Fruit Mince Pies Recipe

Mince pies, just like Christmas pudding, were once filled with meat, such as lamb, rather than a dried fruit mix as they are today. They were also first made in an oval shape to evoke Jesus' manger, with the top representing his swaddling clothes.  Today, they are normally fashioned into round shapes and eaten hot or cold.  Since the middle ages, it's been believed that if you eat a mince pie on every day from Christmas to Twelfth Night (6 January) you'll enjoy a year of happiness and good fortune.  So get eating!

Ingredients

1/4 cup melted butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
100 g raisins
50 g sultanas
50 g black currants
50 g candied peel
1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored and grated
1/3 cup chopped glace cherries
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
25-50 ml brandy

And for the pastry...

500 ml cake flour, loosely measured
50 ml cornflour
50 ml icing sugar
175 g butter
1 egg
2 ml vanilla extract

Directions

Combine all the fruit mince ingredients and set aside for flavours to infuse.

Then make the pastry by sifting the flour, cornflour and icing sugar. Rub in the butter. Beat egg and vanilla together then add, mixing well. Knead into a ball without overhandling the pastry. Roll out thinly on a floured board and cut into 3" rounds. Reroll offcuts until all the pastry is used.

Place rounds in a patty pan, place a heaped teaspoon of filling in the middle of each pastry round and cover with second pastry round. Press edges together with the prongs of a fork and prick each top twice.

Bake at 350F for 18-20 minutes or until pale gold. Leave to cool slightly before removing to cooking rack. Dust lightly with icing sugar.