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Mincemeat Tart

@arecipe.bsky.social

Mincemeat is a spiced fruit preserve that does not in fact contain meat, although it may contain animal suet. The name is a throwback to Middle English from when "meat" was a word for all food, or to Victorian and earlier recipes that did combine minced lamb or beef with the spiced, preserved fruits.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb (500 g) seeded raisins
  • 1 lb (500 g) currants
  • ½ lb (250 g) finely-ground beef suet
  • Rind of 2 lemons
  • ½ lb (250 g) candied orange peel
  • ½ lb (250 g) candied citron
  • 12 oz (375 g) white granulated sugar
  • 2 lbs (1 kg) green apples, peeled
  • ½ tsp (3 mL) nutmeg
  • ½ tsp (3 mL) cinnamon
  • ½ cup (120 mL) brandy or rum
  • 1 Tbsp (15 mL) salt
  • Shortcrust pastry dough, homemade or store-bought
  • Milk
  • Egg (optional) (optional)

Instructions

  1. 1
    Wash and dry currants. Set aside.
  2. 2
    Put citron, orange peel, lemon rind, raisins, apples, and suet through a meat grinder using the coarse grinder blade.
  3. 3
    Mix in the currants, brandy, and spices.
  4. 4
    Store in a tightly-covered plastic container in the refrigerator (do not freeze) for up to 1 year.
  5. 5
    Let the pastry warm slightly to almost room temperature. Place on a floured cutting board and roll it out as necessary.
  6. 6
    Use a doughnut cutter with the center removed or a 2½ inch round cookie cutter to cut out tart shells. Gently press into 1½-inch (4 cm) tart pans.
  7. 7
    Fill shells with mincemeat and top with a 1-inch (2.5 cm) round piece of pastry cut with the doughnut hole cutter. For added decoration, cut or press a design into the 1 inch pastry round before placing in the center of the filled tart.
  8. 8
    Lightly brush the pastry lids with milk, or a mixture of milk and beaten egg.
  9. 9
    Bake at 425 °F (220 °C) for approximately 20 minutes or until pastry is lightly browned at the edges.
  10. 10
    Allow to cool on a wire rack, and dust with icing sugar.
Category
Desserts

Recipe Attribution

Wikibooks Cookbook
en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cookbook:Mincemeat_Tart