1/3 cup brandy (swap for apple or orange juice for alcohol free)
Optional: ¼ cup Lucky Crumbed Walnuts
600g short crust pastry
Flour
2 eggs, beaten
Caster sugar
Icing sugar for dusting
LUCKY NUTS IN THIS RECIPE
METHOD
Start 1-3 days before you want to bake your fruit mince pies. Add all of the filling ingredients, up to the pastry, into a bowl and mix very well (until lard or shortening has been fully incorporated). Transfer to a very clean glass jar with a lid. Firmly pack the mixture down to submerge in the juices, then attach lid and set aside to macerate for 1-3 days. Overnight is fine too.
On the day of baking, preheat oven to 160ºC. Grease and line 2 x 12 tart trays (around 2 Tbsp in size) and set aside.
Generously dust your bench with flour, and using a 7cm cookie cutter cut out 24 rounds of pastry and insert into the greased tins. Spoon in the fruit filling, gently packing down. Use beaten eggs as egg wash to brush the top lip of the pastry.
Roll up scraps of pastry, then re roll out between 2 sheets of baking paper. Cut out stars and shapes of your choice and attach to the top of the tarts. Brush the tops of the tarts with egg wash, then sprinkle with caster sugar. Tip: If the pastry has become too warm you may need to chill in the fridge for 20 minutes before cutting out the tops and decorations.
Place dough between 2 pieces of baking paper and roll into a large rectangle around ½ cm thick. Use cookie cutters to cut your gingerbread out, arranging on the lined trays. These cookies will not spread a lot but still leave ample space between each. Gather excess dough, squeeze into a ball and roll out again, cutting out more shapes. Continue until all the dough has been used.
Bake for 25-30minutes, or until golden brown. If possible, check the bottom of one of the tarts to ensure the pastry is cooked and lightly golden brown on the bottom. Allow to cool for 5 minutes then use a small sharp knife to loosen the tarts, transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Start 1-3 days before you want to bake your fruit mince pies. Add all of the filling ingredients, up to the pastry, into a bowl and mix very well (until lard or shortening has been fully incorporated). Transfer to a very clean glass jar with a lid. Firmly pack the mixture down to submerge in the juices, then attach lid and set aside to macerate for 1-3 days. Overnight is fine too.
On the day of baking, preheat oven to 160ºC. Grease and line 2 x 12 tart trays (around 2 Tbsp in size) and set aside.
Generously dust your bench with flour, and using a 7cm cookie cutter cut out 24 rounds of pastry and insert into the greased tins. Spoon in the fruit filling, gently packing down. Use beaten eggs as egg wash to brush the top lip of the pastry.
Roll up scraps of pastry, then re roll out between 2 sheets of baking paper. Cut out stars and shapes of your choice and attach to the top of the tarts. Brush the tops of the tarts with egg wash, then sprinkle with caster sugar. Tip: If the pastry has become too warm you may need to chill in the fridge for 20 minutes before cutting out the tops and decorations.
Place dough between 2 pieces of baking paper and roll into a large rectangle around ½ cm thick. Use cookie cutters to cut your gingerbread out, arranging on the lined trays. These cookies will not spread a lot but still leave ample space between each. Gather excess dough, squeeze into a ball and roll out again, cutting out more shapes. Continue until all the dough has been used.
Bake for 25-30minutes, or until golden brown. If possible, check the bottom of one of the tarts to ensure the pastry is cooked and lightly golden brown on the bottom. Allow to cool for 5 minutes then use a small sharp knife to loosen the tarts, transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
To serve, simply dust with icing sugar.
Start 1-3 days before you want to bake your fruit mince pies. Add all of the filling ingredients, up to the pastry, into a bowl and mix very well (until lard or shortening has been fully incorporated). Transfer to a very clean glass jar with a lid. Firmly pack the mixture down to submerge in the juices, then attach lid and set aside to macerate for 1-3 days. Overnight is fine too.
On the day of baking, preheat oven to 160ºC. Grease and line 2 x 12 tart trays (around 2 Tbsp in size) and set aside.
Generously dust your bench with flour, and using a 7cm cookie cutter cut out 24 rounds of pastry and insert into the greased tins. Spoon in the fruit filling, gently packing down. Use beaten eggs as egg wash to brush the top lip of the pastry.
Roll up scraps of pastry, then re roll out between 2 sheets of baking paper. Cut out stars and shapes of your choice and attach to the top of the tarts. Brush the tops of the tarts with egg wash, then sprinkle with caster sugar. Tip: If the pastry has become too warm you may need to chill in the fridge for 20 minutes before cutting out the tops and decorations.
Place dough between 2 pieces of baking paper and roll into a large rectangle around ½ cm thick. Use cookie cutters to cut your gingerbread out, arranging on the lined trays. These cookies will not spread a lot but still leave ample space between each. Gather excess dough, squeeze into a ball and roll out again, cutting out more shapes. Continue until all the dough has been used.
Bake for 25-30minutes, or until golden brown. If possible, check the bottom of one of the tarts to ensure the pastry is cooked and lightly golden brown on the bottom. Allow to cool for 5 minutes then use a small sharp knife to loosen the tarts, transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
