Mince Pies are a key part to our Christmas experience – as soon as November hits, we’re sending John out to the shop to pick up a pack for our coffee break. Now, we can make our own thanks to Orgran who have created this Christmas Fruit Mince Pies Recipe.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Servings: makes 24 pies
Ingredients – Metric
Pastry
125g (4 oz) butter or salt reduced monounsaturated margarine
½ cup caster sugar
½ tsp vanilla essence
1 egg, lightly beaten (or equivalent Orgran No Egg)
190g (6 oz.) Orgran All Purpose Plain Flour
¼ tsp gluten free baking powder
30g (1 oz.) gluten free cornflour
30g (1 oz.) Orgran Custard Mix gluten free icing sugar, to sprinkle on top of cooked pies
What you’ll need to make the fruit mince:
1 cooking apple, peeled and grated
1 x 440g (15 oz.) can crushed pineapple in natural juice
1 cup sultanas
1 cup chopped raisins
½ cup currants
60g (2 oz.) glace cherries cut in half
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp butter or salt reduced monounsaturated margarine
Finely grated rind 1 lemon
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 Tbsp gluten free cornflour
¼ cup brandy
You can get all these ingredients from Tesco.com
Method
How to make the homemade fruit mince:
(Fruit Mince can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator until required.)
Place all the ingredients except the cornflour and brandy into a medium sized saucepan. Stir over a gentle heat until all the ingredients are well combined and mixture boils. Cook for 5 minutes over a gentle heat, stirring occasionally to prevent mixture sticking. Remove from heat. Place cornflour into a small bowl. Pour in brandy. Stir well to blend cornflour. Mix into hot fruit stirring continuously. Return to heat and cook until mixture comes to the boil, stirring continuously.
OR
Place all the ingredients except the cornflour and brandy into a medium sized microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 2 minutes and stir. Microwave on medium-high stirring at 1-minute intervals until mixture is softened and well combined. Place cornflour into a small bowl. Pour in brandy. Stir well to blend cornflour. Mix into hot fruit stirring continuously.
Microwave on high for 1 minute and stir. Microwave on medium for 1 minute.
Allow fruit mince to cool and store in a covered container in the refrigerator until required as filling for Fruit Mince Pies.
How to make pastry:
1. Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F).
2. Individual 8cm (3”) foil trays are best for making these pies.
3. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla.
4. Gradually add egg to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.
5. Sift flour, baking powder, cornflour and custard powder into creamed mixture and mix well. Dough should be a firm consistency.
6. Turn dough out onto a lightly (gluten free) floured board and knead lightly. Divide dough in half. Wrap half the dough securely in plastic wrap to prevent dough drying out.
7. Roll half the dough to approx. 0.5cm (1/4”) thickness.
8. Using an 8cm (3”) fluted cutter dipped in gluten free flour, cut out rounds of pastry. Carefully lift into individual foil trays. Gently press pastry into each foil tray.
9. Place pie shells onto a flat oven tray to make handling easier.
10. Roll out remaining pastry. Reserve some of the pastry to make tops for pies. Cut out pie shells and place into foil trays. Place foil trays onto tray.
11. Place 1 tablespoon Fruit Mince into each pie shell.
12. Roll out some pastry to approx. 0.5cm (1/4”) thickness. Cut out pie lids. Place a top onto each pie. Decorate tops as desired before or after baking.
13. Place into a moderate oven and bake for approx. 20 minutes or until pastry is light golden brown and cooked.
14. When cooked, remove from oven and leave in foil trays. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.
15. Just before serving, lightly dust with icing sugar.
This recipe was sent to us by Orgran.com
We hope you enjoyed this recipe which is gluten free and suitable for vegetarians.
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