Christmas Mince Tart or Mini Tarts
Ingredients
For the pastry
300g flour
150g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
5 tablespoons sugar
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons ice-cold water
For the mincemeat
500g apples
500g raisins
500g currants
250g sultanas
rind and juice of 3 lemons
100g candied peel
200g blanched almonds
500g sugar
50mls brandy
Description
My mother makes tiny Christmas tarts each year with home-made mincemeat. Here, I offer a large tart that, cut into thin slices, is perfect with after-dinner coffee. This makes enough filling for 2 tarts or about 6 dozen small mince pies. You can store what's left over in a jar in the fridge for several months.
Method
PASTRY
To make the pastry, combine the flour in a food processor with the butter and sugar. When well mixed, add the egg yolks and process in small bursts until the mixture appears crumbly. Add the water a little at a time.
As the 'crumbs' get larger, turn the motor off and check that the pastry will come together when pressed between your fingers.
Turn the mixture on to a clean board or bench and work very gently into a ball. Refrigerate before rolling out.
MINCEMEAT
To make the mincemeat, wash the fruit and peel and core the apples. Roughly chop the almonds. Put the apples, dried fruit, lemon rind and peel through a mincer into a bowl.
Add the almonds, lemon juice, sugar and brandy and mix well. Cover and leave to stand for 1 or 2 days, stirring well occasionally. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
To make the tart, roll out half of the pastry and line a 20cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Fill with the mincemeat. Roll out the other half of the pastry to make a lid. Cut out a few star shapes from the lid, then cover the mincemeat.
Categories
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