Lightly butter a non-stick mince pie or tartlet tin, and preheat your oven to 190°C degrees.

Weigh the dry ingredients for the pastry into a mixing bowl.

Cut the butter into 1cm cubes and rub into the dry flour mixture with fingertips, until you have a breadcrumb-like consistency.

Add the beaten egg and cold water to form a dough.

Shape into a flattened disc, wrap it up and refrigerate for at least one hour – always rest and chill before use. You can keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze it.

Remove from the fridge and roll out between 2 sheets of baking parchment. This helps you to handle the pastry.

Remove the top layer of parchment and cut out your bases and tops for the mince pies. (You may need to re-form the scraps into a ball and roll the pastry out again.)

Place the bases gently in the tin. Fill each with roughly one generous teaspoon of mincemeat. The filling will expand a little in the oven, so don’t be tempted to over-stuff them. Place the lids on top, making sure they are firmly fixed into position. Glaze the tops with egg-wash or milk for shine.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, checking halfway through to make sure the tops are not browning too quickly. When the tops are golden and the pastry is cooked through, remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for five minutes or so, before transferring to a wire rack.

Sprinkle a little icing sugar on them just before serving and eat warm.