Fig And Walnut Mince Pies

• 500 g shortcrust pastry, preprepared
• 250 g dried figs, chopped
• 100 g raisins
• 100 g sultanas
• 50 g dried dates, chopped
• 50 g vegetarian glace cherries, chopped
• 50 g walnuts, lightly toasted and chopped
• 5 tablespoons brandy or 5 tablespoons whiskey
• 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
• 1 pinch nutmeg, freshly grated
• 2 1/2 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 ripe banana, peeled and mashed

1. To make the mincemeat, put the dried fruit, glace cherries and walnuts into a bowl. Pour over the alcohol, the ginger and the spices. Stir well and leave to stand for 1-2 hours, stirring from time to time. Add the banana and mix well.
2. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6. Grease a 12-hole jam tart tin with a vegan margarine.
3. Roll the pastry out thinly. Using an 8cm circular pastry cutter and a 4cm star-shaped pastry cutter, cut out 12 circles and 12 star shapes.
4. Press the circles gently into each section of the tin, then put a heaped teaspoon of mincemeat into each and top with the star shaped pastry.
5. Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly browned.
6. Cool in the tin for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack. Serve while still warm, sprinkled with a little caster sugar and a healthy scoop of vanilla flavoured vegan icecream.

shortcrust pastry, dried figs, raisins, sultanas, dates, vegetarian glace cherries, walnuts, brandy, mixed spice, nutmeg, ginger, banana

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/fig-and-walnut-mince-pies-148617 (may not work)