Fruit Mince Pies

Nothing gets you in the holiday spirit quite like making fruit mince pies! The pastry is super easy, and the aromas released into your kitchen are simply divine! Cinnamon, cloves, a wee bit of brandy, orange and lemon... the list goes on! Please read ahead for my simple recipe!

This recipe will make 20 fruit mince pies!

INGREDIENTS

For the filling:

• 360g (2 cups) of dried mixed fruit; sultanas, currants, raisins, orange, and lemon peel.

• 200g (1 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 apples and 1 pear grated, most of the juice squeezed out

• 2 tablespoons brandy

• 1 tablespoon rum

• 3 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind and orange rind

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 2 teaspoons ground cloves

• 1 egg, lightly whisked

• A couple of tablespoons of milk for glazing the pastry

• Icing (powdered) sugar for dusting

For the pastry:

• 300g (2 cups) plain flour

• 70g (1/3 cup) caster sugar

• 160g chilled butter, chopped

• 1 egg yolk

• 2 tablespoons of cold water

INSTRUCTIONS

• Start by making the fruit filling, so it can macerate while you make the pastry. On a chopping board finely dice about half the mixed fruit, then place all the fruit in a large mixing bowl. To the bowl, add the brown sugar, salt, grated apples and pear, brandy and rum, lemon and orange rind, lemon juice, ground cinnamon, and the ground cloves. Stir until well combined then cover with cling wrap and set aside while you make the pastry, stirring occasionally if you wish.

• To make the pastry, place the flour, sugar and chopped butter (make sure it’s cold straight out of the fridge) in the bowl and rub the butter into the flour and sugar mixture using your fingertips, until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and water, then mix together until the mixture just starts to come together. Turn the pastry onto a clean work surface and shape into a disc using your hands. Cover with cling wrap and set aside in the fridge to rest for at least half an hour.

• Preheat oven to 160C fan forced or 180C / 355F. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until about 5mm thick. Use medium-large sized round pastry cutter or cookie cutter to cut 20 circles from the pastry. Use another small star-shaped pastry cutter to cut 20 stars from the remaining pastry. (If you need to, fold and re-roll out the pastry to make all the pieces).

• Grease 20 muffin pans with butter and add circles of pastry, press them lightly with your fingertips to fit into the sides of the muffin pan.

• Transfer the fruit mixture to a fine sieve to remove most of the excess liquid, then add it back to a bowl with the egg. Mix until thoroughly combined. Divide the fruit mince among each of the pastries, then top with pastry stars. Using a pastry brush, brush the stars lightly with the milk.

• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until light golden in colour. Set aside in the pans for 5 minutes to cool before transferring to a rack to cool completely. Dust with icing (powdered) sugar to serve, and enjoy!