Mince pies three ways
Unleash your creativity whipping up these minced fruit and nut pies with a brandy kick. They can be shaped into stars, snowflakes or topped with sweet meringue to offer something for everyone at your next special social gathering.
- 1 hr preparation
- Makes 24 Item
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Ingredients
Pastry
- 1 1/2 cup (225g) plain flour
- 2 tablespoon custard powder
- 1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar
- 125 gram cold butter, chopped
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoon cold water
Mince pies three ways
- 475 gram jar fruit mince
- 1/2 cup (125g) finely chopped glace peaches
- 1/3 cup (45g) finely chopped toasted silvered almonds
- 1/4 cup (30g) almond meal
- 1 tablespoon brandy
- 2 egg whites, beaten lightly
- 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar, extra icing sugar, for decoration
Method
Mince pies three ways
- 1Combine fruit mince, peaches, almonds, almond meal and brandy in a medium bowl.
- 2To make pastry, process flour, custard powder, sugar and butter until combined. Add egg yolk and enough water to make ingredients cling together. Knead dough lightly on floured surface until smooth; cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- 3Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Grease two 12-hole (2 tablespoons/40ml capacity) patty-pan trays. Roll two-thirds of the pastry between sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick. Cut 24 x 7.5cm rounds from pastry, re-rolling dough as necessary to make 24 rounds. Press rounds into prepared trays. reserving any pastry scraps. Divide fruit mince mixture between pastry cases.
- 4Roll the remaining pastry between sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick. Cut out 8 snowflakes or stars using cutters; place on 8 pies.
- 5Knead all pastry scraps into a ball; freeze until firm. Coarsely grate pastry; top 8 pies with grated pastry. Brush a little egg white on pastry tops, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the extra caster sugar. Cover remaining 8 pies with greased foil. Bake all pies for about 20 minutes or until pastry is browned lightly. Remove all pastry-topped pies from pan.
- 6Beat remainder of the egg whites in a small bowl with electric mixer untii soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining extra caster sugar, beat until dissolved. Spoon meringue on untopped pies; bake for about 5 minutes or until browned lightly. Cool.
- 7Dust pies lightly with sifted icing sugar.
Notes
Suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave.