I know it's a bit of a cheek to mention this on a site devoted to home baking....but why would you go to all the trouble of trying to make the perfect pastry and your own mince pies, when it's sooo much easier to buy the good quality ones from a shop? Tesco's Finest are far better than anything i could rustle up, unless someone wants to introduce me to a fail-safe recipe for the perfect mince pie?!!!!

Making your own means you know exactly what's in them!

The kids like helping to make them, too, and you get the fabulous smell when they're cooking! You don't get that with Tesco's Finest!

can't beat the smell of home made mince pies. Trouble is you just have to eat them ALL the moment they have cooled slightly, so you never have any to nibble on.