Lemon Meringue Mince Pies

To make the pastry, combine the flour and butter in a large bowl. Rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips until the texture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the golden caster sugar, egg yolks, lemon zest, and milk, then mix until a dough forms. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until smooth, taking care not to overwork it. Shape into a disc, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 10 minutes (or up to two days).

Preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C fan/gas 7) and lightly grease a 12-hole muffin tin with butter. In a medium bowl, stir together the mincemeat and the juice from half a lemon.

Roll out the chilled pastry to the thickness of a pound coin. Use a 10cm round cutter to stamp out 12 circles, re-rolling scraps as needed. Press the pastry circles into the muffin tin holes. Fill each pastry case with the mincemeat mixture, leaving a small gap at the top. Bake for 15 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven to cool slightly, but keep the oven on.

For the meringue topping, place the egg whites in a clean bowl with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Beat with an electric whisk until soft peaks form. Gradually add half of the caster sugar, whisking back to soft peaks. Add the remaining sugar and continue whisking until the meringue is stiff, glossy, and holds its shape.