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• 225g Bramley apples (cooking apples), cored and chopped small (no need to peel them)
• 110 g shredded suet
• 175 g raisins
• 110 g sultanas
• 110 g currants
• 110 g whole mixed candied peel, finely chopped*
• 175 g soft dark brown sugar
• grated zest and juice 1 orange
• grated zest and juice 1 lemon
• 25 g whole almonds, cut into slivers
• 2 level teaspoons mixed ground spice
• ¼ level teaspoon ground cinnamon
• good pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons brandy

*this is the peel of citrus fruits that has been crystallised in sugar

1. Put all the ingredients, except for the brandy, in a large mixing bowl (not a plastic bowl)
2. Mix them together very well. Then cover the bowl with a clean cloth and leave the mixture in a cool place overnight or for 12 hours
3. After that pre-heat the oven to gas mark ¼, 225°F (120°C)
4. Remove the cloth and cover the bowl loosely with tin foil and place it in the oven for 3 hours
5. Take the bowl out of the oven. (Don't worry if there is a lot of fat.)
6. As the mincemeat cools, stir it every now and again
7. When the mincemeat is quite cold, stir well again, and add the brandy
8. Put the mincemeat into clean, dry glass jars. Cover with waxed discs and seal the jars.

The mincemeat will keep for a long time in a cool, dark cupboard (at least a year!)

• 225g plain flour
• Pinch of salt
• 140g margarine
• 1 rounded dessert spoon of castor sugar
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• 1 egg yolk

1. Sieve the flour and salt into a mixing bowl
2. Cut the margarine into small pieces and rub into the flour. The mixture should be crumbly
3. Dissolve the sugar in the cold water. Then mix in the egg yolk
4. Stir this into the flour mixture with the blade of a knife
5. Form the pastry into a ball using your fingertips

1. You need 8-12 bun or patty tins. Arrange them on a baking sheet
2. Preheat the oven to gas mark 6, 400°F (200°C)
3. Roll the pastry out thinly
4. Using a round (or fluted) pastry cutter, cut out 16-24 circles. Use a cutter that is a little larger in diameter than the bun/patty tins
5. Line the tins with half the rounds of pastry
6. Put a heaped teaspoon of mincemeat in the middle of each tin
7. Brush around the edges of the remaining rounds of pastry with water
8. Put pastry “lid” on each of the filled tins and press all around the edges with your fingertips to seal
9. Press the round tip of a knife around the edge
10. Make 2-3 small cuts across the top of each pie
11. Brush the tops with a little milk and sprinkle with sugar
12. Put the baking sheet in the oven near the top and bake the mince pies for 20-25 minutes
13. Serve hot or cold

(You can reheat the pies: 10 minutes at gas mark 4, 360°F (200°C))