Bake easy mince pies using ready-made puff pastry and a jar of mincemeat. You can perk up a shop-bought filling, too, with orange zest and a splash of brandy
Prep:15 mins
Serves 12
butter for greasingplain flour for dusting2 x 320g sheets all-butter puff pastry350g mincemeat2 eggs, beatendemerara sugar to sprinkle
STEP 1Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and lightly butter and flour a 12 hole fairy cake tin. Lay a sheet of puff pastry on a floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll it out a little, so it’s 5 cm bigger than your fairy cake tin.STEP 2Lay the sheet onto the tin, pushing it into the holes. Spoon 1½ tbsp of mincemeat into each hole, then use some of the beaten egg to brush around all of the holes. Lay the other sheet of pastry on top and press to seal. Lightly dust the top with flour.STEP 3Use an 8cm cookie cutter to cut circles around each of the holes, peeling away the excess puff pastry. You will be left with 12 flat-topped pies. Place a flat baking tray over the pies and flip the fairy cake tin upside-down. The pies should slip out of the tin, leaving you with 12 puff pies on a baking tray.STEP 4Press each one around the edges to make sure they’re well sealed. Brush them with more of the beaten egg, sprinkle with demerara sugar. Bake for 20 mins, until risen and golden. Allow to cool a little, then serve warm.
