Mince pies

For the sweet shortcrust pastry: place the flour, sugar, salt and butter in a food processor and whiz briefly. Add half the beaten egg and continue to blend. You might add a little more egg, but not too much as the mixture should be just moist enough to come together. If making by hand, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs then, using your hands, add just enough egg to bring it together.

With your hands, flatten out the ball of dough until it is about 2cm thick, then wrap in cling film or place in a plastic bag and leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or, if you are pushed for time, in the freezer for 10–15 minutes.

Once the pastry has chilled, preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Brush the tin with melted butter.

On a floured work surface, roll out the pastry to 3mm thick and, using a 6cm cutter, cut out 24 circles for the bases. Then use a smaller plain/fluted cutter or star cutter to cut out 24 circles/stars for the lids. Re-roll the trimmings if necessary.

Line the holes of a shallow 24-hole fairy cake tin or 16-hole muffin tin with the larger pastry rounds. Fill each base with a teaspoon of mincemeat and top with one of the smaller rounds or stars. Brush the tops of the mince pies with the beaten egg.

Bake in the oven for 10–13 minutes until pale golden. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from the tin and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Dust with icing sugar to serve.