Overview:
By: Christine
Meal Type: Dessert
Cook time: 25 mins
Servings: A festive family!
This absolutely delicious recipe was gifted to us a week before Christmas by our good friend Christine.
"Now, my husband is a mince pie lover. One can get a little bored of making mince pies, so I rustled this one up as a little something different; made with rich almond pastry. After a taste, we both agreed 'why bother making little mince pies!' Tip! homemade mincemeat - January is the month for doing that so it’s nice and mature for next year." Christine
This recipe for almond pastry fits the petal dish with lattice top perfectly. Basically it is half fat to flour & almonds and one third sugar! Easy peasy!
Christine tested our Baking Cloche robustly and scientifically when she put together our sourdough guide. Here she has used the cloche base as a tray on which to display and bake the tart, which is formed in our perfect for easy portioning & very pretty Petal Flan Tin.
Ingredients:
- 1 Jar mincemeat
- 120g Butter
- 80g Icing sugar
- 30g Ground almonds
- A pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla estande / paste
- 1 egg yolk
- 210g Plain flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
You will need...
- A flan tin - this one is made in the UK
- A cooling trivet, full size, as above
- greased proof paper
- A bowl rolling pin, pastry brush and wooden spoon
Method:
- Turn the jar mincemeat into a bowl and mix to ensure any liquid is well distributed.
- Put the butter in a bowl at the back of the hob to soften.
- When soft, mix in the icing sugar, then the almonds - this can be done with a wooden spoon.
- Mix in salt and vanilla, then an egg yolk.
- Mix in your flour with baking powder, and if necessary a little of the egg white to form a soft pastry.
- Press out into a side plate sized disc shape and chill well before rolling out.
- Roll out between 2 layers of greaseproof paper and chill again before lining tin. Remove bottom layer of paper and turn pastry into tin, pushing into edges. Remove top sheet of paper and if necessary; chill again.Trim away excess pastry, squeeze gently into ball and return to fridge.
- Transfer mincemeat to flan tin and spread out. Re-roll remaining pastry and cut into strips. Interweave strips over top of tart, pressing edges into rim.
- Place on baking tray and place on lowest set of runners in your roasting Oven. Check after about 10 mins, turning if necessary. When your top is browned, place the baking tray on floor of oven, covering tart with a double layer of greaseproof paper to prevent burning. Maybe use a cold shelf too! Cook in total for about 25 mins. Allow to cool little before turning out of tin.
We asked Christine why she bakes -
"We all need to eat and taste should be a pleasure. I don’t like ready made supermarket baking because it is usually sweet, low on flavour with a homogenous texture. And it costs too much! If I make something, not only is it flavoursome, it is satisfying in a way that shop bought is not. I like baking. There is nothing nicer that rustling something up, using skills that are relaxing, and bringing others pleasure with the result.
< More delicious recipes, tips and guides on our get ready for Christmas page!