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Mince pies are the most deliciously festive treats and when they are made from wholefoods and free from refined sugar, gluten, grains and oil, they are light and nutritious. With a buttery, crumbly pastry and a naturally sweet spiced fruit mix, these mince pies are wholesome enough to be enjoyed all day long at any time of year.

Makes Twelve Small or Eight Large Mince Pies

Ingredients

Mincemeat

• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tbsp ground allspice
• ½ tbsp ground Ceylon cinnamon
• 3 tbsp orange zest
• 85 ml orange juice
• 100 g pitted medjool dates
• 100 g raisins
• 100 ml water
• 185 g dried sweetened cranberries

Pastry

• 1 tbsp lucuma powder
• 85 ml water
• 150 g walnuts
• 165 g tapioca flour

Topping

• 1 tbsp ground Ceylon cinnamon
• 1 tbsp date sugar

Method

To make the mincemeat, in a food processor or high speed blender, process the ingredients on a low setting until broken down, well combined and still retaining some texture and set aside.

To make the pastry, in a food processor or high speed blender, process the lucuma powder, tapioca flour and 100 g walnuts into a fine flour, stopping before the nuts release oil and transfer to a bowl. Process the remaining walnuts with the water into a smooth cream and add to the flour.

Mix together well using a spoon and then knead by hand to form a dough. Separate equally into 8-12 pieces and roll out to ½-1 cm height depending on preference. Cut from each piece a circular base and top as desired.

Press the bases into a mould and spoon 1-2 tbsp mincemeat into each, then top. Bake at 180°C for 25 minutes, remove from the mould and dust with a mixture of cinnamon and date sugar.

Enjoy!