Makes approximately 2 dozen standard sized mince pies

Mincemeat Mixture

175g Seedless raisins
120g Sultanas
120g Currants
50g Mixed peel
20g Chopped dried cherries
175g Soft brown sugar
225g Cooking apples - peeled, cored and grated
115g Shredded suet
1 Orange zest and juice
1 Lemon zest and juice
50g Chopped almonds
5g Ground mixed spice
1tsp Ground nutmeg
75ml Brandy

- Mix all the ingredients together in a large deep baking tray and cover and leave to stand overnight.
- This can also be made a week or so in advance and stored in an air tight sterilised jar or plastic container with a tight fitting lid.

Sweet Pastry

460g Plain flour
280g Unsalted butter, cubed and at room temperature
160g Caster sugar
2 Free range eggs
1 Vanilla pod, split with seeds scraped out
1 Free range egg (beaten for brushing)

- Preheat the oven to 170°C.
- Sieve the flour and sugar together into a mixing bowl.
- Using your fingers tips carefully rub the butter and vanilla seeds into the flour and sugar. Until a coarse breadcrumb consistency and all of the butter is incorporated.
- Add the eggs and mix together to form a dough, do not over work the pastry.
- Turn the pastry out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll into round logs, wrap the logs in cling film and place in the fridge for at least half an hour to firm up.
- Unwrap the pastry form the cling film and place onto a lightly floured surface.
- Roll the pastry out to a pound coin thickness and cut a circle to desired size (depending on tray being used 48 disks per tray).
- Place a cut disk of pastry into each section of the pie tray and carefully push the pastry into the corner.
- Spoon a generous amount of the mincemeat mixture into each of the lined pastry sections.
- Place a disk on top of the mincemeat, brush the edges with beaten egg and seal the top to the bottom by pushing the pastry together.
- Brush each pie with the rest of the beaten egg and sprinkle demerara sugar.
- Bake your mince pies at 170c for 20-25 minutes, leave to cool.

Brandy Cream

200ml double cream
1 shot of brandy (25ml)
50g icing sugar

- Mix the cream, brandy and icing sugar and using a whisk whip the cream till ribbon stage.
- Refrigerate until needed (can be made in advance and kept for a day or two).