Mince pies are a classic dessert at any Christmas dinner table, and an all-time favourite festive treat for many Brits.

As the festive season approaches, there's nothing quite like a warm, freshly baked mince pie to bring the festive spirit to life.

This recipe from chef and TV star Paul Hollywood, shared on BBC’s website, delivers the perfect combination of melt-in-the-mouth pastry and a rich, fruity filling.

With a buttery, crumbly crust and a deliciously spiced mincemeat filling, these mince pies are the ultimate Christmas treat.

Quick and easy to make, they bake in just 15 minutes and serve 16, making them an ideal choice for busy holiday baking sessions.

Mince pies recipe

Ingredients

For the filling

One large jar mincemeat(about 600g)

Two satsumas, segmented and finely chopped

One apple, finely chopped

Sest of one lemon

Little icing sugar, for dusting

For the pastry

375g plain flour

260g unsalted butter, softened

125g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

One large egg, plus one beaten egg for glazing

Method

In a bowl, combine 375g of plain flour and 260g of softened unsalted butter. Rub them together with your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Stir in 125g of caster sugar and one large beaten egg, mixing until fully combined. Turn the mixture onto a lightly floured surface and gently fold it together until the dough forms, being careful not to overwork it.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl, combine the contents of a large jar of mincemeat with two segmented satsumas, one finely chopped apple, and the zest of one lemon.

Preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C fan)/gas mark 7. Roll out the pastry to a thickness of about 3mm.

Use a 10cm round cutter to cut out 16 pastry bases, then place them into a muffin tin. Spoon 1½ tablespoons of the mincemeat mixture into each base and brush the edges with a little beaten egg.

Reroll the remaining pastry and use a 7cm cutter to make the lids. Place the lids on top of each pie to seal, then brush them with the remaining beaten egg. Sprinkle with a little extra caster sugar and make a small slit in the centre of each lid.

Bake the mince pies in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow them to cool slightly before removing from the muffin tin and dusting with icing sugar before serving.