Cranberry Crumble Pies

When it comes to festive pies, my first thought would be for mince pies. However, not everyone likes mince pies. Some people don't seem to like dark dried fruit, which I guess can be a bit of a problem at Christmas as it pretty ubiquitous at that time of year. 

Another classic Christmas flavour is cranberry but it is more associated with sauce served with the turkey rather than pie filling. However, the addition of cranberries to apple pies seems like a good way to make a Christmas pie that isn't a mince pie. It is also handy that they can be made well ahead and frozen until needed.

Cranberry Crumble Pies (makes 12-16)

3 -4 apples
150g fresh or frozen cranberries
55-75g soft light brown sugar
1/2 tsp mixed spice
2 tbsp water

225g plain flour
115g margarine
Pinch of salt
55g caster sugar

55g wholemeal flour
55g oats
55g light brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
20g margarine

Peel, core and chop the apples and place in a large pan with the cranberries, 25g of the sugar, the spice and water. Cook with the lid on until the apples and cranberries are soft. Taste and add sugar, 25g at a time, until sweet enough. Leave to cool.

Make the pastry by rubbing the flour and margarine together to form a crumb texture. Add the salt and the sugar and enough wayer to bind it together into a dough. Set aside to rest. 

Roll out the pastry and cut out circles of pastry to line small foil cases until all the pastry is used. Spoon generous teaspoons of the cranberry fillinto into each pie. 

Next, mix the wholemeal flour, oats, sugar and baking powder together then rub in the margarine to form crumble. Sprinkle the crumble onto each pie until used up.

The pies can be frozen at this point then cooked from frozen at 180°C for 20-25 minutes.