A tasty easy-to-make bake.
Makes: 36
Preparation time: 30 minutes plus chilling time
Baking time: 15-20 minutes
Oven temperature: 200°C
Pastry
• 350ml (240g) soya flour
• 180ml (120g) potato flour
• 170ml (120g) rice flour
• 100ml (85g) castor sugar
• 435ml (400g) butter, cut into small pieces
• 50-60ml iced water
• 15-20ml lemon juice
Filling
• 50g raisins
• 50g sultanas
• 50g dried pears, chopped
• 50g dried cranberries
• 1 medium-sized Granny Smith apple, cored and diced
• 30g blanched almonds, roughly chopped
• 7ml mixed spice
• 2ml ground cloves
• 75ml orange juice
• 40ml honey
• 20ml brandy (optional)
• 1 large egg, beaten
• icing sugar, for dusting
1 Pastry Sift the flours and a pinch of salt together in a large bowl. Add the sugar and mix it in lightly. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix the iced water with the lemon juice and slowly add it to the flour mixture a little at a time. Use a blunt knife to combine until a soft dough starts to form. Cover and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2 Remove the dough from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. Roll it out to about 3mm thick on a surface that has been lightly sprinkled with soya flour or cornflour. Use a round cookie cutter to cut 36 circles out of the dough, then neatly place them into greased patty tins.
3 Roll out the remaining pastry again and cut out 36 star shapes that are big enough to fit onto the top of the pies. Set aside.
4 Filling Mix all the fruit, nuts and the spices together in a saucepan. Add the orange juice, honey and brandy and gently heat until the liquid has been absorbed. Set aside to cool slightly.
5 Fill each pastry case with filling. Brush the edge of the pastry with the beaten egg and top with a star shape. Gently press it down at the sides. Brush the top with egg and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool and store in an airtight container. Dust with icing sugar just before serving.
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