Home Made Mince pies

Recipe:

Home made recipes are often healthier than shop bought and you know exactly what’s in the recipe. Manufactured products often have more sugar to make them last longer and may also contain preservatives, Salt and other ingredients you don’t expect .

I found this recipe after one of my clients messaged me saying that Mince pies were her biggest temptation at this time of year so I set about finding a healthier alternative They still contain natural sugar from the fruit , but no added sugar.

You will need:

150g mixed dried fruit

1/2 large apple grated

finely grated rind and juice of 1 clementine

15g butter

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Allspice ( pimento )

Grated Nutmeg ( or 1/2 tsp ground )

Pastry :

100g Plain flour (you could use wholemeal )

50g Butter cut into cubes

Pinch Salt

water to muix

1 egg ( optional for eggwash )

Method:

Pastry –

-Add the flour, butter and salt to a bowl and either rub with your fingers until you have the texture of breadcrumbs.

-Or use the food processor which is much quicker! Blitz until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.

-Add some water a little at a time and blitz or mix until the mixture holds together. The amount you need will vary according to temperature and the amount of protein in the flour.

-Go steady at this stage as over processing will make tough pastry.

-Bring the pastry into a ball and place in a bag in the fridge for 20 mins .

Healthy mince meat :

-Add the dried fruits, apple, spices, butter and clementine rind and juice to a pan.

-Simmer on a low heat for 5 mins until the apple is soft. Leave to cool

-Preheat the oven to 190 degrees

-Roll out the pastry to the depth of less than a £1 coin.

-Cut 12 circles with a cutter.

-Place in a mince pie tin. (Cupcake tin)

-Add a couple of teaspoons of mince to each pie , don’t overfill or they will bubble over and you will never get them out of the tin.

-You can either roll out the rest of the pastry and cut another 12 circles or you can cut strips to do lattice tops or cut star shapes and top with stars for a more festive finish (less pastry means slightly less calories)