Method

Mince meat:

Mix all the ingredients together, cover and leave to marinate in a cool place for 12 hours to allow the flavours time to develop.

Preheat the oven to its lowest setting. Transfer to an ovenproof dish, mix in 4 tbsp water, cover with foil and cook for 3 hours. Check the consistency, adding 2-3 tbsp more water if you feel it is too dry.

Cool and then pack into a clean airtight container. Store in the fridge. This method renders (melts) the shortening and coats all the ingredients in fat to help prevent fermentation.

Mince pies:

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Sift the flour into a bowl, add the spread and rub in using fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the SPLENDA® Granular. Add the egg yolk with 2-3 tbsp cold water and bring the mixture together to form a dough.

Lightly flour the work surface, roll out the pastry to ½cm thickness. Cut out fluted circles 7cm in diameter for pie bases and 6cm for tops, re-rolling the pastry when necessary.

Carefully place the pastry bases in a patty tin and spoon in a dessertspoon of mincemeat. Brush the edges of the tops with water or a little beaten egg, place on top of the mincemeat and seal with the pastry bases. Make a small slit in the top of the pastry to allow the steam out and bake for 12-15 minutes until golden.

Cool in the tin for 5 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack. Serve warm or cold. Can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days in the fridge.