Pastry help please *PICS PG 1*

I made the pastry today for my mince pies, my 1st time making pastry! I thhought the pastry was a little too crumbly so any advice how to improve it would be welcome.

Also, they stuck to the baking tin even though I smeared them with butter 1st - how can I avoid this. It's a good job I have plenty mincemeat left to make some more! I may have to eat the crumbly ones that have fallen apart during scraping out of the tin

If they are crumbly, the mixture was possibly a bit dry, this would also explain why they stuck, as they would have absorbed the butter. I would add a little more moisture. What recipe are you using?

It's this http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/STA ... -PIES-5238

I did wonder if it needed more liquid but I didn't want it to become too soggy. I shall try again tomorrow. I still have half the pastry left in the fridge - would that be OK to use (with added water) ro shall I start from scratch?

I think you might have to start from scratch Im not sure how well the liquid would combine now My mums rule she uses is double the amount of flour to butter e.g. 2oz butter 4oz flour, if thats any help?

I think you might have to start from scratch Im not sure how well the liquid would combine now My mums rule she uses is double the amount of flour to butter e.g. 2oz butter 4oz flour, if thats any help?

That would be right - recipe said 240g flour, 60g trex & 60g butter

That's the recipe I use. If the OJ isnt enough to make the dough form in the mixer I add a very small amount of cold water until the dough starts to form a ball.

I always dust my buttered tins with flour I know most only do it for cakes but it's what my Nan did so ... (under that assumption I should have a chenille toilet seat cover )
I'd say it was butter you wanted in the mix prehaps add a smige more.
Also I think Trex is nasty stuff I know lots of people use it but yuk. Sorry just my opinion.

That's the recipe I use. If the OJ isnt enough to make the dough form in the mixer I add a very small amount of cold water until the dough starts to form a ball.

I only had a satsuma but had some water in the fridge to use too

You may have rolled it too thin. Its quite a crumbly pastry anyway and the heavy mincemeat might not have been able to hold it all.