Gluten-Free Frangipane Mince Pies

What is frangipane?

Frangipane is a pastry cream made from almond flour (ground almonds), sugar, eggs, flour and, in this instance, a drop of brandy to compliment our mince pies.

Frangipane is often used to top a variety of fruit tarts and is best known as the filling for the classic Bakewell Tart.

The almond cream bakes up into a delightfully moist cakey texture which has an undeniable nutty taste.

Ingredients needed

Pastry

Sweet rice flour – this is the important flour to use. It gives the pastry excellent structure. It’s unique binding properties give the pastry elasticity so it’s easy and forgiving to roll. Also it’s quite neutral in taste so will go with everything.

Sorghum flour – adds a crisp bite to the pastry and a lovely earthy flavour.

Tapioca flour – a smooth soft flour which also helps bind the ingredients but also gives a lovely golden colour and crust when baked.

Butter. Using unsalted butter is how we achieve our beautifully buttery flavour.

Eggs. We use a whole egg for a rich taste then an extra egg white on top helps to avoid a crumbly pastry. This recipe uses a medium sized egg, about 60g with shell (50g without shell). These are often classified as large eggs in the US.

Salt. Just a pinch, I like to use kosher salt.

Frangipane

Sweet rice flour is the best choice for a Gluten-Free Frangipane (not to be confused with regular rice flour). This is a soft powdery starchy flour which works really well with the almond flour to give a lovely bouncy texture to the frangipane and is relatively neutral in taste to let. You can substitute for cassava flour or my homemade gluten-free flour blend (but not another branded gluten-free flour blend - they are often too gritty).

Almond flour. You are looking for blanched ground almonds. There is a bit of labelling confusion over almond flour which is sold as ‘ground almonds’ in most major UK supermarkets and found in the baking aisle. If you want to know what exactly you are looking for then check out this post >>>Is Almond Flour The Same As Ground Almonds.

Unsalted butter. We need unsalted so we can control the salt content of the recipe. Make sure it is at room temperature.

Caster sugar. It’s a fine white baking sugar available in the UK. Regular white granulated sugar can be substituted.

Egg. This recipe uses a medium sized egg, about 60g with shell (50g without shell). These are often classified as large eggs in the US.

Brandy. Just 2 teaspoons but you can swap in amaretto or even ⅛ teaspoon almond extract for alcohol free version.

Mincemeat

You can use any mincemeat (including shop bought if you have a particular go-to which you love). If you want to really go the extra mile though then opt for homemade.

Why not try?

• Cranberry Mincemeat - It’s vegan, nut-free, gluten-free and so fresh and fruity but with a hearty glug of your favourite liqueur.
• Easy Homemade Mincemeat – If you love a classic recipe then you can’t go wrong with this one. It ticks all the boxes and is a cinch to make.
• Old Fashioned Beef Mincemeat – yes you read that right and if you haven’t tried it then you are in for such a treat. It’s has a kind of umami quality but has the most wonderful full texture but doesn’t taste of meat, just a really luxurious mincemeat.

How do you make Gluten-Free Frangipane Mince Pies

For full recipe instructions go to the recipe card at the end of this post.

1. Prepare your pastry by rubbing together sweet rice flour, sorghum flour and tapioca flour with unsalted butter until a shaggy course mixture is formed.
2. Add an egg and an egg white and bring together with your hands until the dough becomes a cohesive ball with only slight stickiness.
3. Place your pastry ball in the fridge for an hour to rest.
4. Meanwhile prepare your frangipane by beating together the butter and sugar until soft. Followed by the ground almonds, eggs, sweet rice flour and finally the brandy. Mix until evenly combined.
5. Place the frangipane in the fridge for 15 minutes to rest.
6. Pre-heat the oven to 190°C / 170°C fan / gas mark 5.
7. Roll out your pastry between two sheets of floured baking parchment to a depth of 5mm.
8. Using a 78mm cutter, cut out pastry rounds to place in each hole of a mince pie tin.
9. Fill the pastry cases with 1 heaped teaspoon of mincemeat.
10. Take your frangipane from the fridge and drop 1 teaspoon of frangipane over the top of the mincemeat and sprinkle over a few flaked almonds.
11. Brush the edges of the pastry with the egg yolk leftover from making your pastry.
12. Bake for 25 minutes.

How long do Gluten-Free Frangipane Mince Pies keep for?

These mince pies are best stored in an airtight tin and will keep for up to 5 days. (If you are storing in a plastic container then up to 3 days)

Can you freeze Frangipane Mince Pies?

Yes, freeze your baked mince pies as soon as they have cooled. Store for up to 3 months. Stack in containers with a layer of baking parchment between each layer of mince pies. To thaw, remove the mince pies from the container and leave a couple of hours on a cooling rack. Re-heat for 3-4 minutes in a low oven.