Mince pies, once baked, will keep for a few days in an air-tight tin but the bottoms may become soggy. You can make the pastry ahead and freeze it for up to a month so it's ready to roll when you are.

Set the tray on a wire rack to cool for five minutes, and then turn the mince pies out. Serve with your choice of brandy butter, cream or ice cream. You can stretch out the recipe a little further ...

New year, new you? How about new recipes instead? The calendar’s flipped, and with it comes the time-honoured tradition of ...