Scrummy Star-Topped Mince Pies

These are great for Christmas, you can eat them hot (re-heat in the oven) or cold. I got this recipe from Paul Hollywood's book '100 Great Breads' and added my own twist to the recipe, here it is :

Ingredients: (makes 25 pies)

For the pastry:

• 375g strong white bread flour
• 250g butter, softened
• 125g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1 medium egg
• Splash of water

For the filling:

• 2 jars good quality mincemeat
• 1/2 large tin mandarins, drained and chopped
• 2 apples, finely diced
• I add a splash of brandy too

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C (180 fan).
2. Rub the flour, suugar and egg together with a splash of water to make a paste. Don't overmix. 
3. Place the mincemeat into a bowl and blend in the mandarins and apples (and the brandy) by hand until combined.
4. Using deep muffin moulds for the pies, rip off a piece of the sweet paste and use this to line the sides and bottom of the mould (do not make it too thick, I spread it so that it is just opaque over the mould). Repeat this for all the moulds.
5. Fill each mould with a good helping of the mincemeat mixture so that it reaches 3/4 of the way up the sides of the moulds.
6. Use a rolling pin to roll out lids to top the pies, again do not make it too thick. Cut out slightly bigger than the tops of the moulds. 
7. I then cut little stars in the centre of each lid instead of pricking them with a knife, as it looks more attractive.
8. Place a lid on top of each pie and push down (I use a little brandy to stick it together). And prick the lids with a knife (if you haven't cut stars in the centre).
9. Sprinkle all the pies with caster sugar.
10. Bake in the oven for 20 mins, until golden. Then transfer onto a wire rack to cool.
11. Enjoy!