Fruit mince pies

MAKES 24 PREP AND COOK TIME 1 HOUR (+ REFRIGERATION TIME)

410g jar fruit mince

½ cup (65g) dried cranberries, chopped finely

1/3 cup (75g) crystallised ginger, chopped finely

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind 2 tablespoons brandy icing sugar and ribbon, for serving

PASTRY

3 cups (450g) plain flour cup (40g) custard powder ½ cup (110g) caster sugar

250g cold butter, chopped

2 egg yolks

¼ cup (60ml) cold water, approximately

1 Combine all ingredients, except icing sugar, in a large bowl. Stand while preparing Pastry.

2 PASTRY Process the flour, custard powder, sugar and butter until combined. Add egg yolks and enough of the water to make ingredients cling together using the pulse button. Knead the dough lightly on a floured surface until smooth; press flat. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3 Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Grease two 12-hole (2 tablespoons/40ml capacity) patty pan trays. Roll two-thirds of the pastry between sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick. Cut as many 7.5cm rounds from pastry as possible. Re-roll dough scraps as necessary to make 24 rounds. Press the rounds into the prepared trays. Reserve pastry scraps. Spoon the fruit mixture into pastry cases, filling to 5mm below edge.

4 Roll remaining pastry between sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick. Cut out shapes, such as flowers, snowflakes or stars using cutters; place on tarts.

5 Bake tarts for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Stand in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool.

6 Dust tarts with sifted icing sugar. Arrange in a wreath shape around a decorative serving plate and decorate with ribbons, if desired. Suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave.

TEST KITCHEN TIP Using a food processor makes quick work of pastry and keeps the pastry cool and easy to handle. Be careful not to over-work it; use the pulse button.