Cranberry & Orange Gluten-Free Mince Pies
From the Cookbook
Gluten Free
Makes 12
Veggie
You really do feel for gluten-free friends. Life without mince pies… well, we wouldn’t wish that on anybody. With that in mind, we’ve developed a way to make a very good sweet pastry, without the usual wheat flour. In fact these pies, with their Christmassy topping of whipped cream and raspberry dust, will bring pleasure to all, not just the pastry-deprived.
Serves:
12 PiesEquipment:
- 1 x shallow bun tin
- 1 x 8cm round plain of fluted
- 1x star-shaped pastry cutter
Ingredients
For the pastry
1 x quantity of gluten-free shortcrust pastry
Grated zest of 1 orange
A little gluten-free flour for dusting
For the filling
250g gluten-free mincemeat
55g dried cranberries
For the Mont Blanc effect
150ml double cream
1 heaped tbsp icing sugar
Freeze-dried raspberry powder, for sprinkling
Zest of 1 orange or blood orange
Method
- 1
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to about 2mm thick. Cut out twelve 8cm plain or fluted pastry circles using the round pastry cutter and press the pastry gently into the holes of the bun tin. Pop in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes. Cut out twelve stars using the star-shaped cutter from the remaining pastry and place on a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking paper.
- 2
Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas mark 5. For the filling, measure the mincemeat into a bowl and stir in the dried cranberries, along with a little orange zest to zhoosh up your mincemeat, if you like. Spoon the mincemeat mixture into the pastry cases – it should reach about three-quarters of the way up the sides.
- 3
Place the mince pies on the middle shelf of the oven and the pastry stars on the shelf below. Bake the stars for about 12 minutes or until golden brown, and bake the mince pies for 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden. Allow the pies to cool completely before removing from the bun tin.
- 4
Using an electric whisk, whip the double cream with the icing sugar in a large bowl until it just forms soft peaks. Top each cooled mince pie with a generous dollop of the whipped cream, sprinkle with freeze-fried raspberry powder and orange zest and push a pastry star into the cream. Serve immediately.
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