Viva!’s Mince Pies

1. Make pastry in advance. Add the sieved flour, margarine, white fat, salt and water to a food processor. Give it a quick whizz – a couple of seconds.

2. Remove the lid and check the texture with cool fingers – run them under the cold tap before touching pastry. If it looks like it will form a ball of pastry easily, remove. If not, add 1 tbsp water and whizz again for a second or two. Remember, too much water makes pastry hard, so go easy!

3. Remove, form into a ball and place in plastic bag. Wrap up and put in the fridge for 20-30 mins.

4. Pre-heat oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.

5. Grease tins.

6. With cool hands, roll just over half of it to about 3mm/1⁄8 inch thick.

7. Use each half to make 36 large circles and 36 smaller, using the cookie cutters. You will need to gather up pastry scraps and re-roll to make them all.

8. Line each hole with the larger pastry rounds.

9. Fill each one with mincemeat – not too much, to just below the pastry edge.

10. Dampen each lid a little with cold water. Press them on top, sealing the edges.

11. Brush each one with a little soya milk. Using a knife or scissors, make 2 little snips on the top.

12. Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins until they are light golden brown.

13. Cool them and then sprinkle with sieved icing sugar.

14. Store in an airtight container – they can be re-warmed before serving.