Chocolate Mince Pies

I'm on a never ending search for non traditional mince pies. There is nothing wrong with the traditional variety, except for the mixed peel! This version comes from Willlie Harcourt-Cooze's book and uses some of his cacao which has been sitting in my cupboard for far longer than I care to admit.

Unwrapping the cacao from its gold wrapping I was surprised by how wonderful the chocolate smelt (and tasted ... ahem), the typical chocolate smell reached me first and was then quickly followed by a fruity waft. Mmmmmmmm, lovely. This product maybe expensive but I am very impressed by the quality and will be purchasing more.

Chocolate Mince Pies

For the Pastry

280g plain flour

25g ground almonds

175g unsalted butter

85g golden caster sugar

Zest of 1 lemon

1 egg yolk

3 tbsp whole milk

For the Mincemeat

50g cacao, finely grated

3 apples, such as russet or cox, grated

100g semi dried apricots, roughly chopped

100g sultanas

100g raisins

100g currants

1 tbsp each light brown and dark brown muscovado sugar

1 tsp each ground cinnamon, grated nutmeg and mixed spice

Zest of juice of 2 lemons or oranges

5 tbsp rum or calvados or Grand Marnier

5 tbsp cognac

2 tbsp olive oil

Icing sugar, to finish

Prepare the pastry by putting the flour and almonds into a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until it looks like very fine breadcrumbs. Sprinkle in the sugar and add the lemon zest, egg yolk and milk and pulse until the mixture starts to clump together. Tip the pastry mixture on to a board and gently squeeze until it comes together into a ball - add water if it feels dry. Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill for 30 mins.

Preheat the oven to 190C (fan). Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a few millimeters. Using a 7cm cutter, cut out 24 discs and use to line two 12 hole bun tins. Gather up and roll out the pastry again and use a 6cm cutter for the lids.

To make the mincemeat, first mix the cacao and apple in a large bowl. Blitz the dried fruit together in a food processor and add to the bowl. Add all the other ingredients except the icing sugar and stir well. Spoon 1-2 teaspoonfuls into each pastry case, dampen the edge of the pastry bottom with water and sit a smaller pastry disc on top. Pierce each lid to allow steam to escape and bake for 12-15 mins until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Finish with a dusting of icing sugar.

Note: This makes more mincemeat than you need but the leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to a couple of weeks.

Makes 24 and lots of leftover mincemeat

From 'Willie's Chocolate Factory Cookbook' by Willie Harcourt-Cooze

If you like a boozy mince pie then this is the recipe for you. Apart from the colour of the mincemeat though the chocolate flavour is lost with all the Grand Marnier and Cognac. The pastry is wonderful though, especially with the lemon zest in it so I'll be making that again. The mincemeat? Maybe ...