This mini Christmas mince pies recipe makes the perfect gift to share with family and friends

To us, Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without a mince pie!

While there are some good bought ones out there, they’re never as good as your own homemade version.

So make Christmas extra special this year with our irresistible star-topped mince pies. Our mini mince pies also make the perfect edible gift to share with guests.

Makes: 24
Prep time: 45 mins, plus chilling
Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients:
225g unsalted butter, cubed and slightly softened
100g icing sugar
2 free-range egg yolks
2 drops vanilla essence
275g plain flour, plus extra
400g mincemeat (see recipe below)

You will need:

• 24-hole mini muffin tin, 5cm in diameter
• Pastry cutters
• A rolling pin
• A palette knife

Method:

1. Place the butter in a food processor and pulse until soft. Sift in the icing sugar and pulse until all the sugar is incorporated. Add the egg yolks and vanilla essence and pulse until there's no streaky yolk in the mix. Sift in the flour and pulse again until you can see no flour and the pastry comes together in large flakes.
   
   
2. Divide the mixture in 2, and shape into flattish circles in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.
   
   
3. Once the pastry is chilled and workable, roll out to 3mm thickness on a well-floured surface. Cut out circles with a pastry cutter and gently push into the muffin tin. Fill with 1tsp mincemeat, then use festive cutters to make the tops. Chill well.
   
   
4. Heat the oven to 200 C. Glaze the mince pies with beaten egg and bake for 15 minutes until the pastry is golden and the mincemeat is bubbling over the sides. Allow to cool slightly in the tin, then cool completely on a wire rack.
   
   
5. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

Tip:
When making your own pastry remember to keep it cool and don't handle it too much.

Mincemeat Recipe
Home-made mincemeat is far superior to anything you can buy, which is often over sweet and lacking in spice - this mincemeat recipe will ensure you make the best mince pies this Christmas.

Makes: 3 x 350g jars
Prep time: 20 mins, plus overnight soaking
Cooking time: 2 hrs

Ingredients:
175g raisins
175g sultanas
175g currants
100g cut mixed peel
125g light shredded vegetable suet
25g whole, blanched almonds, roughly chopped
300g apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
175g light Muscovado sugar
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground mixed spice
2 tbsp brandy
2 tbsp dark rum

Method:

1. Place all the ingredients, except for the brandy and rum into a large china, ovenproof dish. Mix well, cover and leave overnight.
   
   
2. Heat the oven to 130C. Give the mincemeat another good stir and cover the dish with foil. Place on the centre shelf of the oven for 2 hours.
   
   
3. Remove from the oven and stir again so that all the fruit is coated in the melted suet. Leave to cool and stir in the brandy and rum.
   
   
4. Pack the mincemeat into sterilised jars, cover with a waxed disc and seal.

Tip:
Cooking the mincemeat very slowly in the oven allows the suet to melt and coat all the fruit. This forms a seal and prevents fermentation in the jar.