Cranberry mince pies

This recipe was based on two recipes from BBC Food. See the links on the right-hand side of the page.

Ingredients for the mincemeat
• 100g/3½oz butter
• 200g/7oz soft dark brown sugar
• 250ml/9fl.oz apple juice
• 2 tsp ground mixed spice
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ginger
• pinch of grated nutmeg
• 250g/9oz Bramley apples (cooking apples)
• 200g/7oz sultanas
• 200g/7oz raisins
• 100g/3½oz dried cranberries
• 150g/7oz dates, finely chopped
• 50g/1½oz crystallised ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp grated lemon zest
• 150ml ginger wine

Ingredients for the pastry
• 200g/7oz plain flour, sifted
• 40g/1½oz golden caster sugar
• 75g/2¾oz ground almonds
• 125g/4½oz unsalted butter, diced
• 2 small free-range eggs, beaten (but keep 2 tbsp beaten egg to glaze)

How to make the mincemeat

1. Put the dried fruit (sultanas, raisins, cranberries, dates) in a bowl and stir in 100ml ginger wine. Leave to soak overnight.
2. Put the butter, sugar, apple juice, ginger and all the spices in a saucepan, and leave on a gentle heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth.
3. Peel, quarter, core and finely chop the apples. Add the chopped apples to the pan, along with the dried fruit and lemon zest, stirring well.
4. Bring to the boil, and simmer gently for 10 minutes or until the apples have softened, then set aside.
5. Add the rest of the ginger wine (50ml) and allow to cool.

How to make the mince pies

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. Lightly butter a 12-hole pie tin.
3. Place the flour, sugar, almonds and butter into a bowl. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients by hand until resembling breadcrumbs, then stir in the egg.
4. Bring the mixture together with your hands, wrap in clingfilm and chill for an hour. Thinly roll out the pastry on a floured surface. Cut out 12 circles with a fluted pastry cutter, large enough to fill the base of the prepared tin. Press gently into each hole, then fill with the mincemeat.
5. Cut out another 12 slightly smaller discs and use to cover the mincemeat. Press the edges together to seal. Make a small slit in the top of each, then brush lightly with the rest of the beaten egg.
6. Bake the pies for 20 minutes in the oven until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack and serve warm.