These easy mince pies use just five ingredients – including shop-bought pastry and mincemeat – to make something really special.

MAKES 12
YOU WILL NEED
1 x 9cm round cutter
1 x 7cm round cutter
1 x large star cutter
1 x small star cutter
FOR THE PIES
1 x 410g jar of luxury mincemeat
1 sour eating apple, cored, skin on, chopped to 5mm cubes
2 x rolls of shop-bought ready-rolled shortcrust pastry
1 egg, beaten
icing sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
2. Mix the mincemeat and apple in a small bowl.
3. Unroll both sheets of pastry. From one sheet, using a 9cm round cutter, cut out six circles and six large stars. From the other sheet, cut six 9cm rounds, six 7cm lids and six small stars. Line a 12-hole muffin tray with the 9cm rounds.
4. Fill each with 2 teaspoons of the mincemeat and apple mixture then top half with the large stars and the other half with the lids and small stars (pressing the edges with a fork to seal).
5. Brush with the egg mix and chill for 30 minutes.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
7. Serve with a light dusting of icing sugar.
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Recipe: Prue Leith. Food styling: Clare Lewis. Styling: Sue Radcliffe