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| Recipe Archive > Cakes & Biscuits > |
 Mincemeat Tartlets
with Rich Sweet Vanilla Pastry
(Makes 13-14 star-shaped tartlets)
Easy and inexpensive to make and terrific for a crowd, I never tire of the traditional mincemeat tart, but so many of them that I have tasted are disappointing to say the least.
The mincemeat filling can be quite good, but the pastry itself is often bland and uninspiring. Why? because so many home cooks rarely add sugar or other flavourings into the pastry ingredients. Pastry should change to suit the filling i.e. one that suits a sausage roll will not harmonise with a sweet spicy mincemeat filling and so on.
The sweet vanilla pastry in the following recipe is made rich with Whitworths caster sugar, butter and several eggs, not forgetting the pure vanilla extract. (not to be confused with vanilla essence, a poor substitute).
Equipment & Ingredients
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You will require a 9cm (3½ in) and a 4cm (1½in) star-shaped cutters to shape the tartlets, or you may opt to make them in the traditional way as tartlet cases, using a standard tartlet baking sheet either shape will taste equally delicious. |
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115g (4oz) butter cut into small pieces, (at room temperature) |
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115g (4oz) Whitworths caster sugar |
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2tsps pure vanilla extract |
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450g (1lb) jar of quality mincemeat |
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Whitworths icing sugar, to finish |
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Method
(1) Sift the flour onto a large board or a marble slab. Make an open well in the centre and into it place the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla and egg yolks.
Draw the fingertips of one hand together and, lightly and quickly , work the ingredients in the well with a bird-like pecking motion until the mixture resembles scrambled eggs.
Gradually draw in the flour and, using the same finger movement, quickly combine the remaining ingredients to form a crumb-like mixture. Using a pastry scraper or palette knife, gather together and lightly press the moist crumbs into a soft, moist ball. Lightly knead the dough by pushing it away from you with the heel of your hand and drawing it back 4-5 times until the pastry is smooth. Divide into 2 balls and place in a plastic bag; chill for 1 hour. Knead lightly before using.
(2) Make two clear working surfaces and roll out each ball of pastry to an oblong approximately 28 x 33 cm (11 x 13 in). Wash one piece with egg wash, then place 6 lightly rounded teaspoons of mincemeat evenly across the surface of the pastry, leaving 9cm (3½ in) between each little mound of mincemeat.
(3) Cover loosely with the other oblong of pastry and press firmly down around the small mounds with your fingertips. Take the large cutter and stamp out 6 stars keeping the mounds in the centre of the stars. Using the other cutter, cut out 6 small stars from the pastry scraps and press one over the top of each star. Continue the same process with the re-rolled pastry scraps to make more tartlets. Using a palette knife carefully transfer each tartlet onto a baking sheet. Leave to chill in the fridge for 1 hour, then brush over with more egg wash.
(4) Bake at 190°C / 375°F / gas mark 5, for 12 minutes.
Serve lightly warmed and dusted with icing sugar, with a nice dollop of Whitworths Citrus scented brandy butter.
Tip
They freeze well if you wish to make them in advance and any batches leftover in the freezer can be munched on without much persuasion later in the new year.
Whitworths Citrus Scented Brandy Butter
Equipment & Ingredients
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85g (3oz) butter, softened |
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500g (1lb.2oz) Whitworths icing sugar, sifted, or Whitworths light brown soft sugar |
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2 tsp orange, mandarin, or clementine zest |
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Method
Slowly add the sugar to the softened butter and alcohol. Beat in the citrus zest . Pile into a bowl and leave in the fridge to thoroughly chill.
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