Fruit mince:
500 g apples, finely diced with the skin
250 g raisins
100 g cranberries or sun-dried cherries
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 orange (you will need the zest from ½ orange)
500 ml fresh apple juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Combine the apples, raisins and cranberries into a pan.
- Add the apple juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla and the zest from 1 orange.
- Cover the pot and simmer over a gentle heat for 30 minutes, making sure to stir every now and then.
- Make sure not to boil too fast, just a slow gentle simmer.
- Add more apple juice if needed to keep the mixture plump and moist then simmer for another 30 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and allow to cool.
For those of you who want to add that festive cheer, you can stir through a generous splash of calvados ( apple brandy).
Your fruit mince is now ready and it’s delicious made into pies, tarts or into a trifle sponge.
Oatmeal short crust
175 g rolled oats
40 g desicated coconut
60 g ground almonds
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon nut oil or olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon water to mix if needed to form a dough
200g fruit mince filling, enough for 10 pies
- Combine oats, coconut and almonds into a large bowl.
- Add the oil, syrup and vanilla.
- Mix well for about 30 seconds or until you form a soft dough.
- Add the water and process again. The addition of water will help the cookie mixture stick together
- Roll out between 2 sheets of baking paper and cut into circles, large enough to to cover the base and sides of your tart shells.
- Make sure to prepare 10 tart shells before lining with a light coat of oil or butter, followed by a dusting of coconut or ground almonds to prevent sticking.
- Fill lined tart shells with 1 tbsp of the fruit mince.
- Roll out rest of the pastry and cut out in the shape of stars.
- Arrange stars over the top of the mince pies.
- Bake in a low 150 C (300 F) oven for 30 minutes or until golden.
Nutrition for 1 fruit mince pie with pastry Calories: 209
Protein: 3.6g Fat: 11.5g Carbs: 23.9g
Adapted from Teresa Cutter (The healthy chef)