Name: Sour cherry mince pies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 4 Tbsp mixed dried fruits ( peels, sultanas, raisins); 2 Tbsp dried sour cherries; 2 Tbsp muscovado sugar; 1 tsp mixed spice; 1 tsp cinnamon; ½ tsp ground cloves; 1 apple, grated; 2 Tbsp ground almond; 3 Tbsp cherry brandy; ½ cup fresh or frozen sour cherries; 1 sheet shortcrust pastry

Sour cherry mince pies

12 Dec 2022

by Dinna

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

Total Time

30 minutes

Background

These sour cherry mince pies are boozy and yummy and abet different to the usual mince pies. They are vegan if you’re using dairy-free pastry. You can make them with shop-bought, ready-rolled pastry or you can use your own, home-made shortcrust pastry. The filling is the most important element, which can be pre-made days, even weeks ahead. (Or use other homemade mincemeat) and add some sour cherries to it. As far the baking is concerned, it’s best to use a shallow muffin/cupcake tin or a bun/scone tin.

Ingredients

4 Tbsp mixed dried fruits ( peels, sultanas, raisins)
2 Tbsp dried sour cherries
2 Tbsp muscovado sugar
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
1 apple, grated
2 Tbsp ground almond
3 Tbsp cherry brandy
½ cup fresh or frozen sour cherries
1 sheet shortcrust pastry

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Unroll the pastry onto a large chopping board.
Choose a mug that is wider than the holes in the tin so that the pastry would cover the sides well, when pushed down.
Cut out about 12 rounds with the mug and press them lightly into the tin holes. Fill each with mincemeat.
Roll out the leftover pastry to the same thickness and cut out 6 rounds, big enough to cover the pies. Use a small star cutter to cut out star shapes from it. Put the stars on half of the pies and the cut-out rounds on the other half. Secure the tops with a drop of plant based milk or egg (or pinch them together with your fingers).
Put the tin into the preheated oven and bake the pies for about 20 minutes, until they’re golden brown.
Transfer them onto a wire rack.
When they’re cool dust, them with icing sugar.