To make the mincemeat, mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl until well combined.

Spoon the mincemeat into some clean jars and seal. It can be used immediately but will also keep for up to 12 months.

To make the mince pies, preheat the oven to 165℃.

Lay the sheets of filo pastry out on top of each other, use scissors to cut them in half across the width, then cut each half in half again to give four stacks of roughly 12 cm square pieces of filo. Keep any filo not being worked on under a damp cloth to prevent it drying out.

Spray a 12 hole muffin tin with sunflower oil. Line each hole with three squares of filo, each one slightly staggered so it looks like a star. Press the pastry down right into the edges of the muffin tin holes.

Bake in the oven for 5 minutes until crisp and pale golden.

Divide the filling evenly among the cases.

Take the remaining squares of filo, scrunch each one up lightly and place on top of each pie.

Brush each one with the beaten egg.

Pop in the oven for 12 minutes, or until crisp and golden.

Once ready, remove the pies from the oven and dust with icing sugar.