MasterClass 12 Hole Mince Pie Baking Tray with PFOA Non Stick, Robust 1mm Carbon Steel, 32 x 24cm Jam Tart Tin

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Another of my favourites is to take 150g of double cream and lightly whip it until it’s the consistency of shaving cream. Then add two to three tablespoons of rum, whisky or cognac. Chocolate - If you really want to experiment then try stirring in a little grated chocolate or melting it into the mincemeat.

The rolled edges found on most bakeware introduce a difficult-to-dry space underneath the rim, and the edges themselves can be difficult to coat. We decided to leave the edges of our bakeware unrolled, removing the risk of water traps and uncoated carbon steel edges that might rust – making them completely dishwasher safe. To make the filling, turn the mincemeat out into a bowl, grate the zest of the tangerines into the mincemeat, then peel and chop the fruit. Throw the tangerine and apple pieces into the bowl and blend by hand. The early mince pie was also known as a mutton pie or a Christmas pie and was filled with meat, such as lamb, beef and game, rather than the dried fruit mix they are today.

The pastry

Eat well, live better and stay healthy - sign up to our free monthly Food & Health newsletter for the latest insights delivered straight to your inbox Transfer the crumbly pastry dough to a lightly floured work surface and use floured hands to fold the dough into itself until Now you can make big batches of pies in advance and pop them straight into your freezer. They can then be defrosted at a moment's notice, whether that’s for an upcoming party or simply to satisfy any late-night pie cravings you might suddenly have. Sprinkling almonds on the top with either apricot jam or a dusting of icing sugar makes for a very good looking mince pie.

With a fluted pastry cutter, cut out 6 x 8cm/3¼ in pastry circles for the lids (slightly bigger than the top of the muffin cups). Place a lid on top of each pie and gently push down. Sprinkle with caster sugar. If you want your shop-bought mince pies to create a real wow factor with your guests, try some of the following ideas. Mulled wine, port, hot chocolate (family-friendly or with a splash of rum), sloe or damson gin are always well received with mince pies – as is a nice cup of refreshing Earl Grey tea. I prefer mine served with clotted cream or Cumberland rum butter – a combination of dark brown muscovado sugar, butter, rum and a hint of nutmeg. While you’re baking your pies do keep an eye on them. There are plenty of oven variables that can affect how your food is cooked. Through our rigorous oven lab tests we found that some models don’t evenly spread heat as you’d hope, causing uneven browning. If so, try rotating the baking tray a couple times while cooking. Lightly brush the tops with milk or an egg wash. Bake the pies for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Nuts - Depending on what your tastes are, adding almonds, Brazil nuts and hazelnuts will all work with your mincemeat. If you’re a real nut lover then why not add all three?

Pie Dishes and Flan Tins

IF MAKING A FULL SIZE PIE: Preheat to 375 F and bake it for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 F and bake for another 30 minutes or so. You can use prepared pie crust but for the best flavor and texture I recommend making your own and if at all possible replacing some of the butter with lard. Lard yields the very best pie crust texture imaginable. Be sure to use quality lard from pasture-raised pigs. Most of the lard you find in the stores is hydrogenated – avoid it. I usually render my own lard from fat that I get from a trusted local farmer (see my post on How To Render Lard), but for a store-bought option, this Leaf Lard from Fatworks is made from free-ranged, pasture-raised pigs.