- 1 lemon, boiled for 1 hour until soft, left to cool
- 100g/3½oz raisins
- 100g/3½oz sultanas
- ½ Bramley apple or similar large cooking apple, peeled and chopped
- 100g/3½oz dried mixed fruit
- 75g/2½oz mixed peel
- 100g/3½oz suet
- 100g/3½oz dark brown muscavado sugar
- 100g/3½oz currants
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 50ml/2fl oz brandy
- 50ml/2fl oz sherry
- 450g/1lb plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 240g/8oz unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 140ml/5fl oz orange juice
- 2 oranges, zest only
- 1 free-range egg, beaten
- whipped cream, brandy butter or ice cream, to serve
- For the mincemeat, cut the boiled, cooled lemon in half and discard the pips.
- Blend the lemon, raisins, sultanas, chopped apple, mixed fruit and mixed peel in a food processor to a paste.
- Transfer the lemon mixture to a large mixing bowl and add the suet, muscavado sugar, currants, cinnamon, nutmeg, mixed spice, ground ginger, brandy and sherry. Mix together until well combined, then set aside overnight.
- For the orange pastry, grease one large or two small muffin tins with butter. (You will need a tin with 15-18 wells.)
- Blend the flour, baking powder, butter and sugar in a food processor until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add the orange zest and blend until well combined, then gradually add the orange juice, blending continuously, until the mixture comes together as a dough. (You may need to a little extra cold water.)
- Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, knead lightly until smooth, then wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
- Cut the chilled pastry in half. Roll out one half of the pastry onto a lightly floured work surface to a ½cm/¼in thickness. Using a 7cm/2½in pastry cutter, cut out 15-18 discs (as the mixture allows) and place one into each of the muffin tin wells.
- Spoon a tablespoon of the mincemeat mixture into each of the mince pie cases and brush the rim of each pastry case with a little beaten egg.
- Roll out the remaining pastry onto a lightly floured work surface to a ½cm/¼in thickness. Using a 5cm/2in pastry cutter, cut out 15-18 discs and place one on top of each mince pie. Press together the edges of the pastry to seal.
- Brush the remaining beaten egg over the tops of the mince pies. Using a knife, make a small steam hole in the top of each pie.
- Transfer the mince pies to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until pale golden-brown.
- Serve warm or cold with whipped cream, brandy butter or ice cream.