Ingredients

For mincemeat:

1 Bramley apple
5 tsp mixed spice
250g raisins
250g sultanas
250g currants
100g dried apricots, chopped
250g mixed candied peel
400g dark brown sugar
200g vegetable suet
5 tbsp port or brandy (optional)

For pies:

Butter or margarine, for greasing
Ready-rolled pastry
Flour, for dusting
Cinnamon sugar
Candied lemon or ginger, finely chopped
Flaked almonds
Ready-made royal icing or marzipan
Icing sugar, for dusting

Materials

Heatproof jars with lids
2 12-hole cupcake tray
Round cookie cutters – larger than the holes in the tin
Star cookie cutters (optional)

Method

To make the mincemeat, grate the apple and combine with the rest of the ingredients, except the brandy or port, in a large saucepan.

Cook gently over a low heat for around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the suet has melted and the mixture is thick and sticky. Set aside to cool.

Once the mincemeat is cool, add the brandy or port if required. Store in sterilised jars for up to a year.

To make the mince pies, preheat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC fan/400ºF/gas 6 and rub a little butter or margarine onto a shallow cupcake pan to grease. Roll out the pastry onto a floured surface.

Using a round cutter, cut out enough circles to fill the tin. Gently press each into a cupcake space.

Using a teaspoon, add one scoop of your mincemeat mixture to the pastry case in the pan. Add any additions such as the cinnamon sugar or candied lemon and ginger now.

Top each pastry case with your choice of topping – I like to use pastry stars, flaked almonds or grated marzipan.

Bake in the oven for 12–15 minutes until the pastry is golden. Leave to cool on a wire rack and dust with icing sugar once cool.

3 classic festive bakes to add to your Christmas dessert table, according to Francesca Stone