More Food!

Today I promised you my take on Mincemeat Tarts. I should clarify that this is not my recipe. I cut it out of a BBC Good Food Magazine years ago, but I have stuck to it religiously since. It is gloriously filled with butter and a seasonal treat. Not to be recommended on a daily basis year round!

The difference in these tarts from the norm is that the 'pastry' is not really pastry. It more closely resembles shortbread. But unlike shortbread you don't have to worry about overworking it and all that nonsense which makes my real shortbread crap! There are only four ingredients in the pastry -

225gr (8oz) cold butter
350g (12oz) plain flour
pinch of salt
100g (4oz) golden caster sugar

Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6/fan 180C.

Cut the the butter into the flour, then stir in the sugar and the pinch of salt. Add no liquid at all. Just start working it with your hands until it comes together in a ball and knead briefly. To quite the recipe - 'the harder you treat it the better it tastes.' In fact I think it works better well kneaded because if you don't the pastry is too crumbly and then you have trouble taking the tarts from the tin without them falling apart. They still taste good but don't look so good to serve to guests!!

Now start taking small balls of the dough, roll them in your hands and then pop them in the tart tin.

Using the base of your rolling pin or similar blunt ended instrument,
press the dough into the tin.
If it isn't enough dough then just add some more and press it on top of what is there.
Do not use all the dough as you will need some for topping the pies!
I make about 18 and then see what is left when these are all topped.

Fill with the mincemeat of your choice.
This year I am going for the well aged last year's vintage in our house!

Roll a smaller ball...

... and smush it flat with heal of the palm of your other hand.

Press it on top of the tart, pushing the edges together to seal.

Brush with beaten egg.
I run a knife around each one too, to give a clean edge and aid in removing from the tin later on.

Sprinkle with sugar.
Then bake in the oven for approximately 20  minutes.

Bake until they are a dark golden brown. They need to be removed from the pan when still warm but not hot. Too hot and they will not stay in one piece; cold they will have adhered to the pan due to the high butter content. Or you can leave them in the pan and freeze them as is, like I did, and then pop them in the oven to defrost and serve at a later date. I'll worry about getting them out then!

This is an alternative recipe to the usual mincemeat tarts out there and the one I like. I like the biscuity-ness of them. I also like that I don't have to make proper pastry and roll it out, etc. Everyone has a favourite mincemeat tart recipe (if they actually like the things!) and this is mine. If you try it, I hope you like it too.

Susan