Recipes

Mini Berry Mince Pies

Mixing fresh berries into mincemeat makes it deliciously tangy and extra juicy! Serve these to your guests warm and dusted with icing sugar. If you want to make them vegan, replace the butter with a well-chilled plant based alternative and ensure you use vegan mincemeat.

Makes 24. Prep time 20 minutes plus chilling time. Cook time 10-15 minutes.

For the pastry:

175g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

2 tsp icing sugar

85g chilled butter, diced

For the filling:

100g mixed raspberries and blueberries

175g ready-made mincemeat

1 tbsp brandy

Other:

Icing sugar to dust

You also need a mini 24-hole bun tray

1. For the pastry: sift the flour and icing sugar into a bowl with a pinch of salt. Add the butter and cut through into the flour with a round ended knife. Once the fat is coated in flour, use your fingertips to lightly rub in the fat until it looks like breadcrumbs. Add 2-3 tbsp cold water, gradually, and gently bring together to make a ball. Dust the work top with flour and roll out the pastry to approximately 3mm thick. Use a small, fluted cutter to fill 24 holes in the tin, re-rolling where necessary. Chill for 30 minutes.
2. Combine the filling ingredients, stirring in the berries so that they are roughly crushed. Leave to marinate for at least 10 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6. Fill the cases with the mincemeat mix and bake for 10-15 minutes until the pastry is set and beginning to turn golden. Run a knife gently round each pie and then leave in the tin to cool before carefully lifting them out. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm. These will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.