A festive 'recipe' - Christmas cruffins*

 Many people will be mass-producing mince pies for the innumerable carol services that offer to the discerning guest a choice of Jazz Carols, Classical Carols, Choral Carols, Contemporary Carols, Celtic Carols or Heavy-metal Carols at this time of year. The more the services, the more the mince pies.

Fear not; I am here to help.

Buy rectangular sheets of flaky pastry. I get mine in Auchan. 

(Obviously for Vegan Carols choose your pastry accordingly)

Unroll your sheet. Brush it all over with warm mince-meat, attempting an even distribution of dried fruit.

Roll up your sheet of pastry from the longest edge to obtain a long roll.

With a sharp knife, cut this roll down the middle lengthwise to produce two long half-rolls.

Cut these half-rolls into three.

Now take each small section of half-roll and twirl it into a pleasing rose-bud like shape. I mean, do your best to achieve roundness.

Place gently into your muffin tin, cut side up.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for 20 to 30 minutes.

Instead of mince-meat you can sprinkle chocolate chips, spread Nutella, apricot jam, spiced chopped hazelnuts, whatever you fancy doing.

* a "cronut" is croissant pastry shaped like a doughnut. a "cruffin" is the same, but shaped like a muffin. These terms are used in boulangeries in France and are therefore perfectly good standard words you can use with your head held high.