Video: Healthy mince pie recipe

1. Heat the oven to 180C / 160C fan / gas mark 4. Put the apple, pear and dried fruits in a small saucepan with the orange zest, juice, spices and ginger, if using. Stir over a medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until the fresh fruit begins to soften at the edges and most of the liquid has evaporated. Leave to cool.

2. Lay the filo sheets on top of each other. Cut in half then cut each half into quarters. This will give 24 pieces of pastry in total, see Cooks tip. Keep the filo pastry covered with a clean tea towel to prevent it from drying out.

3. Using a deep, non-stick, 6 hole muffin tin, lightly wipe out each hole with oiled kitchen paper. Line each one with two pieces of the filo pastry. 

4. Spoon the cooled fruit mixture into each muffin tin and press another two pieces of pastry on top. Brush all over with the beaten egg and bake for 10 minutes until golden.

5. Take the tin from the oven. The pies will be quite firm to move by now. Using a small knife, loosen the pies from their tins and turn over to expose the base. Brush the bases with the beaten egg and return the pies to the oven (base upwards) for a further 5 minutes until crisp and golden.

7. Cool on a wire rack and dust lightly with the icing sugar. 

Cook’s tips

• The pies can be kept in an airtight container for up to 2 days and warmed through in a hot oven for 5 minutes before serving.
• To freeze, cool the cooked pies and pack in a rigid plastic container. Re-heat from frozen in a hot oven for about 10 minutes, lightly covered with foil.
• Serve on their own, or with the yoghurt/custard topping from the trifle instead of cream.