This recipe is a double twist – we’ve combined variations on both the much-loved mince pie as well as the trendy cake pop to create these delicious cranberry and apple mince pie pops! They’re perfect for the festive season but just as good on any day when you’re craving some robust fruity flavours. These can be made at least 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container.
Recipe by Thulisa Martins
Cranberry and apple mince pie pops
Ingredients
Pastry
- 250g cake wheat flour, sifted
- 75g icing sugar, sifted pinch salt
- 150g butter, cut into blocks
- 1 large egg yolk
- 30ml (2 tbsp) ice-cold water
- 1 Egg, beaten
Filling
- 150g dried cranberries, soaked in water for 30 minutes
- 30g butter
- 30ml (2 tbsp) brown sugar
- 30ml (2 tbsp) water
- 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped
- 8 wooden skewers
- 8 paper straws, to serve
Instructions
For the pastry, mix together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter and, using your fingers, combine until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and mix together. Add enough water to form a soft dough, cover and refrigerate to rest, 20 minutes. Roll out the pastry on a lightly dusted surface to 2cm thickness and cut out 10cm rounds with a cookie cutter. Cut out festive shapes on half of the rounds. Set aside until ready to use.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. For the filling, drain the cranberries. Heat all the ingredients together in a saucepan over medium heat, while stirring, 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Spoon a small amount of filling onto the full, round pastry shapes and place a wooden skewer on top of the mixture, to create the stick of the pie pop. Brush the edges with the beaten egg and place the festive-cut pastry on top. Use a fork to press the edges together. Place on a lined baking tray and set aside to chill for 20 minutes. Brush with egg and bake in the oven until golden, 15 minutes. Once cooled, feed the straws over the wooden skewers.
