FODMAP & Gluten Free Mince Pies

Mince pies are a minefield for a low FODMAP individual. It turns out dried fruit is riddled with Oligos, the  'O' in FODMAP. So whilst gluten free mince pies are plentiful, getting your winter mittens on a low FODMAP pie is a whole other story.

So I took myself into the kitchen to cook up not just a low FODMAP recipe, but a FODMAP free recipe and the results are delicious. Cast your hungry eyes on my winter love: rhubarb, orange and nut mince pies.

I'm so pleased with this recipe but even more so with my friends and families reactions. It is now the mince pie of choice within my household and a second batch has already been made! So not only would no one know the difference with these gluten free mince pies, they have become the preference! 

This recipe is simple and delicious. So go ahead and indulge yourself with a little taste of Christmas...

Makes: 24 small mince pies

Prep time: 45 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

Pastry:

400g gluten free flour

250g unsalted butter

2 tbsp icing sugar

1 egg for the egg wash (optional)

Filling:

350g of rhuburb

6 pieces of crystallised stem ginger

Zest & juice of 1 orange

Zest of 1 lemon

3 tbsp icing sugar

1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon

1/2 cup/ 64g of chopped walnuts

1/2 cup/ 64g of chopped pecans

Splash of brandy (it's Christmas!)

1. First up is the pastry. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 2 tbsp of icing sugar. 

2. Add 4 tbsp water, mixing with a knife and the dough will come together, resembling typical 'dough' consistency. Gather it up, knead lightly, wrap in cling film and chill in your fridge for at least 30 minutes.

3. Filling time. Chop your rhubarb up into 1cm length chunks and juice your orange. Put your rhubarb chunks and orange juice into a saucepan and cook on a low heat. Add the orange and lemon zest and ground cinnamon.

4. Whilst this is simmering away and smelling amazing in the process, chop up your crystallised stem ginger. I took 6 good chunks and finely chopped them as the picture shows.  But add more/less to your taste! Add the ginger to your rhubarb mixture, with 3 tbsp of icing sugar.

5. Remove from the heat, allow to cool, then strain the mixture through a sieve to remove the excess liquid.

6. Finely chop your walnuts and pecans and add to the strained mixture with a splash of brandy (or more if you're a boozehound).

7. Now it's mince pie building time. I used 2 regular 12 hole cupcake tins which I found worked perfectly.

8. Grab your pastry from the fridge, give it a quick knead and roll out on a floured surface. Cut out your pastry discs and add a tsp of mixture to each pastry shell. For my 'lids' I went for a star cutter to make the mince pies look extra festive! 

9. Whisk up an egg and brush over the top so the mince pies will brown up gloriously in the oven. Also use on the edges/ underside of each star, so the lid sticks to the pastry shell.

10. Sprinkle a little caster sugar on top of each mince pie (shoutout to my Nan for that little tip.)

11. Cook on the top shelf of your oven at 180 degrees/ gas mark 4, for 35 minutes or until golden brown.

12. When cooked, remove from the oven and leave to momentarily cool before giving each mince pie a little wiggle to check they haven't stuck to your tin.

13. Place on a wire rack to cool.

Being FODMAP free has never tasted so good...