Makes 24
Last month I gave the recipe for my special mincemeat, so here is one of my favourite mince tarts using it. Don’t worry if you didn’t make it, just use a good bought one. These can be made ahead of time and freeze well. You will need a large piping bag and star tube.
INGREDIENTS
- 150g (5oz) butter
- 225g (8oz) plain flour
- 50g (2oz) caster sugar
- 1 lemon
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 – 2 tablespoons water
- 1 jar mincemeat
- 200g (7oz) butter
- 50g (2oz) icing sugar
- 150g (5oz) plain flour
- 50g (2oz) cornflour
- few drops vanilla extract
Pastry:
Rub the fat into the flour, add the sugar and grated lemon zest. Mix with the egg yolk and only enough water to bind to a firm dough.Leave to rest for 15 minutes. Heat the oven to Gas 6 /200C
Topping:
Cream together the butter and icing sugar until soft , then gradually mix in the flour and cornflour, then the vanills. It should be a fairly stiff mixture.
METHOD:
Roll out the pastry and line 24 patty tins. Put a teaspoonful of mincemeat in each. Using half the topping at a time, pipe a rosette on each.and bake for approximately 25 minutes or until golden brown and the pastry cooked.
When cool, dredge with icing sugar.
Note: I like to try baking one tart first. If the topping is rather soft it will spread and lose its shape. In that case, mix in a little more flour. If you don’t have a piping bag, just use a spoon instead. They will taste just as good! Don’t forget to make a wish when you eat the first mince pie of the season.