Julie Carr's Christmas Fruit Mince Pies

Julie Carr is an ex-colleague and great cook.  Every year she would bring in a couple of dozen fruit mince pies to work at around Christmas time.  The first time I had a fruit mince pie was a store bought one and I found it quite pasty and very boring.  I never tried another one until I saw Julie's mince pies.  Not only were they attractive, they just melted in the mouth and there was none of that thick flaky pastry in your mouth.  Before she retired I got the recipe off her and have been making it regularly at home.  

Pastry:

30 g butter

1/3 cup caster sugar

Few drops vanilla

1-1/2 cups plain flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

Filling:

I buy the jars of Robertsons fruit mince – easy!

Method:

Cream butter and sugar and vanilla, beat in egg, sift flour and baking powder and mix in. Knead lightly, wrap in cling wrap and put in fridge for approx 1 hour.

Roll pastry out very thinly and spoon one heaped teaspoonful of fruit mince into pastry shell. Cut pastry stars and place on top of fruit mince (or you can make little lids if you prefer).

Bake at 180 deg for approx 15 minutes or until light golden brown. When cool, dust with icing sugar.

Makes about 2 dozen mince pies, depending on how thin you roll the pastry.