Sieve your flour and cocoa powder into a large mixing bowl

Cut the vegan butter into cubes and add to the flour and cocoa.

Rub the fat into the flour by pushing the fat and flour through your finger tips.

Once the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs (and there are no large lumps of fat) add the water and stir until the mix begins to bind.

To bring it all together, use your hands to form it into a ball. You may need a little more water to get it to bind together properly but don’t worry just go with your instincts!

Next place the ball of pastry in a bowl cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

While the pastry is resting, pre-heat your oven to 180C / 350F/ gas mark 4.

After 15 minutes, dust a work surface with flour and cut the ball into two pieces - one representing one third of the pastry the other two thirds.

Roll out the larger pastry ball until a quarter of a centimetre thick and using a large round cutter, cut out 12 bases.

Gather the scraps together and roll out again as and when you need to.

Do the same with the small ball of pastry using a cutter one size smaller than before. Cut out another 12 pieces, these will be your lids! (Alternatively use a star cutter for more decorative pies.)

Grease cupcake tins and place the larger circles into the pans.

Mix the mincemeat, chopped glace cherries and kirsch in a small mixing bowl.

Fill with a tablespoon of mincemeat and brush the edges with a little soy milk before placing the lids on top.

Brush the lids with more soy milk.

Place in the oven for 15 minutes.

Once they are done pop on a cooling rack and dust with icing sugar (optional).