It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas and you know what that means... An inspired and modified take on a Christmas classic for everyone to enjoy 🥧 🎅🏼🎄🎁
Christmas is a pretty big deal in my family and my culture so I've been pensive for a while now about a recipe that is both meaningful and creative. Then, like a ✨ Christmas Miracle ✨, I heard through the grape vine that an old patient of mine loved fruit mince pies and would kill to enjoy one at Christmas time. The catch? In the time since he was in my care, he has gradually made the transition to modified foods.
Challenge accepted. 😎
Now, I feel the need to elaborate because this patient isn't just any old patient. He is one of the kindest and most interesting people I have ever had the privilege of meeting and working with. Not only was his motivation to engage in speech therapy inspiring but I always looked forward to our appointments. All I had to do was ask him about about a trip he took or a favourite memory he had (for therapy reasons, of course) and he would dive into one of the most adventurous, awe inspiring and wonderful stories I'd ever heard. Be it growing up in Gippsland, galavanting across the continents, living in a Kibbutz, or later, serving his community in the CFA. 🌍 🏞️🧑🚒
When I heard that this man wanted a fruit mince pie at Christmas, all I could think was ‼️ "will someone PLEASE GET THIS MAN A PIE." ‼️
I felt that for all the years he served his family, friends and community with dedication, generosity and fervour, it was time his community served him. So here we are; modified fruit mince pies 🥧
The recipe below is pretty well documented in the sense that every. single. modification. that I made that strayed from a normal fruit mince pie recipe is included. However, there are a few points that I think are worth clarifying and emphasising.
The dried fruit mince mix that I bought had some chunkier pieces in it than would allow for a minced and moist diet, and regardless, the size of most of the sultanas were a bigger than what I would like for a minced recipe. So, I decided to chop up the mix into smaller pieces before rehydrating them. This ensures that the need for chewing remains minimal and the risk of choking remains mitigated.
While I chose to use orange zest and juice for the fruit mince, you could really choose any citrus of your choosing🍊🍋. As long as the same relative amount of liquid is included for moisture, you're at liberty to make the flavour your own. This also stands for the spices. I chose to use mixed spice because it includes a few of my favourites but if you're a big fan of nutmeg, ginger or clove then you can add them solely in place of the mixed spice or even sub out the cinnamon for one of your favourites. The fruit mince is your oyster.
Now I know the recipe says brandy but I actually used tawny port. I know, coal for Christmas 🪨. That was partly due to already having a bottle in my kitchen but also because I like the taste. If you have the tastebuds for a liqueur in particular- brandy, port, vin santo- especially if it reminds you of Christmas, then you can easily use one instead of the other. For those who have the tastebuds for none of them, just add water instead.
I chose to use castor sugar in my pastry and actually, it turned out really nice- in my opinion. But you could also try icing sugar of the same amount to see if the pastry is lighter or smoother. However, I think the trick of using baking powder is, in fact, to ensure that the pastry remains light and when you mix the water through to puree it, then you can fluff it up with the beaters if you so please ☁️
Now when it comes to making the pastry, like any puree consistency, you must do the spoon test as you make it. Add the water gradually and retest after every mix or two. This way you avoid the puree being too thick, sticky or runny. Another catch? Of course. While the puree will meet its optimum consistency at room temperature or when warmed, it is best plated or moulded to the pie ramekins when it is cooled so that the butter holds shape.
In saying that, the fruit mince will be easiest dolloped at room temperature and should be tested with the spoon test when warm to ensure that it's not sticky. However, if you're preparing these earlier than eating, you can scrape the mince off the spoon while cool, keeping in mind that the mince will mellow out when it's warmed.
Personally, I think that fruit mince pies are best served warm, however, this becomes a necessity when we need both pastry and mince consistencies to be smooth and/or moist. Both components of the recipe include butter which makes them a transitional food, meaning that they will change consistency with temperature- as the butter solidifies with cold and melts with warmth. ✨ refer back to my point about cooling the pastry to plate up and warming the mince to dollop ✨
For the adventurous, consider a spoonful of ice cream or custard on the side- all in line with food and drink recommendations of course, and don't forget to dust generously with icing sugar ❄️
Fruit Mince Pies
Serves 12
INGREDIENTS
Mince
1.5 cups of mixed dried fruit, cut up to mince
1 granny smith apple, peeled and grated
½ cup of almond meal
½ cup of brown sugar
Zest of an orange
Juice of an orange
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp cinnamon
40g of butter
2 tbsp brandy
Pastry
240g plain flour
50g castor sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
120g butter, chilled and cubed
1 egg (whole), beaten
2 tbsp of ice cold water
1.5-1.75 cups of water
METHOD
Fruit Mince
Rehydrate the dried fruit by covering them with boiling water for 15 minutes. Afterwards, drain through a sieve.
Place the dried fruit, grated apple, almond meal, brown sugar, orange zest and juice, and spices in a warm pan and mix well.
Heat on low to medium for 5-10 minutes until the excess liquid is reduced to a thick and sticky syrup.
Turn the heat off and stir the butter through the fruit mince.
Once cool, add the brandy and allow to macerate overnight (or up to a few days).
Pastry
Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl and add the baking powder, castor sugar and salt, and combine.
Take the butter and add to the dry ingredients. Squeeze and rub the butter into the flour mixture until you reach a breadcrumb consistency.
Whisk the egg and the ice water together. Add small amounts to the pastry mixture and stir with a knife. Continue adding small amounts until the mixture begins to come together where you can press the mixture with your fingers and it holds shape.
Press the mixture together into a ball and wrap in cling film. Place in the fridge to rest for at least half an hour.
Roll out the pastry on a flat and floured surface to approximately 0.8cm thickness. Cut into squares to ensure it cooks evenly and place in a moderate oven for 20-25 minutes.
Next, break the pastry crust into small pieces and place in a mixing bowl or blending container. Add about 2/3 of a cup of water and blend. Gradually, continue to add more water until you reach the right consistency per the spoon test. You may not need all of the water so be sure to test as you go.
Place the pureed pastry in the fridge for half an hour or until cool before plating. At this time, remove the fruit mince from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature.
Spread or pipe the pastry puree onto the base and up the sides of ramekins or small pie containers.
Dollop the fruit mince in the middle until moderately full and smooth out on top.
Pipe a pastry star or shape of your choosing on top.
Serve at room temperature or heat slowly with whichever means is appropriate for the pie container (microwave Vs oven).
Dust with icing sugar to serve.
✨ And so, the man shall have his fruit mince pies for Christmas... 🥧✨
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