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Ingredients
- 150g/5oz butter, cut into pieces
- 225g/8oz plain flour
- 50g/2oz ground almonds
- 25g/1oz caster sugar
- a few drops of almond essence grated zest of 1 orange
- 1 egg yolk
- 225g/8oz mincemeat
- 1 egg white, lightly beaten
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6. Lightly grease a 12-hole
bun tin or muffin pan. - Rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture
resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the almonds, sugar, almond
essence, orange zest, egg yolk and 1 tablespoon water. Mix to form
a firm dough. Knead briefly on a floured work surface, then wrap and
chill for 30 minutes. - Roll out thinly, and stamp out 12 rounds, about 7.5cm/3in, using a
pastry cutter. Use the pastry to line the holes in the bun tin. Spoon in the
mincemeat to come two-thirds of the way up each hole. Use the
remaining pastry to cut into seasonal shapes – such as holly leaves or
Christmas trees – and place on top of the mincemeat. - Bake for 20 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Serve warm with
cream or brandy butter