Delicious homemade mince pies topped with frangipane and flaked almonds, these Easy Frangipane Mince Pies look and taste impressive, but are actually super simple to make. (Promise I won’t tell!)

Ingredients

1 lb 4 oz (570 g) mincemeat
3½ oz (95 g) lard
3 oz (75 g) butter or margarine
12 oz (350 g) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
a little milk
pinch salt

Serves: 30
Preparation: 20 Mins
Cooking Time: 25 Mins

The mince pie is a British tradition but, although I am a Frenchman, I cannot resist trying to improve on a classic! Its ingredients are traceable to the 13th century when returning European crusaders brought with them Middle Eastern recipes containing meats, fruits and spices. It was in Victorian times that it changed from being a meat-based pie to being the sweet version we love today. It’s easy to get ahead with mince pies in advance of Christmas as the mincemeat mixture may be made a month in advance, and the pies may be made and frozen, then cooked when needed. Or, once cooked, they will keep in an air-tight tin for 5 days; just pass them through the oven to freshen the pastry before serving.