The Christmas Fresh fruit mince tarts Recipe - Mince tarts are perfect to give away as presents to friends and family. Prepare a couple of batches of these home made goodies to cater for any unexpected guest. They will also look and smell great as the centrepiece of your table. This recipe makes 24 small tarts.
For the pastry:
200g (7oz/1 3/4 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
150g (5oz 2/2cup) butter, chopped
80g (2 3/4 oz 3/4 cup) ground hazelnuts
2tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
1-2 tbsp iced water
Icing (confectioners) sugar
For the filling:
125g (40z 3/4 cup) blueberries
200g (6 1/2 oz 1 cup) peeled. finely
chopped apple
80g (2 3/4 oz 1/2cup) raisins, chopped
75g (2 1/2 oz 1/2cup) currants
80g (2 3/4 oz 1/2cup) sultanas (golden raisins)
30g (1 oz 1/4cup) slivered almond, toasted
60g (2oz 1/4cup) caster (superfine) sugar
2tbsp mixed peel
125ml (4floz 1/4 cup) brandy
1tsp grated lemon rind
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1/2 ground ginger
Equipment:
Flat.bladed knife
7cm (2 3/4 in) round cutter
2 deep. 12-hole tartlet pans
45cm (1/ 3/4 in) star cutter
Method:
1. To make the pastry, salt the flour into a large bowl and rub in the butter with your fingers to form breadcrumbs. Stir in the nuts and sugar. Make a well and mix in the water with a flat bladed knife until the mixture comes together in beads. Make balls of dough and place onto a lightly floured surface. flatten slightly into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap and leave for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F gas mark 4. Roll out the dough to a 3mm (3/4 in) thickness on greaseproof (parchment) papaer. Cut 24 round shapes with the cutter and
fit into the holes of the tartlet pans. Line with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beads. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the paper and beads and bake for another 20 minutes.
3. Gather together the pastry scraps and roll to a 3mm (3/4in) star cutter, cut 24 shapes from the pastry for the tart tids. If preferred, you can use bells or holly shaped cautters.
4. To make the filling, place all the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer, stirring for 5 to minutes, or until the mixture is thick and pulpy. Allow to cool slightly
then, divide the mixture among the pastry cases, and top each with a pastry lid. Bake until the lids are golden. Leave in the pans for about 5 minutes before transferring for a wire rack to cool. Dust with sifted icing (confectioners) sugar before serving.
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| Christmas Fresh fruit mince tarts |
