Receta de tartaletas navideñas de frangipane y fruta

Ingredientes

• 220 g plain flour (all-purpose)
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 115 g unsalted butter
• 45-60 ml ice cold water
• 350 g mincemeat (fruit filling)
• 1 zest of orange
• 100 g granulated sugar
• 115 g unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs
• 100 g ground almonds (almond meal)
• 20 g plain flour (all-purpose)
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 30 g flaked almonds
• 1 tbsp powdered icing sugar

Preparación

1. 1

   --- Make the Pastry ---

2. 2

   Rub the butter into the flour. Into a large mixing bowl, add the flour and salt and quickly mix together. Add cubed butter and toss until coated. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour until the butter is the size of large peas.

3. 3

   Add in water and bring the dough together. Add in the water a little at a time and use your fingers tips to gently toss the mixture together until the dough starts to hold when pressed.

4. 4

   Form the dough and refrigerate. Gently squeeze the dough in the bowl and form it into a disc. Wrap well in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour minimum.

5. 5

   --- Fill the Cupcake Pans ---

6. 6

   Roll out dough. Remove the dough from the fridge and leave it at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. Rolling out dough that is too cold will cause it to crack. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to the thickness of a coin (¼ inch). Using a 9 cm (3.5 inch) diameter cookie cutter, stamp out as many rounds as you can.

7. 7

   Add dough to cupcake tray and fill. Pre-heat the oven to 180C (350F).Flour the cupcake tray lightly and place a dough cutout into each hole, pressing it against the base and sides until flush. If using a cupcake pan, the dough won't reach the top of the mould.Spoon two tablespoons of the mince meat fruit filling into the bottom of each pastry case.

8. 8

   --- Make the Frangipane, Finish off the Pies and Bake ---

9. 9

   Infuse the sugar with orange then cream with the butter. Rub the orange zest into the sugar to release the oils and flavour the sugar (Image 11). Then add the butter and using electric hand-held beaters (or stand mixer), cream the butter and orange sugar together until pale and creamy.

10. 10

    Add eggs and then dry ingredients. Whisk the eggs lightly and then add them to the butter mix. Beat for a minute or so, it may look a little curdled, but not to worry.Add in the ground almonds, flour and salt and beat until fully combined, thick and creamy.

11. 11

    Top the fruit filling. Fill a zip-lock/sandwich bag (or small piping bag), snip a large hole and pipe the frangipane filling over the mince meat. Or you can easily spoon a couple of table spoons over the top. Sprinkle the flaked almonds over each of the almond cream covered pies.

12. 12

    Bake. Cover the whole pan with an aluminium foil tent. Bake mince pies for 15 minutes before removing the foil, and continue to bake for another 10-15 minutes until the pastry and almond cream are golden.Remove and cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Dust with powdered icing sugar. Serve warm or cold plain or with custard, cream or ice cream.