Christmas mince pies

Ingredients

Pastry

• 1 orange, peel only
• 50 g white sugar
• 240 g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
• 420 g plain flour, plus extra to dust
• 2 eggs

Assembly and Baking

• 240 g fruit mince
• 1 egg, beaten
• icing sugar, to dust

Preparation

Pastry

1. Place orange peel and sugar into mixing bowl and mill 15 sec/speed 10.
2. Add butter, plain flour and eggs, then mix 20 sec/speed 4. Mix with aid of spatula, then knead Dough 30 sec.
3. Transfer pastry onto a lightly floured silicone bread mat or work surface. Shape into a flattened ball and then wrap in silicone bread mat or plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 1 hour (see Tips).

Assembly and Baking

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Set aside 2 patty pans.
2. Remove pastry from the fridge and cut into 2 equal portions. Roll out 1 portion of pastry to approximately 3 mm thick, dusting with flour as needed to prevent sticking. Using a round cookie cutter (7 cm), cut out 24 discs. Press rounds into patty pans, covering base and sides.
3. Roll out remaining pastry to approximately 3 mm thick, dusting with flour as needed to prevent sticking. Using a round cookie cutter (6 cm), cut out an additional 24 rounds as lids for the pies.
4. Spoon 2 heaped teaspoons of fruit mince (see Tips) into each pastry case. Brush underneath of each lid with beaten egg and place over fruit mince filling. Push down gently to seal edges. Brush lids with a little beaten egg and cut a small slit for the steam to escape. Bake for 12-15 minutes (200°C) or until golden.
5. Leave pies in pan to cool for 5 minutes. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm or cool completely and transfer into an airtight container until ready to serve (see Tips).

Hints & Tips

• If dough becomes warm and difficult to work with, place covered dough into the fridge until firm enough to handle.
• Sweet shortcrust pastry can be tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for use within 3 months. Thoroughly thaw pastry before use.
• Store your fruit mince pies in an airtight container for up to two weeks or in the freezer for up to one month.