Fruit Mince Pies

Ingredients

VEG

1 hour + cooling time

Makes 24 little pies (halve ingredients to make 12)

Filling

• 2 x Pink Lady or Fuji apples, peeled and grated (roughly 300g in total)
• 150g (1 cup) dried currants
• 150g (1 cup) sultanas
• 100g (1/2 cup) mixed peel
• 70g (3/4 cup) flaked almonds
• 100g (1/2 cup packed) brown sugar
• 60g butter
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 100ml brandy
• Pinch sea salt

Pastry

• 2 x 435g sheets good quality store-bought sweet shortcrust pastry (1 sheet for 12 pies, 2 sheets for 24 pies)
• 1 egg, lightly whisked
• Granulated/raw sugar for sprinkling
• Icing sugar for dusting (optional)

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 160°C/325°F (fan forced oven).
2. Place the filling ingredients into a medium saucepan over medium heat.
3. Stirring occasionally, simmer for 25 minutes until the fruit is softened and the liquid is absorbed. Set aside to cool.
4. Lightly grease 12 x muffin tins.
5. Using a 7cm round cookie cutter, cut 12 rounds of the shortcrust pastry.
6. Next, using the relevant cooking cutters, cut 12 stars or mini trees from the dough.
7. Add the round dough to the muffin pans and gently press into each hole.
8. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the cooled fruit mixture into each muffin tin and top with a star or tree-shaped cut dough.
9. Brush the tops with a beaten egg and sprinkle with raw sugar.
10. Bake at 160°C/325°F for 25-30 minutes or until golden.
11. Allow the pies to cool in the tins for 5 minutes before gently removing and placing onto wire racks to cool completely.
12. Dust with icing sugar to serve.

NOTE: to make 12 pies instead of 24 simply halve the ingredients.