The royal chefs ‘over 1200 mince pies’ over Christmas

The royal chefs have to make "over 1200 mince pies" for every festive reception at each palace over Christmas.
The culinary staff who serve for Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip as well as the other members of the royal family are required to make thousands of the sweet treats to serve at conventions, which takes place in Buckingham Palace or Kensington Palace over the Yuletide.
In a post on Royal.uk, it read: "[Royal chefs Victoria Scupham and Kathryn Cuthbertson] Together they now have over 17 years experience inside the Royal Kitchens and will create over 1200 mince pies for each of the festive receptions held at the Palaces around Christmas time."
And though that figure seems like an extraordinary amount Kathryn has insisted it is "doable" to make such large batches.
She said: "It’s probably thousands each but as long as you are organised, it’s doable."
The crew make the filling for their mince pies "months in advance", as "different variations" of the feast are created too.
The post read: "Royal Chefs also create different variations of the classic mince pie; one is slightly smaller than the traditional, with flaked almonds brushed with egg whites and icing sugar, ‘to add a bit of texture,’ says Kathryn. Another version is made with puff pastry.
"Everything from the mincemeat to the pastry is handmade by the small team in the kitchens at Buckingham Palace. The mincemeat is made months in advance and stored in the pantry."
But the key to achieving the perfect mince pie is timing.
Kathryn said: "Give yourself plenty of time."
Victoria added: "Pastry is not something that likes to be rushed."
And the recipe for the sweet pie filled with dried fruit can be found on Royal.uk.