Christmas mince puffs

Make these as a change from regular fruit mince tarts and finish them with a lick of white chocolate icing or just a dusting of icing sugar.

2 sheets sweet shortcrust pastry 50g fruit mince (approximately) 1 egg, lightly beaten

White chocolate icing

120g white chocolate melts 3 tbsp cream

1 tsp brandy or orange liqueur Edible gold leaf (optional)

Heat oven to 180C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Place a sheet of pastry on to a piece of baking paper and lightly mark 4cm round circles using a cookie cutter. Spoon a teaspoon of the fruit mince into the centre of each circle. Brush around each pile of Christmas mince with the beaten egg.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the second sheet of pastry a little thinner. Carefully place over the first sheet and press down between the fillings to seal the edges.

Cut the puffs using a floured 4cm cookie cutter. Place on prepared tray and bake 15-20 minutes until just golden. Cool on trays.

Icing:

Gently melt chocolate with cream and liqueur in a bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove bowl from heat and allow icing to thicken to a spreading consistency. Spoon over cold puffs and decorate with edible gold leaf if desired. Puffs with keep for 7-10 days in an airtight container. Makes about 16