Name: Marzipan mince pies
Total time: 35 min
Yield: Makes 24
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 50g suet grated; 50g eating apples peeled and finely diced; 50g sultanas; 50g currants; 50g raisins; 25g mixed peel chopped; ½ lemon juice and zest; 50g light muscovado sugar; pinch mixed spice; 1 tbsp ground almonds; 25ml brandy; 2 × 350g packs shortcrust pastry; 200g marzipan

50g suet
grated
50g eating apples
peeled and finely diced
50g sultanas
50g currants
50g raisins
25g mixed peel
chopped
½ lemon
juice and zest
50g light muscovado sugar
pinch mixed spice
1 tbsp ground almonds
25ml brandy
2 × 350g packs shortcrust pastry
200g marzipan

Method

step 1
Mix the suet and apples, then add the dried fruit, peel, lemon juice and zest, sugar, mixed spice, ground almonds and brandy. Cover and leave overnight in a cool place.
step 2
Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Roll the pastry and stamp out 24 × 8cm circles to line 2 × 12-hole tart tins, then stamp out 24 × 5cm lids. Fill each pastry case just shy of the top with mincemeat, cover with a lid, crimp the edges and make a small steam hole in the top. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until browned and golden.
step 3
Roll out the marzipan to a 5mm thickness, stamp out 24 × 3cm rounds and use to top each pie. Brown using a blowtorch or under a very hot grill.