CRANBERRIES CRANBERRY MINCE PIES

Preparation 40 minutes, plus chilling Cooking 25 minutes Makes 12 Cranberries have become a new Christmas staple in the UK. Here, their sweet tang adds a welcome sharpness to the mincemeat.

FOR THE PASTRY 200g plain flour, plus extra to dust 125g cold unsalted butter, diced 100g icing sugar 2 large egg yolks FOR THE MINCEMEAT 150g mixed dried fruit finely grated zest of 1 orange 3 tbsp Cointreau or orange juice 50g light muscovado sugar ½ tsp ground mixed spice 25g flaked almonds 100g fresh cranberries, roughly chopped 1 dessert apple, such as Cox’s, peeled 1 large egg white, beaten, to glaze icing sugar, for dusting

1 Blitz the flour, butter and a pinch of salt in a food processor until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add icing sugar, whizz briefly, then add the yolks and 1 tsp cold water. Mix until the dough comes together. Shape into a disc, wrap in clingfilm and chill for at least 1 hour. 2 Meanwhile, put the dried fruit, orange zest and

Cointreau or orange juice into a bowl. Leave to stand for 10 minutes. Stir in the sugar, spice, almonds and cranberries. Grate and add apple, mix and set aside. 3 On a floured surface, roll out two-thirds of the pastry to a 4mm thickness. Cut out rounds using a 7.5cm cutter and use to line a 12-hole bun tin. Brush edges with egg white. 4 Heat oven to 190°C (170°C fan oven) gas mark 5. Stir the mincemeat, then divide among the pastry cases. Gather up the trimmings and roll out with the remaining pastry. Cut out 12 more rounds to make lids and press onto the tops of the pies. Crimp the edges to seal the lid and base together. 5 Brush with the remaining egg white and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden. Leave for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cut a small star out of card, rest on one of the pies, dust with icing sugar, then lift the card away. Decorate the remaining ones in the same way.