Frangipane Mince Pies

For the pastry, put the flour into a mixing bowl and cut the butter into small pieces, then stir it into the flour using a round-bladed knife. Rub the butter into the flour, using your fingertips, until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the icing sugar.

Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture. Beat the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon cold water and stir this into the flour until the mixture comes together. Bring the pastry together with your hands, and shape it into a flat disc, then wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 190°C, fan 170°C, gas 5.On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to a thickness of 3mm. Using a 7.5cm fluted cutter, stamp out 18 rounds, re-rolling the pastry as needed, then use to line 3 x 6-hole deep bun tins. Put a heaped teaspoon of mincemeat into each pastry case.

For the frangipane topping, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy, then add the flour, ground almonds, cardamom and eggs, and beat until smooth. Divide the mixture between the tarts, and use a teaspoon to smooth the mixture over the mincemeat.

Scatter over the flaked almonds and bake for 20-25 minutes until the topping is golden. Leave to cool for a few minutes in the tins, then transfer to a cooling rack and dust with golden icing sugar before serving.