Sweet Apple and Cider Mince Pies with Cheddar Pastry
These Sweet Apple Cider Mince Pies are filled with cinnamon, spices and apples, with a cheddar crust. This recipe brings together the best of Somerset flavours: cider, apples and cheddar cheese. Perfect for a Christmas treat.
35gmature cheddargrated (I used Wyke Farms Vintage Cheddar)
1teaspooncaster sugar
1cold egglightly beaten
To serve:
Powdered icing sugar
Instructions
For the cider and apple mincemeat:
Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan over a medium/high heat. Stir well and heat until the liquid boils. Reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring often.
For the cheddar pastry:
In a food processor, blitz the flour, butter, cheddar and sugar until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg and whiz until it forms a ball. If necessary, add a teaspoon of very cold water to make it come together.
Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill for 10 mins.
To assemble:
Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan/400F, lightly grease the cups of a tart or muffin tray.
Roll out the pastry to 3mm thick and cut into rounds slightly larger than the holes in the muffin tray.
Cut the scraps into shapes with a small cookie cutter. Re-roll the pastry if necessary.
Place the circles into the tart/muffin tray, add a heaped teaspoon of the filling and top with a pastry shape.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden and allow to cool before serving.
Optional: dust the tarts with powdered icing sugar.