Simple + Healthy Healthy Mince Pies Recipe

Healthy Mince Pies

I grew up eating Christmas “bûches”, marrons glacés and chocolate truffles so it took me ages to appreciate mince pies. I thought of them only as packaged supermarket food but rediscovered them thanks to Renee Elliott, the founder of Planet Organic. She taught me how to make a healthy, wholegrain version of this shop bought English Christmas delicacy. The 'mince' comprises a burst of spiced oranges, cranberries, apricots and sultanas inside a wholegrain pastry. They are packed with nutrients and delicately sweetened by the dried fruits. I also made a gluten free version using teff flour instead of a mixture of spelt and kamut flour. Although this gives the pastry a crumblier texture, I personally prefer the deeper flavour which perfectly balances the sweetness of the mince.
Cooking time: 20 mins

INGREDIENTS

Serves 12 mince pies
For the crust
  • 120g wholegrain spelt flour
  • 155g wholegrain kamut flour
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 100g cold butter, cubed
  • 2 tbsp plain yoghurt
  • 8-9 tablespoons of water
For the mince
  • 70g apricots
  • 70g sultanas
  • 70g dried cranberries
  • 1 apple, chopped into small pieces
  • 25g flaked almonds
  • juice and zest of 1 orange
  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground all spice

To make the pastry: place the flours, salt, cold butter, yoghurt and water in a food processor and mix.

Remove the dough. It should form a ball and hold together easily. If too crumbly add a little more water. Rest pastry for an hour or overnight.

Preheat your oven to 180C

Soak the mixture of sultanas, dried apricots and dried cranberries in 4 ounces of water

Add the apple, almonds, cinnamon, all spice, orange zest and juice to the dried fruits.

Sprinkle flour over a surface and roll the dough out.

Use a 8-10cm pastry cutter and cut 12 circles rounds.

Use a knife to cut 12 smaller star shapes.

Fit the rounds of pastry in a muffin tin, fill them with the mince mixture and then place the pastry star on top.

Bake in the oven for 18 – 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Vegetarian, Refined Sugar Free,