Gluten Free Fruit Mince Pies
Recipe by Lola Berry
The tree is up, the presents are (just about) wrapped and fairy lights illuminate houses all through my neighbourhood – The festive season is in full swing!
One of the things I love most about Christmas is coming together with my nearest and dearest and creating magical memories over epic food! Extra points are awarded when that food is delicious and nutritious (although I’m a sucker for my Mum’s Pavlova which is definitely more naughty than nice).
If you’re looking for healthy festive feast inspiration then we’ve got you covered with these delicious Gluten Free Fruit Mince Pies from the incredible Lola Berry.
We asked Lola to share her favourite festive season recipe, tell us what she loves about Christmas and share her fondest festive memory.
SSC: What is your favourite thing about Christmas and why?
LB: I’m a pressie nerd, I love the whole gift giving thing, not so into receiving, but love surprising people and giving them something magical! I also love the food! Fruit mince pice, pudding, gingerbread – i’m a mega sweet tooth so I love recreating healthy takes of the traditional treats!
SSC: What is one of your most fond Christmas memories?
LB: I’ve had a chrissy in New York which was just as magical as you’d imagine; ice skating in central park, snow, carols, the lot! Deffo so glad I’ve had a white chrissy, but, I also love being home and cooking up a whole big feast for my family and this year I’m volunteering at the salvos with my Dad so I think it will be a special Chrissy indeed!
SSC: What makes this Christmas recipe so special and what are the health benefits of it?
LB: Well it’s a healthy gluten free version of my all time favourite treat. I love slices and sweet things so fruit mince pies tick all the boxes and they make the cutest pressie ever!
This recipe was inspired by my Dad who loves fruit mince pies as much as i do!
Lola’s Gluten Free Fruit Mince Pies
I wasn’t even meant to put this recipe in my book but I had to because it’s me and my Dad’s all time favo treat in the world and each Chrissy we taste test that many fruit mince pies that it’s become quite the tradition, so this recipe is defiantly dedicated to my Dad!
Serves: 12-14 mince pies
Ingredients:
For the crust:
150 grams of almond meal
70 grams of unsalted chilled butter
4 tablespoons of coconut sugar
zest of one orange
Scraping of one vanilla pod
¼ cup of almond milk (I sued unsweetened but use whatever plain flavour takes your fancy)
2 more tablespoons of almond milk for brushing just before they’re cooked
For the fruit mince meat:
1 grated granny smith apple
the zest of one orange
the juice of 2 oranges
a good old pinch of allspice
1 teaspoons of cinnamon
¼ teaspoon of nutmeg
100 grams of raisins
50 grams of sultanas
50 grams of dried cranberries
50 grams apricots, chopped
50 grams or any other dried fruit that takes your fancy; dates, dried blueberries are ace, even dried white mulberries or golden berries would work, which every takes your fancy the most.
2 tablespoons of brandy (optional.. but hey it’s Christmas)
Method:
First up, make the filling; pop all the mince meat ingredients into a bowl, give them a right old mix up then pop in the fridge for the dried fruit to soak up all of the lovely juices and flavours going on for at least a few hours but preferably overnight.
Now for the pastry; mix the butter into the almond meal with your fingers so it starts to look like bread crumbs, then add the coconut sugar, orange zest and vanilla, to that add ¼ cup of almond milk, then start to gently work it into a dough. Then wrap in cling film and pop in the fridge for a few hours.
Preheat the oven, pull the pastry our and pop it between two pieces of baking paper and gently roll it out. Then get your muffin tin, cut into 12 circle big enough for the pastry to go up the side of the muffin tin.
Then with the extra dough I like to cut stars. Place a circle of pastry in each mould then add a nice scoop of your fruit mince, then top with the start cut out. Brush with a little almond milk then bake for 20 minuets or until they’re nice and golden.
Allow them to cool, then enjoy! Fingers crossed these one’s pass Dad’s test!
When it comes to getting the world excited about health and good food, there is very little Lola Berry won’t do. She’s convinced a TV host to swallow raw wasabi on live national television. She’s dived into dumpsters on the streets of New York (…and eaten from one!). She has also run madly in search of water after daring to munch on one of the world’s hottest chillies, and handed out actual Black Eyed Peas to celebrities at an official “Black Eyed Peas” red carpet event (…and they loved them!). Lola is very colorful, very passionate and very Australian.
With a Bachelor of Health Science (majoring in Nutritional Medicine at Endeavour College of Natural Health), Lola Berry knows what she’s talking about. She has got a secret: the most nutritious, healthy food is also the tastiest! Whether through her TV appearances, radio spots or her popular web series, Lola is reaching out to people all over the globe…and people are listening!
Once you see Lola Berry, you’ll remember both her and her message! She has a whole heap of fresh ideas and a talent for presenting them in a way that inspires people to actually use them to better their everyday lives.