Mincemeat Pie with Cashew Brandy Cream
This is our take on Mary Berry's delicious mince pie recipe except we've made it into a GIANT one! This is the perfect vegan Christmas dessert. We absolutely love this plant based mince pie recipe and think it's the ultimate Christmas pud- especially with the dairy free brandy cream. It does take a while to make but the mincemeat keeps for ages so you can make this well in advance and keep in the fridge. In fact, the longer it has to infuse and become even more tasty, the better! The pastry is deliciously light and crusty and the filling is sugary and full of festive flavour. If you guys like mince pies like us, then you'll LOVE this recipe. We've served this with our cashew brandy cream recipe which the perfect accompaniment.
Serves
Ingredients
For the mincemeat
<item-todo-done>1 tsp mixed spice<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1kg cooking apples<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>200g light Muscovado sugar<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>100ml medium dry cider<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>½ tsp cinnamon<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> generous grating of nutmeg<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 pinch of cloves<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>100g sultanas<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>100g raisins<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>100g currants<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>100g dried cranberries<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>100g glace cherries - roughly chopped<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>50g stem ginger plus 1 tbsp of the syrup - roughly chopped<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>100g blanched almonds - roughly chopped<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>50g pecans - roughly chopped<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> Juice and zest of 1 lemon<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 Juice and zest of 1 lemon<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>8 tbsp whiskey or sherry<item-todo-done>
For the pastry
<item-todo-done>1 tsp apple cider vinegar<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tbsp ice water<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tbsp demerera sugar<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tbsp icing sugar garnish<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>125g plain flour<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>75g ground almonds<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>100g golden caster golden<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>½ tsp salt<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>½ tsp baking powder<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 orange zest of<item-todo-done>
For the cashew cream
<item-todo-done>1 tbsp vanilla extract<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>4 tbsp icing sugar<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>2 tbsp soft brown sugar<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>3 tbsp brandy<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>300g cashews soaked<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>100ml coconut milk<item-todo-done>
Before you start
Preheat oven to 180°C | Grease 22cm round tart shell with olive oil l Baking beans
First make the mincemeat
- Peel and roughly chop the apples into slices
- Combine the sugar and cider in a large saucepan, place over a medium heat and bring to the boil
- Add all the other ingredients, apart from the whiskey to the pan, stir well until thoroughly mixed
- Cook over a medium heat, stirring regularly for 30 minutes
- Remove from the heat and add the whiskey, stirring to incorporate
- If not using immediately place in to sterilised jars and seal
To make the pastry
- Combine the flour, baking powder ground almonds, sugar, salt and orange zest in a bowl and mix well
- Drizzle over the olive oil and apple cider vinegar
- Add the iced water, depending on how moist the pastry is add 1-2 tbsp
- Mix gently until the pastry comes together
- Wrap tightly in cling film and allow to rest in the fridge for 1 hour
Take the pastry out of the refrigerator
- Dust a clean work surface with flour and roll out the pastry to approx 1/2 cm thickness and carefully place into the greased tart shell
- If the pastry is difficult to roll (which happens from time to time) cover the base and sides of the tart tin with the pastry with your hands and mould it into the tin, making sure the pastry is 1/2 cm thick and well packed
- Reserve any excess pastry and cut out star shapes which will be used to top the tart
- If the pastry was difficult to roll, we recommend rolling the pastry out on cling film, cutting the stars out, removing the excess pastry and cutting the cling film around the stars (this method makes dressing the tart easier)
- Place in the fridge and allow to rest for 30 minutes
Finish the pie and bake
- Line the tart shell with baking parchment
- Fill with baking beans and blind bake for 15 minutes
- Remove the baking beans and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes
- Add half of the mincemeat to the tart shell and top with the pastry stars
- Brush the stars with olive oil and sprinkle demerara sugar. Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes
While the tart is baking make the cashew cream
- Place all the ingredients in a high speed blender and blitz until completely smooth
- Place in the fridge until ready to serve
- Sprinkle the tart with icing sugar and serve with the cashew brandy cream