Mincemeat Tarts are a holiday favourite. If you’re making the homemade all fruit mincemeat, do that a week before* you want to bake the tarts. The flavour is even better if it has time to ripen. It’s worth the time and effort.
Ingredients
Pate Brisée (Short Crust Pastry)
1 1/4 cups (175 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon (14 grams) granulated white sugar
1/2 cup (113) unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into 1 inch (2.54 cm) pieces
1/8 to 1/4 cup (30 – 60 ml) ice water
*Mincemeat Filling (a week before if you can)
If you have time, try the homemade mincemeat, at least once. For store-bought mincemeat, double the grated apple and use the zest of 2 lemons. If you have one on hand, a little lime zest helps offset the sweetness of the mincemeat. You can also add orange zest, chopped nuts or dried or candied fruits, and a little brandy or rum.
1 – 11 ounce (312 gram) jar of mincemeat
1/2 medium Granny Smith apple (or other tart flavored apple), peeled, cored, and grated
Zest of 1 lemon
Directions
Mincemeat: While the pastry is chilling combine, assemble the mincemeat. See above.
Pate Brisée: In a food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles a coarse meal (about 15 seconds). Pour 1/8 cup (30 ml) water in a slow, steady stream, through the feed tube until the dough just holds together when pinched. If necessary, add more water. Do not process more than 30 seconds.
Turn the dough onto your work surface and gather into a ball. Divide the pastry in half, flatten each half into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to one hour before using. This will chill the butter and relax the gluten in the flour.
Mince pie: Have ready mini muffin pans – one-24 or two 12’s. After the dough has chilled, take one of the pastry disks and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll out the pastry dough until about 1/8 inch (or even thinner!) thick and cut into 24 rounds that are slightly bigger than the muffin tins. (To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter-turn as you roll. If the pastry becomes too hard to handle, put it back in the fridge for 10 minutes or so. Always roll from the centre of the pastry outwards. Gently place the rounds into the muffin tins. Roll out the second disk of pastry and cut out 24 stars. Place the rolled dough, covered, in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Remove the pans from the fridge, fill each tin with a scant teaspoon of mincemeat. Place the stars on top. Moisten the top with a little water, sprinkle some granulated sugar on top.
Bake at 400° F (205° C) for about 10 – 15 minutes. Check starting 10 minutes. Bake until the pastry has lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature. These tarts freeze very well.
Makes 24 – 2 inch tarts