Buckwheat Mince Pies with Almond Pastry

Buckwheat Almond Pastry

1. Sieve the flour, pastry sugar and xanthan into a bowl, add the almonds and stir to combine.
2. Add the butter and work into the flour with a fork or pastry blender until it resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Add the egg yolks and stir to make a soft, slightly sticky, ball of dough. If the dough is not slightly sticky, mix in another 1-2 tablespoons. Cover the dough ball and leave it to rest for 30 minutes.
4. Rub a little butter around the inside of two 12-hole tart trays and pre-heat the oven.
5. Select a pastry cutter or cup a little bigger than the holes of the tart tray and press it into the dough to make circles. Gather up the offcuts into a ball of dough and set aside.
6. Lift the pastry circles on to the prepared tart tray.

Filling

1. Put a teaspoon of mincemeat in the centre of each tart without filling to the edge of the pastry.
2. Bake for 12 – 14 minutes.

or Homemade Mincemeat Filling

1. Peel and coarse grate the apple, into a saucepan.
2. Finely grate the orange peel into the pan, squeeze and add the orange juice.
3. Add the oil and sugar and simmer over gentle heat for 8-10 minutes, until the apple starts to collapse into the syrup.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the mixed dried fruit and peel and mixed spice.
5. Cover, leave to cool and leave to stand for 12 hours before use. The mincemeat can be put into sterilized jars, refrigerated for three days or frozen until required.
6. Put a teaspoon of the mixture in the centre of each tart.
7. Bake for 12 – 14 minutes.

Topping

1. Sieve the topping icing sugar, cornflour and Vitamin C into a bowl and stir to combine.
2. Put the egg whites into a larger bowl and beat until stiff.
3. Beat the prepared sugar mix into the egg white, a spoon at a time.
4. Pipe a swirl or put a teaspoon of meringue on the top of each tart.
5. Bake for a further 10 – 12 minutes until the meringue is a light golden colour.
6. Serve warm or cold.