Servings: 6 · Prep Time: 30 mins · Cooking Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 50 mins

Snacks | Desserts

This is the best low-carb mince pie recipe you will find. It is grain and gluten free and can be nut free too. The pies are spicy and fruity with a thick buttery crumbly pastry and contain a grand total of just 4g carbs per pie. Let's be honest, Christmas time for those who are diabetic or struggle with their weight can be terribly hard. There are carbs and added sugars lurking around every corner and if you are carb counting, or insulin dosing, it can all become a bit of a logistical nightmare. An average shop bought "all butter" mince pie contains a whopping 34.2g carbs (60.3g per 100g) and that's before you add in that glass of mulled wine (average glass is 29g carbs). There is not only dried fruit of all varieties, but added sugars, highly processed oils and then the grains and more sugars in the pastry. However, if you follow this simple recipe with real food ingredients, you will be enjoying all the delights in taste and texture of a delicious mince pie without the blood sugar rollercoaster.

Ingredients

PASTRY INGREDIENTS

  • ground almonds (100g)
  • coconut flour (30g)
  • sweetener or sugar, optional (20g)
  • ground cinnamon (1tsp)
  • egg (2 medium)
  • butter, melted (15g)
  • water (15-20ml)

FILLING INGREDIENTS

  • frozen berries, thawed (250g)
  • orange zest (1/2 tsp)
  • lemon zest (1/4 tsp)
  • sweetener (30g)
  • mixed spice (1tsp)
  • chia seeds (1 tbsp)

PASTRY METHOD

Preheat oven to 180 C.
Make sure your frozen berries are thawed.
In to a bowl add the ground almonds, coconut flour, sweetener and cinnamon. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir dry ingredients together until combined
Add in the beaten egg. Stir in well to form coarse breadcrumbs
Add in the melted butter OR melted coconut oil and continue to stir into the mixture.
Slowly add the water until a dough has been formed (if you require a little more water then do add some but do be aware you want it to be a dough consistency). Use your hands to knead this into a ball.
Wrap the dough in clingfilm and pop in the fridge whilst you make the filling (I suggest 20 minutes or more, the longer the better).

FILLING METHOD

Drain the thawed berries of any liquid they might be standing in. Pop the berries into a pan over high heat.
Bring to a boil, breaking them down as much as you can and stirring regularly for about 60 seconds, then reduce to a medium simmer.
Add in the orange zest, lemon zest, mixed spice and sweetener (be wary of how much sweetener, better to add to little and then add as you taste it).
Stir well until combined.
Continue to simmer for about 5-6 minutes until a thick jam like consistency.
Remove from heat, add the chia seeds and leave to stand for 15 minutes (the longer the better).
My suggestion at this stage would be to try the mixture. If you don't think it is sweet enough then add a little more sweetener, adapt the ingredients as you see fit. More spice, more zest if required etc.

MINCE PIE METHOD

Remove pastry from fridge.
Split into small balls (remember to keep a little to the side to make the stars or any other decoration you like) and press each one carefully into the pie moulds.
Place in the oven for 8-10 minutes until firm and slightly going golden at the edges.
Add in 2 tsps filling to each pie.
Add any decoration you might like (I hand cut the stars).
Optional: Whisk one egg in a cup and apply an egg wash to the star and any visible pastry.
Place back in the oven for about 10 minutes until golden.
Enjoy hot from the oven, or cool completely and store in a tin on the kitchen side for up to 4 days or in the fridge for up to 7 days.

NOTES

If you do not tolerate ground almonds then please replace them with an alternative flour. For example ground linseed, sesame seed flour etc. Just be mindful that the taste will change considerably and the carb content will need to be recalculated too.

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