Ma's Christmas Mince Pies

One of the highlights of my Dad's Christmases back in the day was his mother-in-law's (and our Ma's) mince pies. They were an essential part of the Christmas spread she put on, and she would always have a couple left over just for him to take home and savour on Boxing Day. And they were something special. Over the years and the (many) mince pies I've sampled, none of them have ever really been quite as delicious as Ma's Christmas Mince Pies.

Classic mince pies are a warm, rich Yuletide mix of fruit, nuts and spices woven together with sherry and encased in a sweet buttery pastry. According to a tradition dating back to the Middle Ages and based on half-assed internet research, you will have happiness for a whole year if you eat a mince pie every day from Christmas until Twelfth Night (January 6). Challenge accepted.

The origins of mince pies go way back - possibly over 600 years - and yes, they once did have meat in them. As early as the 17th Century they were associated with Christmas, and by the late 1800s were closer to the sweet treat you'd recognise today. Fun fact: as a loophole around the Prohibition laws of the 1920s, it was discovered that canned mince samples contained an average alcohol content of 14%. Now that's a Christmas party!

On to the pies. Try to make sure you give the filling plenty of time to stew in its own juices - overnight really is on the shorter end of things. Feel free to mix up your dried fruit selection and your choice of nuts, just as long as you keep them to the same weight. And yes, Pedro Ximenez was not part of Ma's reportoire. As you can imagine, this was not a regular part of the typical historic Australian suburban experience. It's a Nigella recommendation, and unsurprisingly is totally worth it - that's is, until you forget to pack it properly in a box when you're moving house.

Also, try not to overprocess the pastry. Mix it until it just starts to come together in large clumps, otherwise it will toughen up. When it comes to making the cases, just use your fingers to press the discs into the pan.

Serve your pies hot out of the oven, but they're honestly just as good at room temperature. Ice cream, cream or a brandy sauce are all excellent accompaniments.