Orange Cranberry & Almond Mince Pies

Stirring zingy cranberries into bought mincemeat and making your own simple almond pastry really brings these mince pies to life

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 20 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 24

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  249

• Protein

  3g

• Carbs

  29g

• Fat

  14g

• Saturates

  7g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  17g

• Salt

  0.15g

Ingredients

• 200g very cold butter, cubed
• 400g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 100g ground almonds
• 100g golden caster sugar
• zest 2 oranges
• 2 tbsp milk (or use orange juice)
• 100g frozen cranberries
• 400g jar good-quality mincemeat
• handful flaked almonds
• 2 tsp icing sugar, plus dusting
• 200ml tub crème fraîche

Directions

1. Whizz the butter, flour and ground almonds in a food processor until the butter has disappeared. Pulse in the sugar and half the orange zest. Add the milk and keep whizzing until a rough dough comes together. Tip onto the work surface, press together and shape into a smooth disc, kneading once or twice if you need to. Chill for 15 mins. Can be made up to 3 days ahead and chilled, or frozen for up to 1 month.
2. Scatter a little flour onto the work surface. Roll out the dough to about the thickness of a £1 coin. Using an 8cm cutter, stamp out 24 circles and use to line the holes of 2 x 12-hole bun tins.
3. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix cranberries and mincemeat, then spoon into cases. Scatter each pie with flaked almonds. Can be frozen for up to 1 month. Bake the pies for 18-20 mins until the pastry and almonds are golden. When ready to serve, dust with the tiniest bit of icing sugar. Stir 2 tsp icing sugar and remaining zest into the crème fraîche, then dollop onto each pie to serve.

Categories: All Christmas