If you are looking for a dessert pie that you can serve for the holidays, you may want to try this recipe for chocolate mince pies with orange. This is great for people who love bittersweet chocolate paired up with the citrusy tangy fruit orange. It’s also crumbly on the outside but very moist and sweet inside. Your family and friends will surely love this decadent dessert.
Mince pies have been the usual Christmas desserts for a very long time. Traditionally, apple and pumpkin pies are often baked during this season. I was looking for little change and added some extras to make them even more special and Christmas-y. Fresh mince pies have always been exciting additions to the holiday dinner table and hot chocolate has been one of people’s favorite drinks during this season. To make things more exciting, I have decided to make a chocolate mince pie with orange.
What is great about this dessert is that it has a complex flavor that will make you crave for more. It has the richness of the dark chocolate, the tanginess of the orange, the fruitiness of the apples and raisins, and the earthiness of the cinnamon on the yummy and crumbly pie crust.
Here are the ingredients and the process in making that irresistible chocolate orange dessert that everyone will love:
Ingredients for Chocolate Mince Pies with Orange

For the dough
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
120g of unsalted butter (from the fridge)
1/4 cup of water (cold)
1 teaspoon of sugar
Pinch of salt
For the filling
2 medium apples
3/4 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon of cinnamon
1/2 cup of raisins
100g of dark chocolate
1/2 of a medium orange
1/4 cup of water
For decorations
Icing sugar or dark chocolate chips
Instructions for Chocolate Mince Pies with Orange
Starting with the dough:

The dough is very easy and not any special equipment is required to make this delicious crumbly dough. Start mixing flour, water, add butter (butter should not be too soft), and salt and sugar. Adding flour slowly into the mixture will process the dough better. The dough should come together and will be nice and smooth. Cover the dough in plastic wrap and leave in the fridge for about 1 hour. This will make the dough a little bit harder but nicer to work with.
Filling:

When the dough is in the fridge we can start working on our filling. We will start cutting our apples into cubes (the shape doesn’t really matter that much as it will be boiled and will lose most of the shape). Add apples into the pan with sugar and water. leave it for about 10 min so the apple will cook nicely. Add cinnamon, raisins and cut orange (you don’t have to peel orange – all will go in). The mixture should be thick consistent and smell divine.
Process:

Roll the dough about 1/4 inch thickness. take a bigger cup from your kitchen and cut 12 circles. Place the circles into the baking tin (muffin works perfectly fine). Pies are already buttery so there will not be an issue to getting them out but if you worry you can brush the tin with little butter. Place the dough gently and make sure it fits perfectly. With the remaining dough cut stars or hearts which will become our tops.
Divide filling equally into each pie and when done add some dark chocolate on the top. When it is all done, we will cover our pies with stars or hearts.
Baking:

Now it is the time for baking and the part when our house will become a little Christmas house as the smell is divine. This will give you that homey and sweet smell.
Preheat over 180 celsius and bake for about 18-20min. Check and when pies are getting golden color this means that this is done.
Leave them for about 20 min and cover them with icing sugar or dark chocolate chips.
This recipe is for making 12 chocolate mince pies with orange.
Take note that if you want to make two trays, you just have to double the ingredients

As you can see, this recipe for chocolate mince pie with orange is simple to follow and perfect for sharing. Moreover, it’s easy to make so it will let you spend more time with your loved ones this season. If you’re still hesitant to try it, ask your friends or family to join you in making it.
Tips for making chocolate mince pies with orange:
Cool down the chocolate mince pies with orange before decorating!
A hot pie will melt down the decorations and believe me, it will not be easy on the eyes. Give it time to cool down first before putting some dark chocolate chips or icing on the top.
Store the pie in a closed container and put in refrigerator.
This will give you up to five (5) days to a week before the pie gets spoiled. You may try adding alcohol to the recipe (for adults only!) for longer storage time. You may also try to freeze, and it will take at least 2-3 hours to defrost then try to reheat it in the oven for 3-5 minutes to bring back the perfect quality of the crust.
To amp up the flavor, you may try adding chili peppers or other spices.
Chili peppers or other spices will add the kick and heat to your pie which will make your holiday visitors come back for seconds. This is perfect for the cold Christmas night. If you are scared that you will be making it too spicy for your liking, you may add chili powder and if you are the adventurous type, you may want to add some candied peppers for an added complexity in the flavor.
For a more flavorful fruit mince, store them for a couple of days in a jar container.
This will give your mince pie a fruitier and a more refreshing flavor. It will also bring out the flavor of the fruit that you will add in the pie, in this case, the orange together with the apples.
Add the chocolate before adding the fruits in the pastry.
This will prevent the pastry case from being soggy and will add to the decadent chocolate flavor of the dessert. However, this is only applicable if you are planning on storing your fruit mince first for a day or so. If you are not, you may add the chocolate together with the fruit mince.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are mince pies often sweet and not savory?
Mince pies were originally a savory main dish containing meat but as fruits and spices have become abundant, they have tried to incorporate fruits into the pie together with the meat. Through time, people have found ways of avoiding the use of meat in their dishes and made fruits an alternative filling for the dish.
Can you freeze a chocolate mince pies with orange?
You can freeze a mince pie either cooked or uncooked but you have to make sure that in freezing uncooked pie, you will have to have a greased tin, remove it, then store in a closed container. You can heat it in the oven frozen for about 30 minutes at 220°C. In cooked pies, you will have to defrost them first before heating.
How long is the shelf life of chocolate mince pies with if frozen?
A frozen homemade mince pie will not be spoiled until 3 months. Of course, this is shorter than the shelf life of a commercial mince pie. You will have to make sure that the pies are stored in an airtight container to prevent contamination. In storing many pies at the same time, you will have to put a parchment paper in between them to prevent sticking with each other.
Do orange and chocolate go well together?
Yes. They go well together especially if you are looking for a contrast between flavors between your ingredients. The aromatic flavor of the chocolate brings out the fruitiness of the orange. This is also true if you are not a fan of the bitterness of the chocolate. The orange brings out the sweet and tangy flavor to the dish.