Julian Carter, the multi-award winning artisan baker established his renowned bakery in 2008 along with Tim Hart. By popular demand they now have multiple standalone outlets as well as their site. Carter takes us through his recipe for his sell out, marvelous mince pies just in time for Christmas….

Ingredients

300g currants

200g raisins

200g sultanas

100g mixed candied peel

200g apple

5g cinnamon

10g mixed spice

200g Muscovado sugar

200g beef or vegetable suet

2 lemons juice and zest

2 oranges juice and zest

2 shot glasses of brandy

1 shot glasses of rum

5 g grated fresh nutmeg

Pinch of salt

Puff pastry

Method

Soak all fruits in brandy and rum overnight. Add to the bowl the apples from the garden, grated. Add muscovado sugar, orange and lemon juice and zest and spices (nutmeg, cinnamon and mixed spice). Mix well. Add suet with a pinch of salt.

Lay out your sheet of puff pastry 20 cms wide, squirt with water and roll tightly (like a Swiss roll). Cut off a 30 g piece of dough (approx two fingers width) and place on your sugared surface, flatten into the sugar on both sides, roll out till 7 cm disc. Cut off a 20 g piece of dough next and repeat the process, rolling out into a 5 cm disc. Using the small disc first place a scoop of mincemeat on top, then put the larger piece on top and seal using a cutter (like making a ravioli).  Cut off the excess pastry with a cutter. Make a small hole in the top with a piping nozzle. Bake for 25 mins at 200 degrees (until golden brown). Add a sprig of rosemary into the hole once cooked to scent the pie and make it look Christmassy. www.hambletonbakery.co.uk