Healthy Fruit Mince Pies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 24
 
Ingredients
  • Fruit Mince:
  • 1 large lemon
  • 1 granny smith apple, grated
  • 125g dates
  • 125g currants
  • 125g raisins
  • 1 tablespoons orange marmalade
  • ¼ cup brandy
  • Pastry:
  • 1 cup oats
  • ½ cup wholemeal plain flour
  • ½ cup desiccated coconut
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 60g butter (use vegan butter or coconut oil for vegan version)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Instructions
  1. Fruit Mince:
  2. Start by zesting and juicing the lemon. Place both in a medium sized saucepan and set aside.
  3. Put the remaining skin of the lemon in another saucepan, cover with water, bring to the boil, and cook for 30 minutes, topping up the water as needed.
  4. Drain and process the lemon skin in a food processor to form a smooth paste.
  5. Add about 2 tablespoons of this paste to the saucepan with the lemon zest and juice, along with the apple, dried fruit and marmalade.
  6. Place saucepan over low heat and cook gently, with the lid on for about 10 minutes, but removing the lid and stirring every few minutes.
  7. Remove from heat and allow to cool before adding the brandy.
  8. Set aside until ready to use. If not using straight away, store in the fridge
  9. Pastry:
  10. Add oats, flour, coconut, honey, butter and vanilla in the bowl of a food processor and process until the mix starts to come together.
  11. If you have time, rest pastry in the fridge for 15 minutes, otherwise proceed as follows.
  12. Preheat oven to 190 degrees (fan forced) and have two 12-hole, 1½ tablespoons capacity, round-based patty pans ready to use.
  13. Roll pastry disc between 2 sheets baking paper until 3mm thick.
  14. Using a 7cm round cutter, cut 24 rounds from pastry, re-rolling pastry scraps as necessary.
  15. Line holes of prepared pans with rounds.
  16. Using a 5cm star-shaped cutter, cut 24 stars from pastry.
  17. Spoon 1 level tablespoon fruit mince into each hole, pressing with back of spoon to level.
  18. Top each with a star.
  19. Bake for 18 minutes or until pastry is golden.
  20. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  21. Store in an airtight container.
Recipe by Healthy Home Cafe at https://healthyhomecafe.com/2014/12/21/healthy-fruit-mince-pies/