1. Make the pastry in a large bowl or food processor by blending the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. 2. Stir in the sugar and orange zest and then 2 tbsp water. 3. Bring the mixture together with your hands, adding a few more drops of water if it feels a little dry. 4. Preheat the oven to 180C/375F/gas 4. 5. Roll out half the pastry (keep the other half wrapped in the fridge) on a lightly floured surface. You want the pastry to be very thin, so it is crisp when cooked. 6. Cut out 12 circles of pastry with a plain 6cm cutter (you will need to re-roll the pastry a couple of times) and use to line a 12-hole, non-stick cup cake or mini muffin tin. 7. (It is quite a soft pastry, so any little gaps that form as you are lining the holes can easily be patched up.). 8. Chill while you make the topping. 9. In a small bowl, make the crumble topping by rubbing the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and almonds. 10. With a teaspoon, fill each pastry case with mincemeat, gently pressing it down to leave room for the topping. 11. Sprinkle the topping over each pie, place the tin on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes or until the topping is golden. 12. Leave the pies to cool in the tin before taking them out carefully. They are fragile when hot, so use a small knife to help lift them out. 13. Unless you have two tins, repeat the process with the second batch of pastry, filling and topping. 14. Eat the mini mince pies warm or cold, lightly dusted with icing sugar and served with whipped cream or brandy butter. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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