A Recipe...

For Frangipane Mince Pies. As several people asked it seemed easier to post it here. It makes about 36 pies.

• 750g sweet shortcrust pastry ( I actually used 125g butter, 50g caster sugar, 250g plain flour, 1 egg yolk + 2tbsp water and it was just enough rolled out very thin!)
• large jar of good mincemeat
• 200g unsalted butter
• 200g caster sugar
• 200g ground almonds
• 50g plain flour
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tbsp brandy
• flaked almonds

1. Preheat oven to 180 deg C.
2. Grease three 12 hole tart tins. Roll out pastry thinly and cut 36 rounds of pastry to line tins. Leave to rest in fridge while you make the frangipagne.
3. Beat the butter until soft. Beat in the sugar until pale and fluffy and then beat in the almonds. Mix in the flour, the eggs and finally the brandy.
4. Half fill the pastry cases with mincemeat and then spoon a heaped teaspoon of frangipagne over the top over each one. Smooth it over and sprinkle with flaked almonds.
5. Bake for about 20 - 25 mins until golden brown. Serve warm sprinkled with icing sugar.

(Recipe from Richard Bertinet in Times Magazine 21.11.09)