I strongly recommend making the pie crust and mincemeat filling in advance (1-3 days) and keeping them in the fridge until the day of baking for the best results. This will ensure the flakiest pastry and the most flavorful vegan mincemeat filling.
Make the pie crust: Prepare a batch of this pie crust recipe through to step 3, and shape it into a large disc. Wrap the pastry disc in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill for at least an hour (overnight or up to 3 days).
Prepare the fruits: Core the apple and chop it into small cubes. Zest and squeeze the orange.
Make the vegan mincemeat filling: To a large bowl, add the chopped apple, orange juice and zest, sultanas, raisins, candied orange peel, flaked almonds, light and dark brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Mix well with a spatula until all the ingredients are coated in the juices. Cover and set aside for an hour.
Add the vegan butter to a medium-large pot and pour the mincemeat filling on top of it. Place over medium heat until simmering gently and stir to combine all the ingredients.Cook on a gentle simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring often, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the apples are soft. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly for 15 minutes.Next, stir in the brandy and mix well to combine. Cover the pot with the lid or transfer the mincemeat to a sealed container and refrigerate for 1-3 days until ready to use.
Prepare to bake: Preheat your oven to 200°C (392°F).Grease 2 muffin pans with some vegan butter - you may need to bake them in batches depending on how many pans you have. You can also use disposable tin foil cups and arrange them on a baking sheet.
Roll the dough: Separate ⅓ of the dough and set aside for the lids.On a lightly floured surface, roll out the other ⅔ of the dough to 3mm (⅛ of an inch) in height.Using a fluted or round cutter (4"/10cm) cut out 15 bases and carefully press them into the muffin pans. Use your fingers to press the sides into the tin so that they are slightly higher than the pan.
Assemble the pies: Add around 1.5 tablespoons of mincemeat filling to each pie, making sure that the filling does not come all the way to the top. Brush the edge of the pies with some non-dairy milk.Roll out the remaining dough and cut out 15 lids (3"/7cm) and carefully sit them on top of each pie. Use your fingers to press the edges down to seal the pies. Cut a cross on top of each pie to allow air out whilst baking, glaze the tops with more non-dairy milk, and generously sprinkle with granulated sugar.
Bake: For 20-25 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Allow them to come to room temperature before carefully removing them from the pan, use a knife to gently loosen the edges if needed.
Storage: Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or at room temperature for up to 2 days. You can freeze them in a sealed container for up to 3 months. Simply defrost them in the fridge or warm them in the oven before serving.