Supermarket chefs have solved a culinary conundrum which has baffled Christmas cooks for generations … how to remove the ‘air gap’ from a mince pie. The pie’s lid usually rises in the oven, creating a space between the fruity mixture and pastry, which can cause the pie to sink when it’s bitten in to and leave customers deflated. But now Asda’s Innovation Chef Mark Richmond and his team have come up with a solution – and taste-tested more than 750 pies in the process – to close the gap in time for Christmas. And this hypnotic video shows the improved mince pies rolling off the production line at the Asda mince pie HQ in Barnsley, South Yorks., at the rate of 720 every MINUTE. Mark, 42, from Ripon, North Yorks., said: “I’ve wanted to reduce the common mince pie air gap for years and this year we finally have.