Mini apple pies

These lovely apple pies are easy to make. Serve them warm with cream or ice-cream — or they are just as good served cold, as a snack.

Makes 9 pies

Ingredients:

• 2 pre-rolled sheets sweet shortcrust pastry (about 500 g)
• 380 g can diced apple
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon
• icing sugar to dust
• whipped cream or ice-cream to serve

Method:

Thaw the pastry following the instructions on the packet — about 15 minutes should be enough. Use as soon as it is thawed. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Using a 7-cm round biscuit cutter, stamp 9 circles from each sheet of pastry. Line 9 deep muffin tins with a pastry circle.

Fill each pastry case with the diced apple. Combine the sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle a little over each pie.

Using a pastry brush, brush the rim of each pie with a little water. Place remaining pastry circles over pies.

Use a fork and gently press around the edge of the pastry. Use the point of a knife to cut a small cross on the top of each pie — this allows the steam to escape. Refrigerate pies in muffin tins for 10 minutes.

Bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden. Stand in tins for 5 minutes before removing.

To serve, dust with icing sugar. Serve with whipped cream or ice- cream. Stored in the refrigerator these pies will keep for 2 days.

Tip: Instead of covering the pies with a circle of pastry, try grating pastry 
and sprinkling over pies. To grate pastry, gather leftover pastry into a ball and refrigerate for 10 minutes before grating coarsely.

_{Recipe courtesy of Edmond’s}