Have you ever wondered why we have Christmas trees? As we count ... eaten in the UK every year. Mince pies were originally filled with meat rather than dried fruit and were made in the shape ...

Credit: Alan Benson To make the fruit mince, combine the grated apple, dried fruit, mixed peel, almonds, brandy or cider, orange and lemon zest and juice, and the spices in a medium saucepan.

With rich flavour and melt-in-your-mouth pastry, it's no wonder fruit mince pies always leave us wanting more.

Fruit mince pies can be polarising. For some, they're the very essence of Christmas; for others, they're akin to squashed fly guts mixed with cloves. But one thing's for sure: they're a common fixture ...

Mince pies in some shops will cost up to 40 per cent more after a poor harvest in the international sultana market. Some of Tesco's premium mince pie packs, including their salted caramel ...