Sorry chaps, just a short, sharp to-the-point mince pie recipe – ‘tis the day for merriment and all that! I’ve given you a recipe for shortcrust pastry and a recipe for mincemeat too, but I’ve yet to bring them together under one all-embracing banner until this moment! Once you’ve made mince pies yourself, especially if you’ve done it the frugal way, you’ll never go back – homemade mincemeat is just too good and handmade pastry is simply a delight. The kick of the brandy, which is present in prodigious quantity, combined with the flavour of the fruit is very tricky to rival. Remember to never underestimate the power of a well-made mince pie!

I had planned to bring you so many more recipes this Christmas, but the weather had other ideas… I’m not making excuses – check the British news! Still, these must make up for the inclemency of the weather somewhat – they certainly brightened up my day. Any who – wishing you a Merry Christmas, may this recipe serve you well for years to come! See you all in a couple of days with a new delight!

P.S. If you’d like to see what I’ve been making for Christmas Day, please see my Facebook page!

Mince Pies

Makes 15-20

Ingredients:

• Two small pots of homemade mincemeat

• 1 ball of shortcrust pastry

• Icing sugar

Method:

1. Prepare your mincemeat and pastry separately according to the above recipes – make sure the mincemeat has been given ample time to mature. Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Roll the pastry out until 2-3mm thick.

2. Cut out circles of pastry large enough to fill the bases of a cupcake tray, place them inside. Fill each with a spoonful of mincemeat and cover over with a slightly smaller disc of pastry. Press the pastry down, bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. Dust with icing sugar and enjoy!

Cost: According to my previous recipe, this batch of mince pies should cost no more than around £1.30 – what an incredibly frugal recipe!