Fruit Mince Tarts Recipe

Ingredients :

Preparation & cook time : 50 minutes (plus cooling and refrigeration)

Makes 12

• ½ cup (80g) coarsely chopped raisins

• ½ cup (80g) sultanas

• ¹/₃ cup (45g) dried cranberries

• ¹/₃ cup (25g) finely chopped dried apple

• ½ cup (125ml) brandy

• ¼ cup (60ml) water

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon mixed spice

• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind

• 1 teaspoon caster sugar

• 2 teaspoons pure icing sugar
  
  pastry :

• 1¼ cups (225g) rice flour

• ¼ cup (35g) (corn) corn flour

• ¼ cup (30g) soya flour

• ¹/₃ cup (75g) caster sugar

• 150 cold butter, chopped

• 2 tablespoons cold water, approximately

Method :

1. Make pastry. To make pastry, process flours, sugar and butter until fine. Add enough of the water to make the ingredients come together. Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes.

2. Combine fruit, brandy, the water, brown sugar and spice in small saucepan; stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring, until liquid is absorbed and fruit is plump and tender. Stir in rind; cool completely. Blend or process cold fruit mixture until mixture forms a paste.

3. Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Grease 12-hole (1½-tablespoons/30ml) shallow round-based patty pan.

4. Roll pastry between sheets of baking paper until 5mm thick; cut 12 x 7cm rounds from pastry. Ease pastry rounds into pan holes, press into base and side; prick bases with fork. Spoon fruit mixture into pastry cases. Cut six 5cm stars; top six tarts with stars. Cut six 6cm rounds from remaining pastry; cut 3cm stars from each round, discard these stars. Place rounds on remaining six tarts. Brush tops with a little extra water. Sprinkle tarts with caster sugar.

5. Bake tarts about 15 minutes. Stand tarts in pan 5 minutes before turning onto wire rack. Serve dusted with sifted icing sugar.

Baking Tips Storage : Tarts can be stored in an airtight container for three days. Fruit mixture will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one month.

Food Facts & Glossary of Baking Ingredients raisins are dried sweet grapes. sultanas are dried grapes; also known as golden raisins. brown sugar is soft, finely granulated sugar retaining molasses for color and flavor. mixed spice is a blend of ground spices usually consisting of cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. caster sugar is superfine or finely granulated table sugar. pure icing sugar is also known as confectioners' sugar or powdered sugar; has no added corn flour. rice flour is a fine, almost powdery, gluten-free flour; made from ground white rice. corn flour is a thickening agent used in cooking; also called cornstarch. Available made from corn or wheat. Maize is corn, so whichever word appears on the packet is right for you. It's the "wheat" word you need to avoid. soya flour is made from ground soya beans. butter : 125g is equal to one stick (4 ounces) butter. Unsalted butter often called "sweet" butter as it has no added salt. The salt content of regular salted butter is sometimes discernable in a sweet recipe, especially with chocolate. You can use regular butter in most cakes and baking, but it's advisable to stick to unsalted butter when it's specified in delicate toppings, icings and so on.

√  gluten-free    √  wheat-free    √  yeast-free    √  egg-free    √  nut-free