Frangipane Mince Pies

For the pastry: (you can also use ready rolled shortcrust pastry) 2 cups cake flour

3 tbsp. icing sugar

125g (½ cup) cold butter cut in cubes Zest of one orange

1 medium egg

For the frangipane:

180g (¾ cup) unsalted softened butter

1 cup castor sugar

3 eggs

1.5 cups ground almonds

1 tsp. almond essence

Filling:

1 jar (450g) fruit mince 5 tbsp. flaked almonds 2 tbsp. icing sugar

For the shortcrust pastry, pulse flour, butter and sugar in a food processor until it resembles bread crumbs. Add orange zest and egg, and pulse until the dough comes together. Add a teaspoon of cold water if mixture is still too crumbly.

Turn out dough onto a floured surface and bring together with your hand into a ball, then flatten slightly. Wrap dough in cling wrap and chill in fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.

To make the frangipane, beat together butter and sugar until pale in colour. Mix in the eggs and almond essence. Then mix in the ground almonds. Leave in the fridge until ready to use. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface about 5mm thick. Cut out circles using an 8cm fluted round cutter.

Using a muffin tin, press a pastry disc, evenly and along the sides, into each hole.

Put a tablespoon of fruit mince into each one, top with a tablespoon of frangipane mix and smooth the top slightly (it will spread while baking).

Top each one with a little flaked almond.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool completely and dust with icing sugar.