Giant Fruit Mince Pie

Combine apple, dried fruit, sherry, orange rind and juice, mixed spice and 1 cup water in a saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed. Set aside for about 40 minutes to cool to room temperature. Coarsely grate the butter over the cooled fruit mince, add the brown sugar and stir well to combine.

Meanwhile, to make the pastry, add flour, caster sugar and chopped butter to a food processor and process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 1 egg and chilled water. Process until pastry just comes together, adding more water if necessary.

Turn pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently until smooth. Shape into a 2cm-thick disc. Wrap in baking paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm enough to roll out.

Preheat oven to 200°C / 180°C fan-forced. Lightly grease a 2.5cm-deep, 22cm (base measurement), loose-based square flan tin. Roll pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper until 4 mm thick. Line tin with pastry. Trim and reserve excess. Freeze for 30 minutes.

Place tin on a baking tray, line pastry case with baking paper then fill with ceramic pie weights or uncooked rice. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove paper and weights. Bake for further 10 minutes or until light golden. Cool.

Roll reserved pastry between 2 sheets baking paper to form a 24cm long rectangle. Using a knife, cut pastry lengthways into fourteen 1.5cm-wide strips, re-rolling dough as needed. Fill pastry case with fruit mince. Lightly beat remaining egg. Brush edges with egg.

Arrange pastry strips in a lattice pattern over filling. Press edges to seal. Trim excess. Brush lattice with egg. Sprinkle with white sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Set aside for at least 1 hour to cool. Serve with thickened cream.