Easy Florentine mince pies

• meat filling115g g

  (vegetarian if needed)

• orange↗1

  zest

• bourbon↗1 1⁄2 tbsp tbsp

  or orange juice

• ground almond↗30g ground g
• glazed cherries60g g

  coarsely chopped

• shortcrust pastry↗375g sheet of ready-rolled g

  sheet of ready‑rolled

• milk↗1 tbsp tbsp
• demerara sugar↗1 tbsp tbsp
• dark chocolate↗50g g

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 200 °C/180 °C fan/gas 6 and line a large baking tray with parchment paper. Mix the meat filling, orange zest, bourbon or orange juice, ground almond and cherries in a medium bowl.

2. 2

   Roll out the pastry on its parchment paper and cut as many 8 cm circles as possible using a round cutter. Gather the scraps and cut more circles until all the pastry is used (you’ll get about 14 pieces). Place 1 tsp of the meat‑filling mixture in the centre of each circle, leaving a 2 cm border. Gently fold the edges of the open pastry inward to partially cover the filling.

3. 3

   Transfer the pies to the prepared tray, leaving a little space between them. Brush the pastry with milk and sprinkle with demerara sugar. Bake for 18–20 min until golden, then let cool slightly.

4. 4

   While the pies are cooling, place the chocolate in a heat‑proof bowl and melt it in 20‑second bursts in the microwave, or melt it in a heat‑proof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the pies before serving. Store in an airtight container for up to three days.