Chocolate Mince Pies

I'm always looking to do a different version of my favourite foods and with Christmas just around the corner it's time for chocolate mince pies. Using wholemeal flour and coconut sugar makes them healthier yet full of taste.

Course: Dessert, Snack

Keyword: christmas, mince pie, vegan chocolate, vegan mince pie

Ingredients

200 g wholemeal flour use plain if you wish or gluten free
50 g cacao powder or cocoa powder
75 g vegan butter/spread
80 ml plant milk unsweetened is best
410 g mincemeat 1 jar
pinch of pink/sea salt
30 g coconut sugar (or sugar of your choice)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 190ºC/374ºF
Oil your pie baking tin

In a large bowl add the flour, salt and 30g cacao powder and mix. Add the butter (straight from the fridge as works best cold) and using your hands rub the butter and flour mixture together so it forms crumbs. Add the sugar and mix in then add the milk. Using a wooden spoon mix together until it starts to from a dough then use your hands to roll into a ball. If it's very sticky add a little more flour. If it's too dry add a little more milk. Once it rolls into a ball pop it in the fridge.
Empty the mincemeat into a bowl and add the rest of the cacao powder (20G) and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle a little flour onto a clean work surface and roll out the pastry until it's around ¼ cm thick. Using a pastry cutter or glass (slightly bigger than the pie tin hole) cut out the your circles. Place in each hole and press down lightly to create a well for your mincemeat. If it doesn't cut out well or you get gaps in the pastry don't panic. Just use you hands to mold it into the tin (like in the video). Fill each pie base with mincemeat and top with a star or cut out a circle to fit the top.
Brush with milk and bake in the centre of the oven for 15-20 minutes. Cooking time varies depending on whether you make 6 or 8 pies. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 20-30 minutes. Give the tin a tap on the sides to make it easier to remove the pies. Serve with coconut cream or on their own. Why not decorate with a bit of glitter or stars .

Video

Notes

TIP: When making the pastry you want it to be easy to roll and not fall apart. If you find it's not holding together when you roll it add a little more milk and work into the pastry until it's easier to work with. I buy a lot of my baking equipment from Pound Land. It does the same job as more expensive equipment.