Recipe

Fig mince pies

Aug 31, 2009 2:00pm
  • 1 hr 40 mins cooking
  • Makes 24 Item
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Ingredients

Fig mince pies
  • 150 gram (4½ ounces) dried figs, chopped finely
  • 1/2 cup (65g) dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup (75g) raisins, chopped coarsely
  • 1/4 cup (40g) mixed peel
  • 1/4 cup (55g) glacé ginger, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup (60g) glacé peach, finely chopped
  • 1 medium_piece (150g) apple, peeled, grated
  • 1/2 cup (110g) firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoon fig jam
  • 1 teaspoon orange rind, finely grated
  • 2 tablespoon orange juice
  • 1 cinnamon stick, halved
  • 1 teaspoon mixed spice
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) brandy
  • 1 egg white, beaten lightly
  • 1 1/2 (sheets) shortcrust pastry
Pastry
  • 2 cup (300g) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 1/3 cup (75g) caster (superfine) sugar
  • 150 gram (4½ ounces) cold butter, chopped coarsely
  • 1 egg, beaten lightly

Method

Fig mince pies
  • 1
    Combine fruit, sugar, jam, rind, juice, spices and brandy in medium bowl. Cover, stand at room temperature for one week or up to a month, stirring mixture every two or three days.
  • 2
    Make pastry. Process flour, sugar and butter until crumbly. Add egg, process until combined. Knead pastry on floured surface until smooth. Cover, refrigerate 30 minutes.
  • 3
    Grease two 12-hole (2-tablespoon/40ml) deep flat-based patty pans. Divide pastry in half, roll one portion of dough between sheets of baking paper to 3mm (¹/8-inch) thickness; cut 12 x 7cm (2¾-inch) rounds from pastry. Repeat with remaining pastry. Press rounds into pan holes; prick bases all over with fork. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
  • 4
    Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan forced).
  • 5
    Cut whole shortcrust pastry sheet into 16 squares, cut each square into six strips. Cut the half pastry sheet into eight squares, cut each square into six strips.
  • 6
    Use six strips to make a lattice pattern. Cut a 6.5cm (2¾-inch) round from latticed pastry. Repeat with remaining pastry strips.
  • 7
    Discard cinnamon stick from fruit mince, spoon fruit mince into pastry cases; top with lattice pastry rounds. Press edges to seal; brush pastry with egg white.
  • 8
    Bake pies about 20 minutes. Dust with a little sifted icing (confectioners') sugar before serving, if you like.

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