Christmas mince pies (GAPS, PALEO)

No-grain mince pies, GAPS and PALEO-friendly

This year I wanted traditional British Christmas desserts on the table. I love both the Mince Pie and the Christmas Pudding, and could not decide which one I like better so I went ahead and made them both (see the Christmas Pudding in my next post). They turned out to be fabulous. They are going to be our Christmas tradition for the coming years.

For the FRUIT-BASED MINCEMEAT you will need:
2 apples
1 cup of raisin-currant-sultana mix
juice and zest of 1 orange
zest of a 1/2 lemon
4 medjool dates
1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
a pinch of ground cloves
a good pinch of Himalayan rock salt
65 g butter (use ghee for PALEO)

1. Soak the sultanas overnight. Drain, rinse with fresh water.
2. Soak the medjool dates overnight. Drain. Pit them, and remove the loosened skin. Add 6 tbsp soaking liquid and blend into a creamy texture using a hand-held stick blender.
3. Peel and grate the apples.
4. Put the drained raisin-currant-sultana mix and the grated apples into a pan. Add the orange juice. Season with the orange zest, lemon zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Cover with a lid and gently cook for 15 to 20 mins on the lowest setting.
5. Add the butter and the date paste. Cover again and cook gently for further 10 to 15 mins. Stirring occasionally.
7. Leave the lid on and let it cool down from hot to warm.

For the PIE CRUST you will need:
1 and a 1/2 cups of ground almonds
1/2 cup of ground walnuts
50 g butter, chilled (use ghee for PALEO)
1 or 2 tbsp cold water
a good pinch of Himalayan rock salt

1. Put the ground almonds and walnuts in a blender/chopper with an S-blade and pulse for 8 to 10 seconds.
2. Rub in the chilled butter.
3. Press the dough into 9 foil mince pie dishes, arrange them on a baking tray and put the tray in a preheated oven at 165 C and bake until the crust is light golden.
4. Roll the remaining dough between two baking papers. Place the rolled out dough in the freezer for 30 mins.
5. Remove the top baking paper and with a small cookie cutter cut out the star shapes.

To ASSEMBLE the sweet pie:
1. Fill the pre-baked pie crusts with the fruity mincemeat and top each with a star.
2. Arrange them on a baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 170 C for about 10 to 12 mins, until the top gets a little colour.
3. Let them cool down completely before serving. Share and enjoy your home-made seasonal treat!

Notes: The crust was a bit too crumbly. Next time I will use an egg to bind the ingredients together. The mincemeat is enough for another 5 pies or so but we ate it tasting little by little as it was so good.

To see the whole Christmas 2015 GAPS menu, please follow the link.

[i] For more GAPS recipe ideas please visit my GAPS recipes selection.