Mincemeat Tart Recipe with Cranberry and Port

This tart is a tasty and stylish variation on the traditional mince pie.

Method:

Shortcrust pastry method:

1. Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
2. Cut the lard and suet into small chunks and rub into the flour until it becomes the consistency of breadcrumbs.
3. Mix in the sugar.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the egg yolk, and beat together.
5. Stir the watery egg yolk into the flour mixture until it becomes quite a firm dough, adding a little more water as necessary.
6. Knead the dough lightly until smooth, but do not overwork it.
7. Split into two and leave the pastry to rest in the refrigerator or cool place for at least 30 minutes before rolling out.

Mincemeat Tart Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and place oven rack in the centre of the oven.
2. Grease one 8-9” (20-23cm) pie dish and place it on a larger baking sheet.
3. Take one of the rounds of pastry and roll the pastry into a 1/8-inch (3 mm) thick circle on a lightly floured surface.
4. To make sure the pastry is large enough, take your tart pan, flip it over, and place it on the rolled out pastry. The pastry should be about 2” larger than the pan.
5. When the pastry is rolled to the desired size, lightly roll the pastry around your rolling pin, dusting off any excess flour as you roll. Unroll onto top of tart pan.
6. Gently lay the pastry in the pan and with a small floured piece of pastry, lightly press the pastry onto the bottom and up the sides of pan.
7. Trim the edges of the pastry so you have about 1/2 inch (6 mm) overhang.
8. Fill the tart shell with the mincemeat and dot with butter.
9. Remove the second round of pastry and roll it into a round circle that is about 1/8 inch (3mm) thick.
10. Using a pizza cutter or fluted edged pastry wheel, cut the pastry into 3/4 inch (2 cm) wide strips.
11. Using a spatula gently transfer the strips to the tart pan. Lay the strips equidistant from one another across the tart, then turn the pan by 90˚ and place the remaining strips across the first strips to make a lattice pattern.
12. Seal and trim the edges of the strips to fit the tart pan.
13. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the pastry has lightly browned.
14. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
15. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.