In a high-speed food processor, add flour and icing sugar. Pulse a couple of times to blend together.

Add chilled cubed butter. Pulse for 15 seconds until mixture resembles coarse crumb.

With processor running, add egg yolk through the shoot and pulse until just combined.

Through the feed shoot, drizzle a tablespoon at a time of the chilled water while pulsing the mixture, until it begins to come together but not a ball of dough. If the dough is still too dry, add a little more water.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Bring together and gently knead until it forms a smooth dough ball.

Divide dough in 2 equal halves and flatten each into a round disc. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180ºC (356ºF). Liberally grease a 12-hole shallow cupcake/muffin pan with melted butter or oil. (Or a specific pan designed for mince pies).

Remove pastry from refrigerator.

Roll out one half pastry on a lightly floured surface or on a sheet of baking paper. Gently roll out to 3mm-5mm in thickness.

Take a round cookie cutter, the same size/large enough to fill moulds in your shallow pan. Cut out enough round bases to fill your pan (12 hole pan). NOTE: if you have extra dough bases cut out but no extra pan, save them and bake another round of pies after your first batch.

Gently push the bases into your shallow greased pan.

Open jar of fruit mince and pour in sherry or brandy, mix with a long spoon until combined. NOTE: adding the alcohol is completely optional.

Fill each base with the fruit mince, approx. 1 tablespoons worth each, ensuring not to overfill as they can bubble over during baking.

Take second half of dough, on floured surface or baking sheet, roll out to 3mm-5mm in thickness.

Take a slightly smaller scalloped edge round cookie cutter and cut out shapes for the tops, enough to match the bases.

Take a small round piping nozzle and carefully cut out the middles of the pastry tops.

Place pastry tops over the top of the pies to cover the filling, pressing down slightly to the edges of the bases to secure.

Return pan to refrigerator and chill pies for 15 minutes.

Remove and lightly brush pastry tops with milk.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden all over.

Remove and cool in pan for 5 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack and dust pies with icing sugar.

Serve warm or cool completely on wire rack and store away for later.

Enjoy!