Ingredients

Step by step

1. For this recipe, you can use whichever mincemeat you like - try our recipe for maple-pecan mincemeat.
   
   For the shortbread cases, put the flour, salt and butter into a mixing bowl and work the ingredients together until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs (or use a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment if you have one). Add the sugar and the egg yolk mixture and work together briefly until the mixture starts to stick together in small clumps. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly and briefly into a ball. Divide in half, flatten into 2 discs and chill for 10 minutes.
2. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a pound coin. Cut out 24 x 7cm discs and 24 x 6cm discs using a fluted round biscuit cutter, re-kneading and rolling the pastry briefly when necessary. Line 2 x 12-hole nonstick bun tins with the larger discs. Spoon 1 level tablespoon of mincemeat into the bottom of each case – don’t overfill them. Brush the edges of the smaller discs with water and press them onto the tarts to seal. You can make a steam hole if you like, but it’s not really necessary with the shortbread pastry.
3. Open-freeze the mince pies in the tins for at least 4 hours or overnight. Carefully remove them from the tins by easing them out with a round-bladed knife and layer them up in a rigid plastic box, separating each layer with a sheet of baking paper. Cover and return to the freezer until needed.
4. To cook, simply drop the frozen mince pies back into the bun tins and bake at 190°C, fan 170°C, gas 5 for 20-25 minutes until golden, from frozen. Leave to cool and firm up in the tins for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or cold, lightly dusted with icing sugar if you wish.