Vegetarian mince pies recipe

• 1 large cooking apple, peeled, cored and cut into large chunks
• 2 orange, finely grated zest and juice
• 125 g (4.4oz) butter, chilled and grated
• 140 g (4.9oz) raisins
• 280 g (9.9oz) sultanas
• 60 g (2.1oz) mixed candied peel, chopped
• 325 soft light brown sugar
• 30 g (1.1oz) walnuts, chopped
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 35 ml (1.2fl oz) brandy
• 200 g (7.1oz) plain flour, sifted
• 1 tbsp icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
• 100 g (3.5oz) chilled butter, cubed
• 1 medium egg, beaten, plus extra for glazing
• 0.5 orange, zest only

1. For the mincemeat: chuck the apple chunks into a small saucepan with a splash of water (about 1 teaspoon).
2. Cover the pan and cook on a low heat for no longer than 10 minutes, until the apple is pulpy.
3. Allow to cool.
4. Combine the pulpy apple with the remaining ingredients in a large bowl, then store in sterilized jars.
5. The longer your mincemeat matures, the tastier it will be.
6. For the pastry: place the flour, sugar, orange zest, butter and a pinch of salt in a food processor and blitz quickly.
7. Add half the beaten egg and continue to blend.
8. If it doesn't come together, add a little more egg.
9. Be careful, though - too much egg and it will make the pastry sloppy.
10. Flatten out the ball of dough until it is about 2cm thick, then wrap in cling film or place in a plastic bag and leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
11. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6.
12. Brush a muffin tin with melted butter or a very little sunflower oil.
13. On a floured (or icing sugared) work surface, roll out the pastry to 3mm thick and cut out 16 circles for the bases using a 6cm cutter for medium-sized pies.
14. Use a smaller cutter (we like to use a star-shaped or snowflake-shaped one) to cut out 16 stars for the lids.
15. Line the holes of the tin with the larger pastry rounds.
16. Fill each base with a teaspoon of mincemeat and top with a star/snowflake pastry lid.
17. Brush the tops of the mince pies with beaten egg, or a little milk.
18. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until pale golden, with the mincemeat bubbling around the edges.
19. Cool for 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
20. Dust with icing sugar to serve.

cooking apple, orange, butter, raisins, mixed candied peel, brown sugar, walnuts, mixed spice, cinnamon, brandy, flour, icing sugar, butter, egg, orange

Taken from www.lovefood.com/guide/recipes/18381/mince-pie-recipe (may not work)