Name: Vegan mince pies
Total time: 1 h
Yield: Makes 12
Ingredients: 50g currants; 50g sultanas; 75g raisins; 50g mixed peel; 40g shredded vegetable suet; 1 orange zested and juiced; 1 small cooking apple peeled, cored and grated; ¼ tsp mixed spice; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 75g dark muscovado sugar; 3 tbsp dark rum; 400g plain flour plus extra for dusting; 200g plant-based baking block cubed, plus extra for the tin; 2 tbsp icing sugar; 2 tbsp plant-based milk for glazing

A dark green background topped with small mince pies, topped with pastry stars

MINCEMEAT

50g currants
50g sultanas
75g raisins
50g mixed peel
40g shredded vegetable suet
1 orange
zested and juiced
1 small cooking apple
peeled, cored and grated
¼ tsp mixed spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
75g dark muscovado sugar
3 tbsp dark rum

VEGAN PASTRY

400g plain flour
plus extra for dusting
200g plant-based baking block
cubed, plus extra for the tin
2 tbsp icing sugar
2 tbsp plant-based milk
for glazing

Method

step 1
For the mincemeat, tip all of the ingredients, except the rum, into a small pan and simmer over a low-medium heat for 6-8 minutes or until the suet melts and the mixture looks thick and glossy. Remove from the heat and leave to cool to room temperature, stirring every so often as it cools and thickens.
step 2
Put the flour and baking block in a bowl and rub the fat into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and 2-3 tbsp of ice-cold water to bring the dough together. Knead briefly in the bowl, then flatten to a disc, wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
step 3
Stir the rum into the cooled mincemeat. Use some of the baking block to oil the holes of a shallow 12-hole fairy cake tin (it should not be as deep as a muffin tin). Cut off a third of the chilled pastry and set aside. Roll the remaining two-thirds out to the thickness of a £1 coin on a lightly floured worksurface and use an 8cm round pastry cutter to stamp out 12 circles (the circles should be 2cm larger than the holes of your tin). Line the holes of the tin with the pastry circles, re-rolling and stamping out more if needed.
step 4
Spoon 1 heaped teaspoon of the mincemeat into each of the pastry cases (you may not use it all). Roll the remaining pastry out as before and stamp out the lids using a 6cm pastry cutter (the circles should be about 2cm smaller than the bases were). Brush some of the plant milk on the edges of the exposed pastry cases, then top with the lids, pressing down gently to seal. Cut a small steam hole into the tops using the tip of a sharp knife. Chill while the oven heats, or for at least 10 minutes. Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
step 5
Brush the tops of the mince pies with the remaining plant milk and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and crisp. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then run a cutlery knife around the edges of the pies to loosen them from the tin. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.