Nutty, fruity, festive muffin tarts

Nutty, fruity, festive muffin tarts

The perfect sweet offering for the Christmas holidays, these tarts are a delicious cross between mince pies and muffins

Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Makes about 24

Preparation and cooking times

Total time

Ready in 1hr 20 mins-1½hrs

Freezable

Method

  1. First make the pastry. Sift the flour into a large bowl, add the butter and, using your fingertips, rub it into the flour so the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Measure 150ml/¼ pint cold water into a jug. Stir the ground almonds and sugar into the flour mixture, then add the egg yolk and a little of the water, stirring with a knife. Gradually work in the rest of the water, stirring until you have a soft pastry ball. Wrap it in cling film and chill for 20-30 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, make the filling. Preheat the oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/gas 6. Tip the ground almonds, sugar, currants, sultanas, almonds and spices into a large bowl and stir. Melt the butter (use the microwave for speed) and add to the dry ingredients with the beaten eggs and the lemon and orange zest and juice. Mix together really well.
  3. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface (working with half at a time is easiest) to about 5mm thickness. Cut out about 24 rounds using a 10cm round cutter. Use each round to line a muffin tin (use two trays, or bake in batches). Spoon the filling into each pastry-lined tart, so it is just shy of the top of the pastry.
  4. Bake for 20-25 minutes until pale golden, then turn each tart out on to a wire rack and dust with icing sugar. Lovely served warm or cold.

Nutrition per tart

394 kcalories, protein 7g, carbohydrate 36g, fat 26 g, saturated fat 11g, fibre 2g, salt 0.41 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, January 2004.

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Latest comments and suggestions

  • Binder photo Essexclarkey

    15 November 2007

    Essexclarkey rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    I'm not very keen on mincemeat as it is very sweet, so this recipe gives me the flavours and spices of mince tarts without so much sweetness. These tarts have become a firm favourite in our household since the recipe was published 3 or 4 years ago. They keep well and are excellent heated through and served with a little cream. Thank you so much for publishing this recipe, I would miss them if I ever lost the recipe.

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  • Binder photo Krisser

    17 December 2008

    Krisser rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I have made these lovely fruit muffins since they were in the original Good Food, they are so delicious even my husband who doesn;t like nuts will eat them. When cooking they make to kitchen smell of all the lovely christmas smells. Give them a go.

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  • Binder photo Claref

    06 February 2010

    Claref rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo George17

    30 October 2012

    George17 commented on this recipe

    I've made some of my own mincemeat this year with ingredients very similar to the ones in the filling of this recipe, apart from the ground almonds and eggs. Could I mix my mince meat with the quantity of ground almonds and beaten eggs in this recipe and then use it to fill the tartlets??

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Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Makes about 24

Preparation and cooking times

Total time

Ready in 1hr 20 mins-1½hrs

Freezable

Tuck some in the freezer

Ingredients

FOR THE PASTRY

  • 450g plain flour
  • 250g salted butter , cut into small pieces
  • 25g ground almonds
  • 50g golden caster sugar
  • 1 egg yolk , beaten

FOR THE FILLING

  • 300g ground almonds
  • 250g golden caster sugar
  • 100g currants
  • 100g sultanas
  • 50g flaked almonds
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp mixed spice
  • 200g butter
  • 4 eggs , beaten
  • 1 lemon , finely grated zest and juice
  • 1 orange , finely grated zest and juice
  • icing sugar , for dusting
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Nutrition per tart

394 kcalories, protein 7g, carbohydrate 36g, fat 26 g, saturated fat 11g, fibre 2g, salt 0.41 g

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