Method

• 1.
  Lightly grease a 12-hole patty pan.
• 2.
  For the fruit mince, finely chop the apple, dried fruit and peel. Transfer to a large bowl with the remaining ingredients and stir until well combined (see notes).
• 3.
  For the pastry, place flour, cinnamon (if using), icing sugar and a pinch of fine salt in a food processor and pulse until combined. Add butter and pulse until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg yolk and pulse until ingredients come together, adding 1-2 tsp water, if necessary, to obtain a smooth dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
• 4.
  Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced.
• 5.
  Roll the pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick. Cut pastry into 24 x 6.5cm rounds. Press 12 circles of pastry into prepared pan and fill with fruit mince (don’t overfill, as it will ooze out as it cooks). Cut out 6 small stars from 6 circles and top mince with circles, pressing lightly on edges to stick to pastry base. Cut 6 x 5.5cm stars (see notes) from remaining circles and place on top of mince, pressing lightly on tips of stars to stick to pastry base. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until pastry is pale. Cool in pans.
• 6.
  Serve dusted with icing sugar (see notes).