Hi all!!
Just thought i would share this recipe with you since it is so quick and easy! and they taste better than M & S
(EDIT) you can handle the pastry and reroll as much as you like!
for the pastry: (makes 24)
175g plain flour,
30g ground almonds
65g icing sugar
pinch of salt
125g cold unsalted butter, diced
2 large egg yolks, beaten with a tablespoon of iced water
for the top:
approximately 200g mincemeat (recipe underneath)
2 large eggs
90g caster sugar
90g unsalted butter, melted
90g ground almonds
4 tablespoons flaked almonds
other stuff:
2 x 12-bun tartlet trays
7cm fluted biscuit cutter
a food processor or mixer
Make the pastry by putting the flour, ground almonds, sugar and salt into the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the diced butter and process till you've got a flaky, crumbly mix.
Now start adding, tablespoon by tablespoon, the egg and water mix down the funnel, pulsing as you do so, until the pastry looks like it's about to form a ball around the blade.
Turn it out onto a surface, press to form a cohesive dough, shape into 2 discs, cover with clingfilm and put into the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
(i use this time to make the mincemeat)
after 30 mins or so, roll out one of the discs and stamp out 12 circles slightly larger than the tart indentations. Press these in the tin gently and put back in the fridge for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas Mark 6.
Put a small teaspoon of mincemeat into each pastry-lined cavity.
In a bowl, beat the eggs and sugar, then pour in, still beating, the melted butter. Stir in the ground almonds and then dollop a tablespoon of this mixture on top. Sprinkle with flaked almonds and then put in the oven to cook for 15 minutes, or until the pastry is cooked through and the top gold and brown-flecked.
Take out of the oven and leave to cool in the tins for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool. When the tin's cold, repeat with the second disc, remaining mincemeat and frangipane (topping)
For the suet-free mincemeat: (Makes about 2kg)
250g soft dark brown sugar
250ml medium dry cider (if you want a non alcoholic one use apple juice instead)
1 kg cooking apples, peeled, and roughly chopped quite small
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
250g currants
250g raisins
75g glace cherries, roughly chopped
75g blanched almonds,
finely chopped rind and juice of 1/2 lemon
6 tablespoons brandy or rum (or a bit more)
In a large saucepan, dissolve the sugar in the cider over a gentle heat. Add the roughly chopped apples to the saucepan. Add all the ingredients, apart from brandy/rum and simmer for around 30 minutes until everything has a pulpy consistency. Take off the heat and when it has cooled slightly stir in brandy/rum.
if you cant manage to use it all, it will last for at least a year - use plenty of brandy or rum and store in jars.
this is from How to be a domestic godess by Nigella
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