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.