LAST MINUTE HOMEMADE MINCE PIES

If you look for mince pie recipes online 90% off them just list mincemeat from jars as the main ingredient, but it's so easy to make your own mixture, and you only need ingredients that you probably already have at home. This recipe also doesn't need to sit for any time before being used to make mince pies so it's perfect if you feel you've run out of time!

I just grabbed whatever fruit was in the bowl, and you can vary the types and quantities of all the fresh and dry fruit as long as they add up to the right amount.

For 36 mince pies

600g dried fruit - I used about 200g sultanas, 200g raisins, 20g cranberries, 80g chopped apricots, 30g golden sultanas and 70g chopped dates

4 or 5 citrus fruit, zested and juiced - I used 2 large oranges and 3 clementines

4 apples or pears - I used 3 apples and 2 juicy pears, which made up for the small amount of juice from the clementines

60g butter

8 tbsp brandy

Grated nutmeg

Put all the ingredients, except the brandy and nutmeg, into a small heavy bottom saucepan, simmer and cover. Leave to gently simmer for 20minutes, stirring occasionally. After 20 minutes add 6 tbsp brandy, stir, cover and return to the heat for about 5 minutes. Once all the brandy is absorbed, turn the heat off and add the rest of the brandy and a good grating of nutmeg.

Leave to cool.

Once cooled there are 2 ways I like to make mince pies. You can put a couple of teaspoons in the middle of a puff pastry circle, then egg wash the edge and place another puff pastry circle on top. Once sealed you can neaten these up with a cookie cutter if you have one or just egg wash the top of them and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden, at 200C.

The other way to serve them is rolled in filo pastry sheets. Brush a small square of filo with melted butter, and then another and place on top of each other. Make a 2 cm thick line of mincemeat down the middle and roll the pastry around it until you have a cylinder. Bake at 180C for 15 minutes or until golden and crispy at the edges.

Eat warm or cold, with brandy butter, cream, ice cream or whatever your heart desires, and have a wonderfully Happy Christmas!!

Rosie xx