Christmas mince tarts

Babiche Martens

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.

Pear and pecan mince

½ cup	Suet fat, grated, or butter (Main)
1	Pear, chopped small (Main)
60 g	Pecans, chopped
120 g	Raisins
100 g	Apricots, chopped small (Main)
40 g	Dried figs, chopped small (Main)
½ cup	Brown sugar
1 tsp	Cinnamon
½ tsp	Nutmeg
½ tsp	Ground ginger
1	Lemon, zest and juice
1	Orange, zest and juice
½ cup	Brandy

Pastry

150 g	Flour
100 g	Cold butter
2 Tbsp	Icing sugar
1	egg

Directions

1. 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.
2. Lightly grease 2 x mini muffin trays.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Preheat the oven to 180C. Cook the tarts for 20 minutes until golden. Cool.
6. Dust with icing sugar and they are ready to give or enjoy.

More of Angela's Christmas treats

• Date and white chocolate balls
• Fig and nut logs