These are by no means a traditional mince pie, merely a healthy substitution for my Pa, who, usually the king of all culinary Christmas treats, has been subjected to a very strict diet for health reasons this year. Absolutely no carbohydrates, sugars or gluten are allowed which pretty much wipes out most festive fare…. So enter the experiment of the season; these are sugar free, dairy free, gluten free, carb free, paleo friendly, healthy ‘mince’ pies. Rich in essential fats, vitamins and antioxidants these can be eaten, whilst being very merry and horribly healthy all at the same time. You need a magimix or blender, shallow muffin tin, well greased, and a wire cooling rack.
Makes about 16 pies
For the pastry:
- 300g ground almonds
- 1 egg yolk (or use a small spoonful of vegan butter)
- 1 heaped teaspoon of coconut oil
- 1 table spoon of almond milk A pinch of salt (essential)
For the filling: 1
- 50g frozen blueberries
- 1 large cooking apple or two normal apples such as Braeburn peeled and chopped into very small pieces, grating it would be a good option
- 1 dessert spoon of chia seeds
- The juice of half a lemon
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1 dessert spoon of coconut oil
- 1 handful of blanched almonds, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
- Desiccated coconut for the top in place of traditional icing sugar
Pre heat your oven to about 200 degrees, I cooked these in my parents aga so the heat can be a bit hit or miss. Next make the pastry which needs to sit in the fridge before rolling for about 20/30 mins. Place all the ingredients into your blender and pulse until it begins to clump together. Roll it into a large ball, cover with cling film and place it in the fridge. You may need to add a little more almond if too wet or milk if too dry. Next, place all of the filling ingredients into a pan except for the chia seeds and cook on a low heat until the fruit is totally broken down and you have a thickish jam like texture. Stir in the chia, remove from the heat and allow to cool. It will thicken more as it cools down and the chia expands.
Whilst the filling mixture is cooling, spilt the pastry in two, half for the bottoms and half for the tops and roll it out between two sheets of parchment paper before cutting rounds and placing them into your greased muffin tin. Blind bake for 10 mins and allow to cool slightly before filling them.
Fill the bases with a spoonful of your ‘mince meat’ and carefully cover with the lid, either round or shaped depending but making sure to press the edges down firmly. Lightly pierce the lid, sprinkle on some desiccated coconut and bake for about 15/20 minutes until golden. Allow to cool for five minutes before gently removing and allowing them to cool completely on a wire rack. Enjoy warm or cold with gently spiced cashew or coconut cream. Merry Christmas!
Oon's Spoon 