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Low-carb Fruit Mince Pie
Prep time:12 mins- Cook time:55 mins
Servings:10
What’s Christmas without a festive mince pie? At The Fast 800, we know that choosing a healthy lifestyle shouldn’t mean saying goodbye to all your festive favourites, so we developed this delicious low-carb mince pie recipe in keeping with a Mediterranean-style diet. You never need to feel like you’re missing out, and we can guarantee guests will be asking you for the recipe – if you choose to share them, that is!
Cleverly created by our very own nutritionist, this low-carb fruit mince pie recipe is under 230 calories per pie and will put a new spin on your festive baking. It’s a healthier version of the average, store-bought equivalent, with the carbohydrates and sugar being drastically reduced by making a few simple switches to help improve the nutritional content.
The key is a clever balance of dried fruits and spices to achieve the classic flavours but limiting the effects on blood sugars. For example, cranberries are rich in antioxidant compounds, support heart health and can reduce the risk of stomach-related illnesses. Their tartness is complimented by the sweetness of two green apples which, when not peeled, are high in fibre and promote healthy digestion. There are also significant health benefits of this recipe’s spices, including cinnamon which lowers blood sugars, ginger which has anti-inflammatory properties, and fibrous nutmeg which is known to support healthy digestion.
It’s also the keto-friendly pastry in these low-carb mince pies that helps to keep the carb load low, with extra fat helping to slow the release of energy. The protein and healthy fats in the almond meal, coconut flour and cream cheese help keep you fuller for longer, ultimately reducing the temptation for more sweet treats later on. This low-carb fruit mince pie is a classic treat designed to support a healthy lifestyle over the festive season, so all that’s left to do is pop it in the oven and enjoy!
The Fast 800 Programme is getting ready for the festive season with new workouts, celebration recipes and menus, so start your 7-day free trial today.
Ingredients
- PASTRY: 1/2 tbsp chia seeds (about 5g)
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 100g almond meal
- 40g coconut flour
- 1.4 tsp salt
- 1/2 orange, zest
- 100g butter, at room temperature
- 60g cream cheese, at room temperature
- FRUIT MINCE: 2 green apples, (not peeled) cored and diced into 0.5cm cubes
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves (or 4 whole cloves)
- 40g dried unsweetened cranberries
- 40g currants
- 40g mixed peel
- 2 tsp grated root ginger (about 4cm)
- 1 tbsp water
- EXTRA: 1 extra egg for egg wash
- Olive oil or extra butter for greasing
Instructions
- Make the pastry: in a clean spice grinder or mortar and pestle, grind the chia seeds into a flour.
- In a small bowl, lightly whisk chia flour, egg and apple cider vinegar together. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine almond meal, coconut flour, salt and orange zest.
- Chop the butter and cream cheese into chunks and work these through the flour mix with your fingers until it forms a dough.
- Add the egg to the dough and mix until just combined - it may seem too wet for pastry, but the excess moisture will be absorbed as the pastry rests.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least an hour, but preferably overnight.
- Make the fruit mince: In a pot over very low heat, add all ingredients and allow to stew with the lid on for 35-40 minutes - stir regularly. The apple pieces should still be holding their shape.
- Refrigerate the fruit mince mixture so it cools completely.
- Make the low-carb fruit mince pies: Preheat the oven to 170°C fan forced/190°C.
- Generously grease a muffin tray with butter or olive oil.
- Working quickly so that the dough stays cold, press portions of the dough into the tart wells so it’s about half a cm thick on the base and sides. Make about 10 pies - there should be some pastry leftover for the tops.
- Scoop the fruit mince evenly across all pastry cases.
- Roll out the remaining pastry between two sheets of baking paper and cut star shapes. Top your pies with the pastry stars and press them on gently.
- (Optional) Lightly whisk another egg and brush over the top.
- Bake for 10 minutes, rotating halfway, until the pastry looks golden. Allow to cool before serving so that the pastry sets. Enjoy after a meal.
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Notes
- A silicone muffin tray makes getting these low-carb fruit mince pies out very easy, with no need to grease the tray - increase the cook time by 5-10 minutes to ensure the sides of the pies are golden.
