Mini Meringue Mince Pies

Make the pastry: put flour, Trex and Stork into a food processor with a pinch of salt and pulse until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs (or rub fats into flour and salt with fingertips if you don’t have a food processor). Tip into a bowl, make a well in the centre and add 2tbsp chilled water. Stir quickly with a cutlery knife until the pastry starts to come together. Bring together with your hands and knead gently to form a smooth ball. Halve, shape into 2 discs, wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30min.

Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C fan) mark 5. Roll out half chilled pastry on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin; stamp out 24 rounds using a 5cm (2in) round cutter (re-rolling trimmings as necessary). Use rounds to line a 24-hole mini muffin tin; fill cases with half of the mincemeat and chill for 15min.

Bake the pies for 20-25min until pastry is sandy to touch and mincemeat is bubbling. Repeat with remaining pastry and mincemeat until you have 48 mini pies.

To make the meringue, place the sugar in a saucepan with 3tbsp water; dissolve over a gentle heat. Once sugar has been dissolved, turn up heat and, using a sugar thermometer, bring the mixture to 120°C.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Once the sugar syrup has come up to temperature, carefully pour over the egg whites in a steady stream, whisking constantly. When all of the syrup has been incorporated, continue to whisk for another 15-20min, or until the mixture is cool. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 1cm (½in) nozzle, and pipe a swirl on top of each pie. Use a blowtorch, if you have one, to gently toast the meringue, or flash under a hot grill for 1-2min, until golden. Spritz with a little gold glitter, if you like, to serve.