Fruit Mince Pies

Ingredients
2 cups plain flour
2 tablespoons packaged ground almonds
180g butter
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup milk, approx
2 cups fruit mince
1 egg, lightly beaten
Icing sugar

FRUIT MINCE
1 small apple, peeled, cored
1/2cup sultanas
1/3 cup mixed peel
2 tablespoons glace cherries, chopped
1/3 cup currants
1/3 cup blanched almonds, chopped
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 tsp grated orange rind
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
40g butter, melted
2 tablespoons brandy

Method
Lightly grease 2x12 hole shallow patty pans. Sift flour into bowl, stir in
almonds, rub in butter, then stir in rind and sifted icing sugar. Stir in
milk and enough milk to make ingredients cling together. Knead dough on
lightly floured surface until smooth, cover, refrigerate, 30 mins.

Roll pastry until 3mm think. Cut out 71/2 rounds, place into patty pans.
Drop tablespoons of fruit mince into each pastry case. Roll scraps of
pastry on lightly floured surface, cut out desired shapes. Brush each
pastry shape with egg, place egg side down on fruit mince. Bake in
moderately hot oven about 20 mins, or until lightly browned. Dust with a
little sifted icing sugar before serving.

Fruit mince - Finely chop apple and half the remaining sultanas, combine
in bowl with remaining sultanas and remaining ingredients; mix well.
Transfer mixture to sterilized jar. Store in refrigerator for at least 3
days before using. Makes 2 cups fruit mince.

Makes 24.

Blacker, M. 1995. Sweet Old-Fashioned Favourites. Australia: ACP
Publishing Pty, Ltd.

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