Fig And Walnut Mince Pies Recipes

Steps:

• Line a 9-in. pie plate with pastry; trim and flute edges. Line pastry with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450° for 8 minutes. Remove foil; bake 5 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce heat to 300°., In a small saucepan, combine figs and water. Cook and stir over low heat until water is absorbed. Remove from the heat; stir in marmalade. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar and cornstarch. Add the corn syrup, eggs, butter, vanilla and fig mixture; stir in nuts. Pour into crust., Bake at 300° for 1 to 1-1/4 hours or until set. Cover edges with foil during the last 30 minutes to prevent overbrowning if necessary. Cool on a wire rack., In a small bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add sugar and marmalade; beat until soft peaks form. Serve with pie. Refrigerate leftovers.

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the bottom position of the oven, put a baking stone or baking sheet on it and preheat to 400 degrees F. Line another baking sheet with parchment.
• Dust a work surface with flour, and roll the puff pastry sheet out into a 10-by-15-inch rectangle. Transfer the pastry to the prepared baking sheet. Measure a half-inch border around it, and lightly score the border with a knife (don't cut all the way through). Prick the pastry inside the border all over with a fork (don't prick the border). Brush the pastry all over with the egg, put the baking sheet with the pastry on it on top of the preheated baking stone, and bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes. If you find that the pastry has puffed up in some places, use the bottom of a measuring cup or glass to press it down. Let the pastry cool completely on the baking sheet. (The cooled pastry can be wrapped and stored at room temperature for 1 day.)
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and a large pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and deeply golden, about 10 minutes. Add the vinegar, and stir until it has been completely absorbed. Remove the skillet from the heat, and let the caramelized onions cool completely. (They can be refrigerated for 1 day.)
• Scatter the fontina all over the pastry within the border. Top with the caramelized onions, figs and walnuts. Sprinkle the whole tart with the feta, thyme and some salt and pepper. Drizzle all over with oil.
• Return the tart on the baking sheet to the oven, putting it on the preheated baking stone. Bake until the fontina melts, 10 to 15 minutes. Drizzle generously with honey, and let cool for a few minutes. Cut into 16 squares, and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with rack in the lower third. Bring wine, figs, and star anise to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until figs are softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer figs to a large bowl. Cook mixture in pan over medium-high heat until reduced to a syrup, about 3 minutes; discard star anise. Pour syrup over figs.
• Meanwhile, roll out 1 disk dough on floured parchment to make a 13-inch circle; start with pressure in center and ease up just before reaching edges. Drape dough over rolling pin; center over a 9-inch glass pie plate, and unroll. Gently push into the plate. Trim to leave a 1/4-inch overhang; refrigerate. Roll out second disk. Cut out vent with a cookie cutter, and refrigerate cutout.
• Add pears, nuts, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and cornstarch to figs; stir until well combined. Spoon into pie plate (pile high in center). Dot with butter; lightly brush rim of dough with water. Drape second disk over pin; center over filling. Gently press around filling to fit; trim to leave a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold edge of top crust under bottom one; crimp to seal. Brush water on bottom of cutout; press onto top crust. Beat yolk with cream; brush over crust. Sprinkle with sugar; freeze until very firm, about 30 minutes.
• Bake on a baking sheet until just golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees. Bake, rotating halfway through, until bubbling, and bottom crust is deep golden brown, about 1 hour. (If edges brown too quickly, cover with a foil ring.) Let cool.

Steps:

• Put all the ingredients for the mincemeat in a bowl and add brandy or rum to cover the fruit. Stir well, then let it rest overnight. The next day, stir again and then divide among sterilized preserving jars.
• To make the pastry, mix the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Rub the butter into the mixture until it is the consistency of fine breadcrumbs. Add the water and egg yolk and knead until the mixture comes together into a smooth dough. Alternatively, use a food processor to make the pastry. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
• Preheat your oven to 350° F. Grease the tart molds with butter and cover the base of each with a small circle of parchment paper. Dust with flour.
• Briefly knead the pastry until smooth, then pat it into a rectangle and roll it out to a thickness of ⅛ inch. Use a round cutter with a diameter of 2¾ - 3¼ inches to cut out pastry circles. Gently push the pastry rounds into the tart molds. Prick the base or each tart shell three times with a fork.
• Knead the remaining dough back together and roll it out to cut out the lids-you can choose whichever shape you like, but stars are the most traditional.
• Divide the 8 ounces of filling among the tarts and press down gently. Place the lids on top and brush with the egg wash.
• Bake in the middle of the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm or cold.

Steps:

• Bring wine, figs, and star anise to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat, and simmer until figs are softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer figs to a large bowl. Cook liquid over medium-high heat until reduced to a syrup, about 3 minutes; discard star anise. Pour syrup over figs.
• Meanwhile, on a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disk of dough to a 13-inch round. Fit into a 9-inch glass pie plate. Trim dough, leaving a 1-inch overhang; refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Roll out second disk to a 13-inch round. Cut out steam vent in center with a cookie cutter; refrigerate or freeze dough round and cutout until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Peel and core pears; slice into 1/4-inch-thick wedges. Add pears, walnuts, lemon juice, granulated sugar, salt, and cornstarch to figs and syrup; stir until well combined. Spoon into pie plate, piling high in center. Dot with butter; lightly brush edge of dough with water. Drape second disk of dough over pin; center over filling. Gently press around filling to fit; trim dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold edge of top crust under bottom one; crimp to seal. Brush water on bottom of cutout; press onto top crust. Beat egg yolk with cream; brush all over dough. Sprinkle pie generously with sanding sugar; freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F, with rack in lower third.
• Transfer pie plate to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, and bake until just golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°F. Bake until juices are bubbling and crust is deep golden brown, about 1 hour. If edges brown too quickly, cover with a foil ring (see page 324). Let pie cool completely on a wire rack.

Steps:

• Warm pie crust to room temperature according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine figs and bourbon; add enough water to cover by 1 in. Cook, covered, over low heat until figs are plump, 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat; drain. Cool 15 minutes and pat dry. Cut each fig into quarters. Set aside., In same saucepan over medium-low heat, combine walnuts with 1/4 cup maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is almost evaporated, 5-7 minutes. Spread nuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment; freeze until set, about 10 minutes., Unroll pie crusts. Using a 4-in. round cutter, cut 12 circles, rolling and cutting scraps as necessary. Stir vanilla and remaining 1 Tbsp. maple syrup into mascarpone cheese. Spread scant 1 tablespoon mascarpone mixture over half of each circle to within 1/4 in. of edge; layer with 2 teaspoons maple walnuts and 4 fig pieces. Make an egg wash by whisking egg and water; use to moisten edge of crust. Fold crust over filling; press edges with a fork to seal. Repeat with remaining crust and filling. Brush egg wash over pies. Freeze pies on a parchment-lined baking sheet 10 minutes., Remove from baking sheet. Grill pies, covered, on a well-greased grill rack over medium direct heat until golden brown, 5-7 minutes per side.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in. circle. Line a 9-in. pie plate with crust; trim and flute edge. In a large bowl, lightly beat eggs. Combine the sugar, flour and salt; gradually add to eggs. Stir in mincemeat, walnuts and butter; pour into crust., Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325° bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Cool completely. Store in the refrigerator.