Mince Pies

You do not have to make mincemeat to make a mincemeat pie. Even ordinary American supermarkets stock jars or Tetrapak boxes of mincemeat around Christmastime. Buy the base ready-made and then dress it up by adding goodies such as extra orange zest and juice along with some dried fruit like cherries or cranberries, for a tart burst of chewiness. And while it would be nice, of course, to make a buttery, homemade short-crust pastry to encase it, it’s also a lot easier to thaw out a roll of phy