Apple and calvados pies
YOU WILL NEED
250g plus 2 tbsp plain/all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting 125g plus 1 tbsp chilled butter, cut into cubes 75g plus ½ tbsp icing sugar 1 egg seeds from ½ vanilla pod 1 tbsp Calvados (French apple brandy) fresh walnut halves, to decorate (optional) milk, to glaze
icing sugar, for sifting
For the filling 750g eating apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped or roughly grated 100ml Calvados (apple brandy)
150g muscovado/dark brown sugar
75g butter seeds from ½ vanilla pod Equipment 6cm and 5cm plain cookie cutters 2 x 12-hole mini muffin pans
DIRECTIONS
■ Put the flour, butter and icing sugar in a food processor. Process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
■ Mix the egg with the vanilla seeds and Calvados and add to the mixture. Process quickly until it forms a lump of dough.
■ Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/Gas Mark 6.
■ To make the filling, put the apples in a bowl and splash the Calvados over the top. Leave to stand for 10 minutes, then put the mixture in a heavy-based saucepan with the muscovado sugar, butter and vanilla seeds and set it over a medium heat.
■ Cook until the apples are tender and the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally.
■ Lightly flour a work surface. Roll out the pastry carefully. You might have to do this in two batches. Stamp out 24 rounds using a 6cm cutter and use them to line the mini muffin pans.
■ Using a teaspoon, fill the pies with the filling – pack them quite full, but do not heap. Stamp out the remaining pastry using a 5cm cutter and press lightly onto the pies.
■ Brush sparingly with milk. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and sift with icing sugar to serve.
Snowy pine nut cookies
YOU WILL NEED
200g plus 2 tbsp butter, softened 100g plus 1 tbsp caster/granulated sugar 200g plain/all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt 200g pine nuts, roughly chopped 1 tsp almond extract icing sugar, for sifting
DIRECTIONS
■ Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/ Gas Mark 4.
■ Put the butter and caster/granulated sugar in a bowl and beat until soft.
■ Add the flour, salt, pine nuts and almond extract and mix well to combine. Using your hands, form the mixture into small balls about 4cm in diameter.
■ Place them slightly apart on baking sheets. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes.
Leave to cool a little before transferring to a wire rack and sift with icing sugar.
■ Sift again when the cookies are cold and you’re ready to serve them.
Festive Cocktails & Canapés, published by Ryland Peters & Small (£14.99). Photography by Alex Luck © Ryland Peters & Small