For the mincemeat;

Ingredients:

500g pears (cored and cut into small cubes)
500g dried mixed fruit
100g stem ginger
100g crab apple jelly
250g muscovado sugar
Zest and juice of 3 oranges
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
100g flaked almonds
50ml ginger wine
2 tsp Ground ginger
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Nutmeg
50ml sloe gin

Method:

Mix all the ingredients well, except the gin, and put them into a large oven proof dish.

Bake in a preheated oven for around 2.5 hours at 120 degrees.

Stir in the gin and spoon into warm, sterile jars. Leave to mature for at least 2 months before using. Will keep for a couple of years.

For the pies;

Ingredients:

300g plain flour (sifted)
150g unsalted butter (cut into cubes)
Water
Mince meat
Milk

Method:

Add the butter to the flour and rub it between your fingers and into the flour. Keep rubbing until the mix resembles breadcrumbs.

Add a small drop of water and mix together. Keep adding a little water at a time, until the mixture comes together to form a stiff dough amd leaves the bowl mostly clean.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry out as thin as possible - 1 or 2 mm is best. Cut rounds for the bases using a pastry cutter and place into cupcake cases.

Fill the base with mince meat and top with either smaller cut rounds or stars. Where the pastry top and base meets, use a little milk to seal the edges.

Brush with a little milk and cook in the centre of a preheated oven at 180 degrees for about 15 minutes, until golden in colour.