Mincemeat Pecan Palmiers Recipes

Steps:

• Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 400 degrees F. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and bake on the upper rack until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes; let cool completely.
• Mix the butter and vanilla in a small bowl with a rubber spatula until smooth; set aside. Put the pecans, brown sugar, flour and salt in a mini food processor and pulse until finely ground. Spread the turbinado sugar on a work surface and top with the puff pastry. Press to coat the pastry in sugar, then flip the pastry and roll out into a 12-inch square.
• Spread the butter mixture almost to the edge of the pastry, then sprinkle with the pecan mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Using your hands, roll 1 side of the pastry into the center, then roll the opposite side into the center to meet. Trim the ends of the roll.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut the dough crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces. Arrange about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Brush with the beaten egg. Bake until golden, 7 to 10 minutes. Carefully flip the cookies using a thin metal spatula, switch the pans and continue baking until the cookies are crisp and golden, 7 to 10 more minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheets.

Steps:

• Mince pies freeze very well, taking some of the headache out of all that Christmas preparation. If I make lots of these before Christmas, I freeze them raw and then cook them on the day. Cooked mince pies can be stored in a biscuit tin or airtight box and warmed through gently before serving. They are perfect with a glass of spicy mulled wine or a cup of coffee for a festive snack.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F/200 degrees C/Gas mark 6. Brush the tin with melted butter.
• On a floured work surface, roll out the pastry to 1/8-inch/3 mm thick and, using the 2 1/2-inches/6 cm cutter, cut out 24 circles for the bases. Then use the smaller plain/fluted cutter or star cutter to cut-out 24 circles/stars for the lids. Re-roll the trimmings, if necessary.
• Line the holes of the cake tin with the larger pastry rounds. Fill each base with a teaspoon mincemeat and top with one of the smaller rounds or stars. Brush the tops of the mince pies with the beaten egg.
• Bake in the oven for 10 to 13 minutes until pale golden. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from the tin and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Dust with icing sugar (confectioners') to serve.
• This basic pastry is used in many popular recipes, from mince pies to quiches; it's also one of the easiest pastries to start with. The uncooked dough can be frozen or kept in the refrigerator for a couple of days.
• Shortcrust Pastry:
• Put the flour, salt and butter in a food processor and whiz briefly. Add half the beaten egg and continue to whiz. You might add a little more egg, but not too much as the mixture should be just moist enough to come together. If making by hand, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs then, using your hands, add just enough egg to bring it together. With your hands, flatten out the ball of dough until it is about 3/4-inch/2 cm thick, then wrap in cling film or place in a plastic bag and leave in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or, if you are pushed for time, in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. Variations: Sweet Shortcrust Pastry: In place of the pinch of salt, use 1 tablespoon icing sugar (confectioners'). Soured cream shortcrust pastry: Replace the egg with 2 tablespoons sour cream or creme fraiche, adding just enough to bring it together.
• This delicious mincemeat will keep happily in a cool dark place for at least a year. If you are making your own suet (the fat that surrounds the beef kidney), make sure that every trace of blood has been removed before you whiz it in the food processor, otherwise it will cause the mincemeat to go off.
• Mincemeat:
• Put the apple chunks in a small saucepan with 1 teaspoon water, cover and cook over low heat for about 8 to 10 minutes until the apples are cooked down to a pulp. Allow to cool.
• Mix the apples with the orange zest, orange juice, lemon zest, lemon juice, suet, raisins, sultanas, currants, candied peel, dark brown sugar, almonds, mixed spice, and whiskey in a large bowl and put into sterilized jars.* Leave to mature, if possible for at least 2 weeks before using.
• Cut the fruit in 1/2 and squeeze out the juice. (Reserve the juice for another use, perhaps home-made lemonade.) Put the peel into a large bowl, add the salt and cover with cold water. Leave to soak for 24 hours.
• Next day, throw away the soaking water; put the peel in a large saucepan and cover with fresh cold water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer very gently for about 3 hours or until the peel is soft.
• Remove the peel from the pan and discard the water. Scrape out any remaining flesh and membrane from inside the cut fruit, using a teaspoon, leaving the white pith and rind intact.
• In a clean large saucepan, dissolve the sugar in 1 3/4 pints/1 litre of water, then bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the peel and simmer gently for 30 to 60 minutes until it looks translucent (shiny and 'candied') and the syrup forms a thread when the last drop falls off a metal spoon. Remove from the heat and allow to stand for 20 to 30 minutes to slightly cool.
• Put the candied peel into sterilized glass jars* and pour the syrup over. Cover and store in a cold place or in the refrigerator. It should keep, stored like this, for at least 3 months.

Steps:

• Mix the mincemeat, nuts, cinnamon and maple syrup together; set aside. Lightly flour a work surface, then roll pastry out to a rectangle measuring 40 x 30cm. Trim the edges with a sharp knife.
• Carefully position the pastry with one of the long edges facing you. Spread two-thirds of the mincemeat mix over the pastry, then fold the two shorter edges over to meet in the middle. Spread the rest of the mincemeat over the folded pastry and bring the outside ends over again to join in the centre. Turn the pastry over, lift onto a non-stick baking sheet, then gently squeeze down the length to make an even-shaped log, with tight folds. Chill in the freezer for 10 mins. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7.
• Remove the baking sheet from the freezer. Cut the pastry into 1cm slices and arrange on baking sheets, spaced apart. Cook on the top shelf for 15 mins until risen and golden brown. Cool on a wire rack and serve dusted with icing sugar.

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.