Here We Come A-Baking

After all that frantic food shopping you’d probably want a day off from planning and trolley dashing. Stay in and get baking. (Oh – you may have to buy your ingredients - damn) Get the children involved and make it a family affair.

Dig out your Christmas hat and festive apron, you could even give the kids aprons that say ‘Santa’s little helper’ and follow this recipe from BBC’s Good Food on how to make the perfect mince pies, mmm.

Ingredients

225g cold butter , diced
350g plain flour
100g golden caster sugar
280g mincemeat
1 small egg , beaten
icing sugar , to dust

Method

To make the pastry, rub the butter into the flour, then mix in the sugar and a pinch of salt. Combine the pastry into a ball - don't add liquid - and knead it briefly. The dough will be fairly firm, like shortbread dough.

You can use the dough immediately, or chill for later.

Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C. Line 18 holes of two 12-hole patty tins, by pressing small walnut-sized balls of pastry into each hole. Spoon the mincemeat into the pies.

Take slightly smaller balls of pastry than before and pat them out between your hands to make round lids, big enough to cover the pies. Top the pies with their lids, pressing the edges gently together to seal - you don't need to seal them with milk or egg as they will stick on their own. (The pies may now be frozen for up to 1 month).

Brush the tops of the pies with the beaten egg. Bake for 20 minutes until golden. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack. To serve, lightly dust with icing sugar. They will keep for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container.