Javapot's Fruit Mince Pie Tart

Yes I know there's still a few months away to the festive season of Christmas but this is to start you thinking and planning on what you may or want to cook/bake! Or for some, to start practising (like me) :)

With the earlier prepared macerated fruit fillings, all you need to do now is to prepare the Pâte Brisée or sweet crust pastry.

This is my recipe which I've cut down on the sugar to suit my family's taste and preference. Also omited using egg yolks for healthier choice/reason.

Ingredients (makes about 20 small closed tarts)

220g all purpose flour or cake flour
100g unsalted butter, cold
pinch salt
2 tbsp icing sugar, sifted
4-5 tbsp cold water (more if absolutely required)
zest of 1 lemon or 1 tsp of cinnamon *optional

Method:

1. Sift flour in a baking bowl. Add butter, salt and icing sugar and rub butter into flour with finger tips until resembles small coarse bread crumbs. Can use food processor for this but I prefer to do this manually.

2. Add sufficient cold water into flour and mix until it comes into a pliable dough.

3. Place in a plastic bag or sarang wrap and refrigerate for 30 mins.

4. Dust table with a little flour and roll out dough.

5. Use cutters and cut out dough and press into muffin pans or small tart size pans.

6. With a fork, give the base of the muffin/tart pan a few pricks. Fill tarts with macerated fillings and cover with another thin piece of pastry, using some milk to seal the edges.

7. With a small sharp knife cut a few decorative slits.

8. Glaze the tops with beaten egg and a little sprinkle of caster sugar.



9. Bake these as open or closed tarts - your preference.


10. In pre-heated oven of 220C degrees, bake the tarts for about 20 min or until nice and golden. If tops browns too fast, swap to a lower rack after 10 mins.

Personally prefer the closed tart version.

Traditionally you are suppose to serve these with a generous dusting of icing sugar on top of the baked tarts. They would look so much prettier snow white but we prefer indulging on these without further additional guilt!!

Enjoy :)

Bench notes - Do not add too much water otherwise pastry may not be crumbly!!