knife to portion the pastry to size. Gently press the pastry square to the sides of the shell, apply pressure from the top to cut the shell to size, and pull away the excess pastry from the rim.
Roll the excess the pastry flat, and use the biscuit cutters to form pastry stars (these will be placed on top for presentation).
![Roll the dough flat A rolling pin flattening pastry on a floury surface.](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/LAR00123-1.jpg)
Roll the dough flat to roughly 2mm thick.
![2mm thick is a good guide Rolled pastry on a floury surface.](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/LAR00124-1.jpg)
If your pastry is too thick, it will be raw – though if it’s too thin, your pies will fall apart.
![Portion the pastry to size A tart shell on a sheet of pastry, with a knife slicing around it.](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/LAR00125-1.jpg)
Space the tart shells evenly across the sheet of pastry, and use a knife roughly portion the pastry to size.
![Press the pastry square to the sides Pastry pressed into a tart shell.](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/LAR00127-1.jpg)
Gently press the pastry square to the sides of the shell.
![Apply pressure A hand pressing pastry onto a tart shell.](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/LAR00130-1.jpg)
Apply pressure from the top to cut the shell to size.
![Remove the excess pastry A hand shaping pastry in a tart shell.](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/LAR00128-1.jpg)
Pull away the excess pastry from the rim.
![The pastry stars will sit on top of your pies A star-shaped biscuit cutter, creating star shapes from pastry.](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/LAR00132-1.jpg)
Use the biscuit cutters to form pastry stars.
5. Fill the Shells (06:55)
Scoop the filling into the pastry shells, taking care not to include too much of the syrup.
Place the pastry stars on top.
![Fill the pastry shells Fruit mince scooped into a pastry cup.](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/LAR00136-1.jpg)
Scoop the filling into the pastry shells.
![Place the stars on top A pastry star placed on top of a fruit mince pie.](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/LAR00137-1.jpg)
Place the pastry stars on top.
6. Cook the Pies (07:19)
Your cobblestone should now be white. If it’s still black, this indicates a carbon presence (which will impact the flavour of your food).
Place the fenced roasting rack onto the Cobb. This will keep the pies from burning on the on the base of the Cobb (which is now considerably hot).
Heat the rack in the Cobb with the lid on for a minute or two, before placing the pies straight on the rack.
Leave to cook for 10-20 minutes.
![Add the fenced roasting rack A fenced roasting rack on top of a Cobb.](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/LAR00139-1.jpg)
The fenced roasting rack onto the Cobb will keep the pies from burning on the on the base.
![Place the pies onto the rack Mince pies sitting on a rack.](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/LAR00141-1.jpg)
Place the pies straight on the rack.
![Cook for 10-20 minutes Mince pies sitting on a rack.](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/DSC00885.jpg)
Leave to cook for 10-20 minutes.
7. Remove the Pies (08:26)
When the pastry is golden brown, remove the pies from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
![Remove from the heat Mince pies sitting on a rack.](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/DSC00884-2.jpg)
When the pastry is golden brown, remove the pies from the heat.
8. Present the Pies (08:51)
Remove the pies from their shells, and dust with icing sugar. This gives the pies a snow-flecked look, and a smack of sweetness to round out the nutty shortcrust and spicy fruit mince.
![Remove the pies from their shells Pies removed from their tart shells.](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/DSC00886-1.jpg)
Remove the pies from their shells.
![Dust with icing sugar Mince pies dusted with icing sugar.](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/DSC00889-1.jpg)
Dust with icing sugar for a snow-flecked look, and a smack of sweetness!
9. The Finished Product (09:08)
Be it with a bottle of brandy, or pastry-caked fingers – you gotta hand it to Cam and his festive fruit mince pies this Christmas at the campsite.
![Cam's Festive Fruit Mince Pies! Three stacked mince pies with icing sugar.](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/DSC00892-3.jpg)
You gotta hand it to Cam and his festive fruit mince pies this Christmas – be them cooked in your kitchen oven, or at the campsite.
![](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/PROFILE-image.jpg)
After 32 years behind the flour-dusted steel benches of commercial kitchens, Cam folds out his flattop tabletop and taps into campfire coals and portable camp stoves. From tender steaks and Turducken slabs, to sides, fries, and festive pies – follow along for easy, speedy, and crowd-pleasing campsite feeds!
Hi, loved your video for fruit mince pies in the Cobb…BUT..where did you get those small tart pans from. I can only find ones about 12 cm wide which are too big.
HELP
Hi there Jacqui, Cam bought them at Cooksplus for $2.99 each 🙂
Thanks for watching!