Mincemeat Frangipane Recipe Mary Berry

ALMOND-TOPPED MINCE PIES

Steps:

• Put the flour in a large bowl with 1/4 tsp salt. Add the butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mix looks like fine crumbs.
• Stir in the sugar, then slowly pour in the egg, stirring with a cutlery knife as you go to avoid any overly wet or dry patches. Scrunch to a dough with your hands, then knead briefly until smooth. Alternatively, pulse together the butter, flour and salt in a processor, then add the sugar and egg. Shape into 2 discs, wrap in cling film and chill for 30 mins (if you have time).
• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Mix the prunes and Armagnac into the mincemeat and set aside. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface until 3mm thick, cut into circles with a 7.5cm or 8cm round plain cutter and gently press into 2 x 12-hole shallow, non-stick bun tins.
• For the topping, beat together the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon, then add the flour, ground almonds, eggs, almond extract and a pinch of salt, and beat until smooth.
• Spoon the mincemeat into the tin (about 1 dessertspoon into each). Spoon over the topping, then smooth it to the edges of the pastry with a palette knife. Scatter over the flaked almonds. Can now be frozen for up to 1 month.
• Bake for 25 mins from room temperature (or 30 mins from frozen) until the pies are golden, risen and the pastry feels firm at the sides. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins before transferring to a cooling rack. Dust with icing sugar to serve. Can be stored in an airtight tin for up to 3 days once cold.

MARY BERRY'S BAKEWELL TART

Steps:

• Place the flour and salt into a bowl and rub in the butter with your fingers until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar, then the water and mix gently to make a soft dough. (Or you can make it in a food processor, like this.)
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface, then line a 9"in tart tin. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Using a fork, press the tines into the bottom and sides of the pastry in the tin, then bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, until cooked, but not completely (it's going back in the oven.) Remove and set aside.
• Spread the jam or mincemeat on the bottom of the crust then make the frangipane filling.
• Melt the butter in a pot, remove from heat and stir in the sugar, ground almonds, egg and almond extract (if using.) Pour the mixture over the jam or mincemeat and sprinkle the flaked almonds on top.
• Bake for about 35 minutes. If the almonds begin to brown too quickly, cover the tart loosely with aluminum foil.
• Place the confectioner's sugar into a bowl. Stir in cold water or milk. Using a knife or spoon (any kitchen cutlery would probably work), drizzle the icing all over the cooled tart (make sure it isn't warm or the icing will not look as pretty as it should.) Allow the icing to set before serving.
• Cut into slices and enjoy!

MINCEMEAT AND MARZIPAN TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
• For the pastry, measure the flour, butter and icing sugar into a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs (take care not to over-process the pastry as it will make it tough). Set aside a tablespoon of the beaten egg for the glaze and add the remaining egg to the processor. Pulse again until the pastry just comes together. Put the pastry on a floured work surface and knead until it comes together to form a ball.
• Reserve a quarter of the dough for the stars and roll out the remaining pastry to the thickness of a pound coin. Line the base and sides of the tin with pastry and prick with a fork. Chill for 15 minutes.
• Spread half the mincemeat over the base of the pastry and scatter over the grated marzipan. Evenly spread the remaining mincemeat over the top to cover the marzipan. Roll out the reserved pastry and, using star cutters, stamp out enough stars to decorate the top of the tart (about 14). Arrange the stars on the top of the tart and brush with the reserved beaten egg.
• Bake for 25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden-brown and crisp. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly before removing from the tin.
• Serve the tart warm, dusted with icing sugar and with the brandy cream alongside.

MARY BERRY'S MINCEMEAT LOAF CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180C/160Fan/350F.
• Grease and line 2 1lb (450g) loaf tins.
• Simply mix all the ingredients except for the blanched almonds together until they are well incorporated.
• Spoon the mixture into your loaf tins. Stud with the blanched almonds/halved cherries.
• Bake for 1 hour if using 1lb loaf tins or 35-40 minutes for mini loaf tins or until the cakes are shrinking from the sides, risen and golden and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

MARY BERRY'S MINCE PIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 and place a baking sheet inside to heat up.
• For the pastry, either pulse the flour and butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, or rub the flour and butter together in a large bowl using your fingertips.
• Stir in the icing sugar and orange zest, then stir in the beaten egg and mix until the ingredients just come together as a dough. Wrap the dough in greaseproof paper and chill in the fridge for 10-15 minutes, or until firm.
• When the pastry has rested, unwrap it. Place the greaseproof paper on a work surface and lightly dust with icing sugar. Place the dough on top, dust with icing sugar, then cover with another sheet of greaseproof paper. Roll the pastry between the sheets of greaseproof paper to a thickness of 1-2mm. (If you are confident rolling out pastry you do not need to use the greaseproof paper, but it does help prevent the pastry tearing if the dough is a little sticky).
• Stamp 12 rounds from the pastry using a 8cm/3in fluted pastry cutter. (Any leftover pastry can be frozen and used to make jam tarts.) Line each hole of the muffin tin with one of the pastry rounds and prick the base of each with a fork.
• For the filling, mix the mincemeat with the chopped apricots until well combined. Divide the mixture equally among the pastry cases. Top each tart with some of the grated marzipan.
• Slide the muffin tin onto the hot baking sheet and bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes, or until golden-brown and crisp. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm.

MARY BERRY'S BRIOCHE FRANGIPANE APPLE PUDDING

Steps:

• 1. You will need a large, shallow ovenproof dish, about 28cm (11in) in diameter. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas 6 and grease the dish with butter. 2. Slice the brioche into thin slices, about 5mm/¼in, and arrange these over the base of the dish. Make sure you cover the base and fill in all the gaps, but don't overlap the slices. 3. Measure the butter and sugar into a food processor and whizz until pale and fluffy. Add the almond extract, ground almonds, eggs and flour, then whizz again until the mixture is soft and creamy and there are no lumps. Be careful not to over-process. 4. Spoon the mixture over the brioche base and spread it to the sides. Arrange the sliced apples in a neat overlapping circular pattern over the top. Bake the pudding in the oven for about 40 minutes until lightly golden all over and firm in the centre when lightly pressed. 5. Melt the jam with 2 tablespoons of water in a small pan. Brush over the surface and sprinkle with flaked almonds. 6. Dust the pudding with icing sugar and serve warm. Prepare ahead: Can be made and baked up to 8 hours ahead and reheated to serve.