Homemade fruit mince pies with almonds

ingredients

• Pastry

  • 1 1/2 cup plain flour
  • 1/2 cup almond meal
  • 1/3 cup caster sugar
  • 1/4 cup custard powder
  • 150 gram butter, cold, chopped
  • 1 egg, separated
  • 2 tablespoon iced water
  • 1 tablespoon demerara sugar
  • icing sugar to dust

• Filling

  • 410 gram jar fruit mince
  • 1/2 cup chopped mixed glacé fruit (ginger, cherries, pineapple)
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoon brandy
  • 2 teaspoon grated orange zest

method

• • 1

    Preheat oven to moderate, 180°C. Lightly grease 16 patty pan recesses.

  • 2

    Sift flour into a large bowl. Stir in almond meal, sugar and custard powder. Using fingertips, rub in butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in yolk and enough water to make a pliable dough. Knead lightly. Wrap in cling film. Chill for 20 minutes.

  • 3

    For the filling: Combine all ingredients together.

  • 4

    Roll out pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick. Using an 8cm cutter, cut 16 rounds. Ease into pans, pressing into sides. Using a 5cm cutter, cut out 8 rounds from remaining pastry (you may need to chill, then re-roll pastry).

  • 5

    Spoon 1 tablespoon fruit mince filling into each case. Brush edges with a little egg white, then top half the tarts with smaller rounds, pressing edges to seal. Cut two slits in the top for a steam vent.

  • 6

    Cut small strips from remaining chilled pastry. Criss-cross 4-6 strips over remaining tarts, trimming to fit.

  • 7

    Brush tops with egg white and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve dusted with icing sugar.

notes

• Store in an airtight container for up to 10 days.