Ingredients
500g dried apricots
70g brown sugar
400ml water
1 tsp mixed spice
2 sheets savoury short-crust pastry, defrosted
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp flaked almonds
Icing sugar for dusting
4 tbsp creme fraiche
Method
Preheat oven to 170C. Place apricots, sugar, water and mixed spice in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring regularly, for 20 minutes or until stewed, thick and shiny.
Grease four nine-centimetre-diameter muffin tins. Cut four 12-centimetre-diameter rounds from pastry and carefully line tins. Fill with apricot mix. Cut four 10-centimetre rounds from remaining pastry. Brush pastry edges with egg and cover pies, pushing edges together. Press edges with a fork to seal well. Brush pie tops with egg and sprinkle over flaked almonds.
Bake for 30 minutes or until pastry is golden and cooked through. Remove from tins and serve dusted with a little icing sugar and a dollop of creme fraiche.
