Mince Tarts Recipes

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix flour and salt; cut in shortening until crumbly. Gradually add ice water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight., For filling, in a large skillet or Dutch oven, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink, 3-5 minutes, breaking into crumbles; drain. Add apples, apricot, brown sugar, raisins, apple juice, vinegar, orange zest and seasonings. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer until apples are tender, 15-17 minutes. Stir in rum. Remove from heat; cool slightly., Preheat oven to 375°. On a lightly floured surface, roll half of dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut 20 circles with a floured 2-3/4-in. round biscuit cutter. Top half the circles with 1 tablespoon filling. Top with remaining circles; press edges with a fork to seal. Cut slits in top. Brush tops with egg; sprinkle with coarse sugar. Repeat with remaining dough and filling., Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly, 20-25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

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:

• Quarter and core the apple.
• Grate the apple without peeling.
• Add the grated apple and brandy to the fruit mincemeat.
• Cut out 36 circles from the shortcrust pastry to line the tray.
• Add a teaspoon of the fruit mixture to each tart.
• Cut out 36 Christmas shapes from the puff pastry. I have star, heart, tree and bell shapes that I use for this recipe.
• Put a puff pastry shape on top of each tart.
• Mix together the golden syrup and water and use it to brush each puff pastry. This browns the puff pastry.
• Bake for 15 minutes in an oven set to 200°C.
• Serve warm with whipped cream or icecream or cool on a rack and dust with icing sugar.

Steps:

• First, make the pastry. Using a tabletop mixer or an electric hand whisk, cream together the butter and sugar with a pinch of salt until soft and fluffy. Add the yolks, then fold in the flour until the pastry just comes together, being careful not to overwork. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for 1 hr.
• Meanwhile, make the filling. Cook the butter, sugar, orange zest, apple and cinnamon over a medium heat for 15 mins or until you have a thick purée. Add the dried fruit and mixed peel for the final 1-2 mins, then remove from the heat. Once cool, remove the cinnamon stick, and stir in the brandy and suet.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin, then use to line a 25cm loose-bottomed tart case. Return to the fridge for 30 mins until well chilled.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Prick the base of the tart case with a fork, line with baking parchment and fill with baking beans or uncooked rice. Bake for 12 mins, then remove the baking beans and parchment and cook for 3 mins more.
• Meanwhile, put the flour, sugar and butter for the crumble in a bowl. Rub together with your fingertips until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs, then mix in the frosted walnuts.
• Spoon the mincemeat filling into the pastry case and cover with the crumble. Return to the oven for 30 mins until bubbling at the edges and the topping is golden and gooey. Serve warm or cool with custard or clotted cream.