Mince Pies (Gluten-Free)

• For the Pastry
• Measure the flour, xanthan gum, sugar and cold butter (or margarine) into a food processor and pulse until it looks like a fine powder. You can rub this in by hand, but it warms the mixture up and melts quickly, so you need to chill it before rolling.
• Add most of the egg and pulse just until the mixture starts to hold together in small clumps. For the lightest pastry, you are aiming for soft dough that holds together well but is not wet. Chill the disc in the cling film for about 15 minutes, until firmer but not rock hard. If you want to keep it longer, or freeze at this stage, warm the pastry to room temperature before using it, or it will be too hard to roll.
• It is easier to roll the pastry between two sheets of cling film: tip the pastry dough onto the cling film and then roll it to a disc.
• Chill the disc in the cling film for about 15 minutes until firmer but not rock hard. If you want to keep it longer, or freeze at this stage, warm the pastry to room temperature before using it, or it will be too hard to roll.

Ready to roll

• A cool room temperature is ideal for rolling this pastry work quickly and lightly with the pastry dough. If your dough gets too sticky, pop it back in the fridge to chill for 10 minutes. If it is too hard to roll and breaks, let it warm up a little. You can always smooth over the cracks with a little piece of dough or press together with your fingers.

For the Mince Pies

• Roll out the pastry cut out 12 slightly larger discs, and line shallow non-stick patty tin (not a muffin tin). Brush the lip with some of the beaten egg.
• Fill with a generous spoon of GF mincemeat, and then cut 12 smaller lids. Pop on and seal well, brush with beaten egg and then sprinkle over a little granulated sugar.
• Bake in a preheated oven set to 190C gas 5 for 35-40 minutes.
• Once cooked, leave to cool for 15 minutes before attempting to remove from the tin.