Nut, gluten and dairy-free mince pies

Method

1. Sift the flour, cornmeal and salt into a large bowl. Add the margarine and, using a table knife, cut through the dry ingredients until crumb-like. Stir in the sugar, add two-thirds of the egg mixture and mix with the knife until the pastry clumps together – add the remaining egg mixture if it seems a little dry. With your hands, bring together into a ball, turn out onto a surface dusted with rice flour and knead briefly until smooth, adding a little more water if it starts to crack. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Roll out half the pastry (keep the remainder chilled) on a rice-floured surface until 3mm thick. Using a 7.5cm fluted cutter, stamp out rounds, re-rolling the trimmings to get 24. Use to line the base of 2 x 12-hole patty tins. Fill each with 1 tablespoon of mincemeat – don’t overfill or it will bubble out during cooking.
3. Roll out the remaining pastry to 2mm thick. Using a 6cm fluted cutter, stamp out 24 pie lids. Dampen the rims of the pie bases with a finger dipped in water, then lay the lids on top. Gently press the edges together to seal. With a sharp, pointed knife, make 2 small holes in the centre of each pie, to allow steam to escape during cooking. Bake for 15-20 minutes, swapping the trays around halfway, until hot and golden.
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5. Run a knife around each pie, then use a palette knife to carefully remove and transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or cool, dusted with icing sugar. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.