Mince Pies

I did find a pack of Milk, Egg, Wheat and Soya free mince pies at the health food shop in Stortford a few weeks ago, but they are no longer available (although I did see them in Cambridge last Wednesday in the health food shop opposite Lakeland). As seems to be the case with many seasonal free from foods, they only produce a small amount and when they 
sell out, that's it for another year. 

Just in case you want to hunt them out yourself, this is the box with ingredients on the back. (Sorry, not nut free)


























If you can't get them now, or you want to have a go yourself...

I do know a good recipe though.

This pastry is fab, not gluten free, with the addition of barley flour, but it gives a lovely colour and texture to the pastry. If you need gluten free as well as wheat free, just substitiute the barley flour for another 1/2 cup of wheat free plain flour.

125g Dairy and Soya Free Spread  (Pure Sunflower/Vitalite)

125g Vegetable Shortening (Trex/Cookeen) - you can use all spread, but wouldn't be so crispy

1/3 cup (75g) Caster Sugar

1/2 cup (60g) Barley Flour

2 cups (330g) Wheat Free White Bread Flour (or Wheat Free Plain Flour, plus 2tsp Xanthan gum)

1 tsp Vanilla paste 

1/2 jar Mincemeat (if like me you find it too sweet, try grating in an apple or adding chopped frozen cranberries)

Whisk Sugar, Vanilla, Shortening and Spread until light and fluffy.

Stir in flour.

Kneed gently and shape into a ball. Cover and chill for 20-30 minutes.

Roll out 2/3 of the mix to 5mm (will be too crumbly if too thin).

Cut circles to fit a greased shallow bun tin (muffin tin will be too deep).

Fill each case with 1tsp of mincemeat.

Roll out remaining 1/3 pastry and cut circles/stars/snowflakes for lids. Moisten edges with a little milk substitute before sticking on lids. You can also wipe tops with milk substitute and sprinkle with caster sugar.

Bake at 200ºC for about 20mins, or until golden brown. Leave to cool in the tin for a minute before carefully removing them and cooling on a wire rack.

This pastry also makes great apple pie...