Pies And Tarts Recipes - Almond Mincemeat Tartlets

Ingredients

• 275g/2 1/2 cups plain flour

• 75g/3/4 cup icing sugar

• 5ml/1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 175g/3/4 cup butter

• 50g/1/2 cup ground almonds

• 1 egg yolk

• 45ml/3 tbsp milk

• 450g/1lb jar mincemeat

• 15ml/1 tbsp brandy or rum

FOR THE LEMON FILLING

• 115g/1/2 cup butter or margarine

• 115g/1/2 cup caster sugar

• 175g/1 1/2 cup self-raising flour

• 2 large eggs

• finely grated rind of 1 large lemon

FOR THE LEMON ICING

• 115g/1 cup icing sugar

• 15ml/1 tbsp lemon juice

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Method:

1. Sift the flour, sugar and cinnamon into a bowl and rub in the butter until it resembles bread crumbs. Add the ground almonds and bind with the egg yolk and milk to a soft, pliable dough. Knead until smooth, wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 375'F/190'C/Gas 5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry and cut out 36 fluted rounds with a pastry cutter. Mix the mincemeat with the brandy or rum and put a small teaspoonful in the bottom of each pastry case. Chill.

3. For the lemon sponge filling, whisk the butter or margarine, sugar, flour, eggs and lemon rind together until smooth. Spoon on top of the mincemeat, dividing it evenly, and level the tops. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown and springy to the touch. Remove and leave to cool on a wire rack.

4. For the lemon icing, sift the icing sugar and mix with the lemon juice to a smooth coating consistency. Spoon into a piping bag and drizzle a zigzag pattern over each tart. If you're short of time, simply dust the tartlets with icing sugar.