Mini Filo Mince Pies

If you’re a bit sick of mince pies and stodgy pastry at Christmas, this is a nice light version is super easy to rustle up for unexpected guests.

You’ll need

• About 8 sheets of filo pastry
• 100g mincemeat/mince pie filling
• 1 apple – grated
• Zest of 1 orange
• 50g melted butter
• Icing sugar for dusting
• A 12 hole mini muffin tin
• A damp tea towel

To make THEM

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Mix together the grated apple, orange zest and mincemeat for the filling and set aside. 
3. Grease the mini muffin tin with melted butter.
4. Take two sheets of filo pastry and leave the rest under the damp tea towel.
5. Lay one sheet on top of the other and then baste the top later with butter.
6. Cut the pastry in half widthways and lengthways. Then cut each half again widthways so you have 6 rectangles.
7. Lay one rectangle over another so they make a star shape and then push this into a mini muffin hole.
8. Repeat til all the muffin pan holes are covered with a pastry cup.
9. Spoon in about 1 tsp of the filling into each one.
10. Take another sheet of filo, baste with butter and then cut into 12 strips about 1 inch by 3 inches.
11. Scrunch each strip and then pop it on pop of the filling to act as a top.
12. Repeat for the remaining cups and then bake for about 15 minutes until golden brown.
13. Leave to cool in the tin and then on a wire rack.

You can serve these hot or cold with a cream of your choice – I prefer soured cream.