Instructions: To prepare the mincemeat mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl.

Cover and leave in a cool place for 48 hours stirring occasionally.

Pot in sterilised jars cover and store in a cool place for up to 2 months.

To make the pastry sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl.

Using a roundbladed knife roughly cut in the butter then rub in using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

Stir in the sugar.

Mix the egg yolk with about 3 tbsp cold water then add to the dry ingredients mixing with a roundbladed knife to form a dough.

Knead gently until just smooth.

Wrap in cling film and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface roll out half of the pastry to a 3mm thickness.

Using a 75mm fluted cutter stamp out 12 circles of pastry.

Gently press these into patty tins the pastry should just protrude above the tins to allow for shrinkage when cooked. Spoon about 2 to 3 tsp mincemeat into each tin.

Roll out the remaining pastry and stamp out 12 circles using a 60mm fluted cutter. Dampen the edges of the pastry in the patty tins then top with the smaller pastry circles.

Press the edges together to seal. Brush the tops with egg white then sprinkle lightly with caster sugar.

Variation: Cut the remaining pastry into holly leaves using a suitable cutter and shape small berries too. Arrange overlapping over the mincemeat to form the pastry lids. Glaze and bake as above.

Bake on the grid shelf on the floor of the roasting ovenwith the cold plain shelf on the second set of runners for 20 to 25 minutes.

Cook in the baking ovenwith the grid shelf on the third set of runners for 20 to 25 minutes turning the tray of patty tins around halfway through cooking.

Leave in the tins for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.

Serve warm with pouring cream if desired.

You will only need to use about 225g of the mincemeat for this quantity of mince pies. Freeze the uncooked mince pies. Glaze and bake from frozen as above allowing an extra 10 to 15 minutes baking.

To make perfect mince pies home made mincemeat must be given time ideally at least 1 week to mature and absorb all the brandy before use or it will seep through the pastry edges causing the pies to stick to the patty tins. For lastminute panics buy a goodquality mincemeat and add a few chopped nuts and a dash of brandy.

Makes 12 pies

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