Orange, cranberry & almond mince pies

30-60 minutes 400 kcal or less almond almonds buffet recipes butter christmas recipes cranberries cranberry crème fraîche golden caster sugar homemade mince pies icing sugar make ahead milk mince pie recipe mince pies mincemeat mincepies orange oranges party recipes plain flour traditional christmas recipes winter

N/A

Makes 24

Source

Ingredients

200g very cold butter , cubed

400g plain flour , plus extra for dusting

100g ground almonds

100g golden caster sugar

zest 2 oranges

2 tbsp milk (or use orange juice)

100g frozen cranberries

400g jar good-quality mincemeat

handful flaked almonds

2 tsp icing sugar , plus dusting

200ml tub crème fraîche

Method

Whizz the butter, flour and ground almonds in a food processor until the butter has disappeared. Pulse in the sugar and half the orange zest. Add the milk and keep whizzing until a rough dough comes together. Tip onto the work surface, press together and shape into a smooth disc, kneading once or twice if you need to. Chill for 15 mins. Can be made up to 3 days ahead and chilled, or frozen for up to 1 month.

Scatter a little flour onto the work surface. Roll out the dough to about the thickness of a £1 coin. Using an 8cm cutter, stamp out 24 circles and use to line the holes of 2 x 12-hole bun tins.

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix cranberries and mincemeat, then spoon into cases. Scatter each pie with flaked almonds. Can be frozen for up to 1 month. Bake the pies for 18-20 mins until the pastry and almonds are golden. When ready to serve, dust with the tiniest bit of icing sugar. Stir 2 tsp icing sugar and remaining zest into the crème fraîche, then dollop onto each pie to serve.