Christmas Tart

Christmas Tart

Prep Time ~ 30 mins	Cooking Time ~ 40 mins
Approx Cost ~ £4.70	Difficulty ~ Easy
Freeze ~ Yes	Serves ~ 6

Tip ~ It is important to allow your pastry to relax after making, this will help to prevent 'shrinkage' during cooking.

Ingredients

For the sweet pastry:

75g icing sugar

2 egg yolks

120g unsalted butter at room temperature

½ teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

250g plain flour

2 tablespoons cold water

For the filling:

120g unsalted butter

120g icing sugar

2 large eggs

2 tbsp double cream

120g ground almonds

1 tsp almond extract

230g mincemeat

60g flaked almonds

Method

• To make the pastry - mix together the sugar, egg yolks, butter, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Sift the flour onto this mixture and rub it together until sandy in texture.
• Add the water and quickly press together into a soft dough. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for as long as time allows, it can be frozen at this stage.
• Line a 23cm loose bottomed tart tin with sweet pastry and chill in the fridge.
• Preheat the oven to 190C, Gas 5 and bake blind the pastry case for 10 - 15 minutes. Allow to cool.
• Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl, then add the eggs and cream and mix well. Fold in the ground almonds and almond extract.
• Spread a thin layer of mincemeat over the base of the pastry case and spoon the almond mix on top. Scatter over the flaked almonds.
• Bake the tart for 25 minutes at the same temperature as before, until the filling is golden brown and firm to the touch.