Traditional sweet mini pies baked and eaten in the festive season before Christmas. Mince pies are made from short crust pastry filled with the sweet mix of dried fruits, spices, citrus zest, all soaked in alcohol. These festive pies of English origin have been known there since the 13th century. They originally were savoury, not sweet as consisted of a mixture of minced meat, suet, fruits and spices. Today almost every housewife has her own recipe for mince pies and mincemeat if she prepares a homemade version of the pies. I prefer less sugary filling but use a bit sweeter French buttery pastry. Try my recipe here…

This is my favourite pastry for quiche. It makes delicious cases which can be filled with meat and vegetables. This is actually savoury shortcrust pastry but less buttery and hence less delicate. However, its firmer texture holds the shape perfectly with custard-based filling inside and its bottom is never soggy. The pastry can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for a week. If you decide to freeze it, use it in 3 months. Find the recipe here…