Chocolate Mince Pies

Ingredients:

Pastry:

150g Plain Flour (we like to use Cotswold Flour Maizebite Pastry Flour)

25g Cocoa Powder

25g Caster Sugar

75g Unsalted Butter

1 Egg Yolk

2tbsp Milk

1tsp Orange Extract

 

Filling:

350g Mincemeat

70g Dark Chocolate Buttons broken up (or any chocolate you fancy)

1tsp Orange Extract

Zest of half an orange

 

Method:

1. Mix the dry ingredients for the flour and when combined rub in the butter to a breadcrumb consistency
2. Add the rest of the pastry ingredients and mix. Combine with your hands into a dough
3. Roll into a bowl, flatten and cover in clingfilm
4. Leave the pastry in the fridge for half an hour
5. Mix all of the mincemeat ingredients together
6. Turn the oven on to 180 Fan or Gas mark 6
7. When the time is up, take the pastry form the fridge and roll to a 1/2cm thickness
8. Use round cutters to cut 12 circles and place into the greased cupcake tin
9. Fill each with a heaped spoonful of filling but not too much that it will overflow
10. Using the remaining pastry cut out your favourite Christmas shapes and place on the top of each pie
11. Bake in the oven for 15mins
12. Take out of the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes before removing from the tray. These are delicious warm with the chocolate still gooey though!