Name: Modern Mince Pie
Yield: Serves 8
Ingredients: 3 1/2 pounds small pippin apples (about 7), peeled, cored, chopped; 1/2 cup chopped pitted prunes; 1/2 cup golden raisins; 1/2 cup dried currants; 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar; 1/4 cup unsulfured (light) molasses; 1/4 cup brandy; 1/4 cup orange juice; 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces; 2 tablespoons dark rum; 1 tablespoon grated orange peel; 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice; 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg; Pinch of salt; 2 Buttermilk Pie Crust Dough disks; Milk; Rum raisin ice cream (optional)

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Photo by Chelsea Kyle

This dessert, long favored by the British at holiday time, originally contained minced meat along with the fruits and spices. This version, more suited to the nineties table, is meatless and brimming with apples, dried fruit and lots of spices.

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