Bake me happy: 10 deliciously different mince pie recipes

From the perfect traditional version, to brownie hybrids, deep-fried delights and a throwback from 1591, homemade never looked so good

Nothing should make the heart sink quite as much as the phrase homemade mince pies". The chance of failure is simply far too high. Pick a bad recipe and you run the risk of serving up a tray of inedible pastry bin lids gummed together with a miserly Marmite smear of mincemeat.

But it doesn't have to be like this. An endless array of mince-pie variations are now available to the home cook, ranging from the traditional to the exotic. Depending on your skill level and personal preference, you should find some level of success with the recipes below.