Jenny's famous mince pies from Ranger's Apprentice

Anyone who’s read the Ranger’s Apprentice series has likely wondered what the mouth-watering food in the books tastes like. Whether you’ve been wanting to try Arridi coffee or a Halt’s stew, the food described in the books seems so delectable!

With Christmas just around the corner, we couldn’t help but make a classic from the first book Ranger’s Apprentice 1 The Ruins of Gorlan. When Will goes to meet his friends at Harvest Day, Jenny brings her famous mince pies, and though the treats may have caused some drama amongst the group, there is no denying their deliciousness.

A traditional Christmas food, mince pies are a perfect thing to bake as the holidays near, and this easy recipe will help you make them yourself! The beauty of these mince pies is that they’re so easy, even the youngest rangers can partake.

Ranger's Apprentice mince pie recipe

MAKES: 12 pies to share with your fellow apprentices.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pack frozen shortcrust pastry
• about 30 grams all-purpose flour, for dusting
• 1 jar (820g) pre-made fruit mince, or make it yourself
• 1 egg
• Raw demerara sugar
  
  

METHOD

1. Thaw your shortcrust pastry by leaving it out for 2 – 2.5 hours, or sitting it in the fridge overnight and removing 30 minutes before baking.
   
   
2. When your pastry has thawed, preheat your oven to 180°C.
   
   
3. Dust your surface with a small amount of flour to prevent sticking. Roll out pastry to about 2mm thick, and cut out 12 circles using a 7.5 cm round pastry cutter.
   
   
4. Take your leftover pastry, and re-roll it to about 2mm thick. Cut out 12 stars, using a smaller pastry cutter.
   
   
5. Line the muffin or fairy cake tin with the large circles, place a heaped spoonful of fruit mince inside, and top with the smaller star shape.
   
   
6. Crack the egg into a bowl and whisk. Using a brush, brush the raw egg over the star and edges of the pastry circle for a golden finish. Sprinkle the top of the mince pies with raw demerara sugar for added sweetness.
   
   
7. Chill for 10 minutes then bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from tins and set on a wire rack until cooled completely.
   
   
8. Enjoy at a picnic with your friend, but make sure you wait until everyone arrives before chowing down!

Recipe adapted from Complete Baking.