A gifted jar of homemade Christmas mince is a blessing. It’s even better when placed into a sweet pastry decorated into a little festive shape. The lucky recipient just needs to warm through, dust with icing sugar and serve. Use any leftover pastry to make extra decorations for nibbling on or decorating your table. Ask your local butcher for suet. If that is not an option, butter will suffice.
CHRISTMAS FRUIT MINCE TARTS WITH PEAR & PECAN RECIPE
Makes 24
Pear and pecan mince
½ cup grated suet or butter
1 pear, chopped small
60g pecans, chopped
120g raisins
100g apricots, chopped small
40g dried figs, chopped small
½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp ground ginger
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Zest and juice of 1 orange
½ cup brandy
Pastry
150g flour
100g chilled butter
2 Tbsp icing sugar
1 egg
- Into a large bowl place the suet, pear, pecans, raisins, apricots, figs, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, lemon, orange and brandy stirring well. Cover and place in a cool place overnight. Then store in jars until ready to use.
- Lightly grease 2 x mini muffin trays.
- For the pastry blitz the flour, butter and sugar until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and continue to mix into a dough. You may need a tablespoon of cold water. Roll on a lightly floured bench to 3mm thick. Using a cutter make 24 rounds to fit the tins. Using the remainder of the pastry cut shapes to place on the top.
- Fill the pastry cases with your pecan mince. Any remainder keep for another occasion or wrap and gift. Dampen the edges of the tarts, place on the tops. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
- Preheat the oven to 180C. Cook the tarts for 20 minutes until golden. Cool.
- Dust with icing sugar and they are ready to give or enjoy.
