CHEAT’S COCONUT MINCE PIE BUNS

Sure, mince pies are nice, but if you’re a little bored of this time-honoured seasonal traditional snack, we have the cure! We’ve developed a super simple steamed bun recipe with @LKK to keep those Christmas cravings at bay. Spike mincemeat with sharp rice vinegar, soy sauce and plum sauce and fill up sweet coconut buns for something a little different.. You NEED to give this mince pie bun a go!

Ingredients

125 g raisins

175 g currants

50 g mixed peel

100 g vegetable suet

1 Bramley apple

1 orange

20 g stem ginger

35 ml brandy

25 ml Seasoned Rice Vinegar

1 tbsp Premium Light Soy Sauce

2 tbsp Plum Sauce

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

500 g self-raising flour

400 g coconut milk

25 g cornflour

400 g coconut milk

100 g caster sugar

1 1/2 tbsp Pure Sesame Oil

2 tsp vanilla paste

10 g stem ginger

1 pinch cinnamon

1 tbsp Pure Sesame Oil

Method

Throw the raisins into a large mixing bowl with the currants, mixed peel and vegetable suet. Grate in the apple and finely grate in the zest of the orange. Roughly chop the stem ginger and add that to the bowl, then squeeze in the juice of ½ the orange and pour in the brandy, Seasoned Rice Vinegar, Premium Soy Sauce and Plum Sauce. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg and stir everything together. Leave the mixture to sit while you make the dough.
Tip the flour into a large mixing bowl and stir in the coconut milk to form a rough dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Add a little extra flour if it's sticking to your hands - it should be fairly easy to work with. Knead for 2-3 minutes, until smooth.
Tear the dough into 16 pieces and roll them into smooth balls. Roll them out into discs (about 10cm diameter). Place 1 scant tablespoon of filling into the centre, then gather up the dough around the filling. Pinch the top tightly then place the ball seam-side down onto the work surface. Gently roll it on the surface between your thumb and index finger, keeping it seam-side down, until you have a smooth, round bun with no seams.
Put a large saucepan over a high heat and pour in enough water to come up the sides by 2-3cm. Line a steamer basket with a circle of baking paper with a hole in the middle (it should be like a doughnut). Place 4 balls onto the baking paper and steam for 5-6 minutes, until they puff and firm up a little. Repeat with the remaining balls.
Tip the cornflour into a small bowl and add 5 tbsp of coconut milk. Pour the remaining coconut milk into a medium saucepan, add the sugar, Pure Sesame Oil, vanilla paste and cornflour mix. Put the pan over a medium-low heat and let it simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly until it thickens to a creamy custard.
Serve 2 steamed buns per portion with a little custard. Chop the stem ginger for garnish and scatter it over the buns along with the cinnamon. Add a few drops of sesame oil and serve. Makes 16 / serves 8