Every year I tell myself I am going to make my own mincemeat and every year I never quite manage it. So I will buy a jar of ready made, no particular brand, and without fail will add something to it. If I am organised and make up the mincemeat the day before I will add some dried fruit, if I am just adding to the mincemeat on the day (99% of the time), I will add some chopped up fruit, my favourite being apple or pear. I don’t peel the fruit but give it a good wash. This is a very simple pastry recipe. It is not enriched, it does not contain sugar. I love it.

350g plain flour

A pinch of salt

175g butter

7-9 tbsp of water

350g-375g ready made mince meat

1 piece of fruit, finely diced

A little milk – to glaze the top

Icing sugar to dust

2 x buttered bun tins

2 cutter – I used one that is 7cm, and a smaller one.

Method

Oven on at 200Fan/220C

Rub in the fat and the flour until it resemble breadcrumbs.

Sprinkle 7 x tblsp of cold water over the mixture and cut in, if it is not coming together add more (1/2 tsp at a time)

or

Add the butter and flour a food processor, pulse until fine breadcrumbs – add water, pulse and see if it will come together, if not add a teaspoon as a time until it does.

On a clean dry surface, knead dough until it comes together..

Half the mixture and roll out until very thin, cut out 12 circles and place in bun tray. Cover and chill in the fridge for 20 mins.

Repeat and fill the other tray.

Gather remnants of pastry, roll out and cut out shapes to cover the top.

Add fruit to mincemeat and mix.

Put 1 tsp of mincemeat into the hole and cover with the smaller piece of pastry.

Bake for 15 mins. Leave in tin for 5 mins and then transfer to cooling rack