Mince Pies...

Mince Pies with a crumbly twist! ...yum, yum...

Makes 20

Ingredients:

For the pie:

• 150g butter 
• 250g plain flour 
• 50g ground almonds 
• 50g caster sugar 
• 1 orange 
• pinch of salt 
• 1 happy egg 
• 1-2 tsp cold water 
• 280g/10oz good quality mincemeat 

For the topping:

• 100g butter 
• 75g plain flour 
• 100g caster sugar 
• 1tsp cinnamon powder 
• 1 nutmeg

Method:

1. Place butter in freezer overnight. 
2. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
3. Put the flour into a mixing bowl. 
4. Using a cheese grater, grate the butter into the flour and add caster sugar, almonds, and salt; zest the orange and add, then gently stir with a wooden spoon to combine. 
5. In a food processor, add the mixture, happy egg yolks and 1-2 teaspoons of water. 
6. Use a pulse action until it forms a soft dough, then place it in the fridge for 30 minutes, to chill. 
7. Roll out the pastry to a thickness of a pound coin and with a round cookie cutter, cut out about 20 rounds. 
8. In a non-stick tartlet baking tray, press the rounds into the tray and spoon the mincemeat evenly into the pies. 
9. Make a crumble topping by quickly mixing the butter, flour, cinnamon and caster sugar in your food processor until it forms a crumble. 
10. Sprinkle the crumble over the pies, grate some nutmeg over the top and bake in the oven for 12 - 15 minutes until golden. 
11. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Recipe and photo credit by- Mat Follas and happy egg co.