Fruity Mince Pies - The Groovy Food Company

Ingredients

• Wash the dried fruit.
• Chop the apricots, figs and dates into small pieces with scissors.
• Place all the dried fruit in a large bowl and cover with apple juice or boiling water. Leave to soak for an hour.
• Drain well and mix the dried fruit with the spices, fresh fruit, lemon zest and juice and nuts and place in batches in a food processor.
• Pulse gently to chop the mixture but do not over-process.
• Warm the Agave Nectar slightly with the rum (if using) and add to the mixture making sure to mix well.
• Place in airtight containers or jars and refrigerate or freeze in batches.
• Place the flour, butter, almonds, sugar and egg in a food processor and whizz until it comes together to form a ball.
• Knead gently on a lightly floured work surface then cover in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200ºC, gas mark 6.
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and stamp out rounds to line a bun tin.
• Fill each case with mincemeat.
• Mix the egg and milk together and brush over the pies to glaze.
• In a large bowl combine 250g wholemeal self raising flour with 2tsp baking powder.
• Stir in 450g mincemeat, 4 beaten eggs and 2tbsp Groovy Food mild agave nectar.
• Stir to combine then spoon in to a rectangular shallow tray bake tin.
• Bake in the oven at 180ºC, gas mark 4 for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
• Cool in the tin then cut into bars.