Mince Pies

No Christmas is complete without some mince pies but, this year, why not really get into the festive spirit and whip up your very own homemade batch? As a fun activity with the kids, a tasty treat for the office or an edible gift for friends and family, homemade mince pies are a win all round! Mairi’s recipe is the perfect combination of spiced and sweet with a perfect flaky crust, you’ll never go back to shop-bought mince pies again!

Makes approx. 20 mince pies

Ingredients:

For the mincemeat:

• 500g mixed dried fruit
• 150ml Spiced Gingerbread Kombucha
• 100g glacé cherries
• 50g flaked almonds
• 2 apples, grated
• grated rind of 1 orange
• 1 tbsp mixed spice

For the pastry:

• 500g flour
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 230g vegan butter
• 120ml water
• a little soya milk for brushing the pastry

Method:

1. To make the Mince meat, combine all the ingredients in a baking dish and stir well. Leave to marinate for 3 to 4 hours, stirring from time to time.
2. Cover the dish and bake at 180C for 1 hour.
3. For the pastry, blitz the flour, sugar and butter in a food processor until you cannot see any pieces of butter.
4. Add the water and blitz again until the dough just comes together.
5. Roll out on a floured work surface to 3-4mm thick.
6. Cut out rounds for the bottoms and press into a greased mince pie tin.
7. Cut smaller rounds for the top or you can use a snowflake or star cutter.
8. Fill the pastry cases with mincemeat and then brush around the edges of the undersides of the pastry tops with soya milk. Press onto the bases.
9. Brush the tops with soya milk and bake at 180C for 15 minutes.
10. Cool on wire racks.

Enjoy with a glass of Spiced Gingerbread Kombucha!

Recipe by Mairi Rivers aka Ginger Vegan