Fruit Mince Pie

Recipe from The Margaret Fulton Cookbook
Image by Yasmin

This is a favourite family recipe for Christmas morning and afternoon tea or a snack. It is beautiful plain or with lemon icing (see Icing and Sauces page).

Ingredients:
Fruit Mince (only need half):

• 12 oz. (2 cups) seedless raisins
• 8 oz. (230g or 1 cup) mixed peel
• 8 oz. (230g or 1 cup) sultanas
• 1 lb. (455g or 2 cups) apples, peeled
• 2 oz. (60g or 1/4 cup)glace cherries
• 4 oz. (115g or 1/2 cup) blanched almonds
• 8 oz. (230g or 1 cup) currants
• 2 cups (12 oz.) brown sugar
• 1 lemon
• 1 small orange
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
• 4-6 oz. (115g-170g) butter, melted
• 3 oz. (85g or 1/3 cup)brandy or rum

Biscuit Pastry:

• 3 oz. butter
• 1/3 cup (2 oz.) castor sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 quantity fruit mince (above)
• icing sugar

Method:

For Fruit Mince:
Chop raisins, mixed peel, half sultanas, apples, cherries and almonds finely (or put through a mincer.) Add rmaining sultanas and currants. Stir in brown sugar, grated lemon and orange rind, the juice of 1 lemon, spices, butter and brandy. Mix well and put into a large jar. Cover and chill. Stir every day for a week. Fruit mince cannot be kept for a few weeks in refridgerator. Note: Brandy may be replaced with the juice of 1 orange but mixture cannot be made in advance.

For Biscuit Pastry:
Cream butter and sugar well. Add egg and beat well. Sift flour with baking powder and stir into butter mixture. Knead lightly on floured board. Chill for 1 hour, roll out thinly and cut into rounds to fit patty tins. Cut the same number of smaller circles for tops of pies. Line greased patty tins with larger pastry circles. Moisten edges with beaten egg and put 1 heaped teaspoon of Fruit Mince into each. Make a slit in each pastry top or cut with a small star cutter. Top each filled patty tin and press edges of pastry well to seal. Glaze with beaten egg. Cook in a moderate oven (350'F or 150'C fan-forced) for 20-25 minutes until pale brown. Remove from oven and dust with icing sugar or ice with lemon icing.