Mincepies flavoured with a little amaretto, pastry made with orange zest and almonds. A little festive baking!

You’ll need for 18 mincepies –

• 200g plain flour
• 75g ground almonds
• 40g golden caster sugar
• 125g butter
• 1 egg beaten
• zest of an orange
• 300g of good quality mincemeat
• 1 Tbs amaretto
• icing sugar to dust

Put the flour, almonds, butter, sugar and orange zest into your food mixer and blend until you have a breadcrumb consistency. Then add the beaten egg. Bring the mixture together and then wrap in clinging and place in the fridge for half an hour. Put your oven on 200c.

Mix the amaretto into the mincemeat. Roll out the pastry and cut into 18 discs. My cutter is 6cm in diameter. Fill with a spoon of the mincemeat mix. Use a decorative cutter to cut 18 tops for the pies, or cut little star shapes to sit on top of the mincemeat. Brush with a little milk and place in the oven for 20 minutes.

Keep an eye on them. When they are golden remove them from the oven and give them a festive dust with icing sugar! Merry Christmas!