Medlar and Walnut Mince Tarts

2 x 12-hole tart trays, round pastry cutter, saucepan and 2 x mixing bowls

MEDLAR MINCEMEAT
250g soft medlars
50g currants
25g mixed peel
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp rose water
1 orange, grated rind and juice
50g honey
50g butter

SWEET SPICED PASTRY
125g Doves Farm Organic Plain White Flour
2 tbsp icing sugar
1 tbsp Doves Farm Organic Cornflour
½ tsp mixed spice
75g butter
3 egg yolks
3-4 tbsp orange juice
oil, for tart trays
flour, for dusting

TO FINISH
24 walnut halves
1 tbsp icing sugar

180°C, Fan 160°C, 350°F, Gas 4

Medlar Mincemeat

1. Peel the medlars, remove the stones, put them into a mixing bowl and mash them.
2. Add the currants, mixed peel, cinnamon, rose water, grated orange rind and juice.
3. Put the honey and butter into a saucepan and gently melt together then add to the bowl.
4. Stir everything together well.

Sweet Spiced Pastry

1. Pre-heat tte oven.
2. Rub some oil around the insides of two 12-hole tart trays.
3. Sieve the flour, icing sugar, cornflour and mixed spice into a bowl, stir to combine and sieve into a mixing bowl.
4. Chop the butter into small cubes and add them to the bowl.
5. Using a fork or pastry blender, work the flour and butter cubes together until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
6. Add the egg yolks and just enough orange juice to bring together a soft pastry dough. Add more drops of juice if this does not happen easily.
7. Using your hands gather everything together to form a smooth ball of dough.
8. Dust the work surface and dough with flour.
9. Roll out the pastry until about 1.5mm/1/16” thick.
10. Select a pastry cutter or cup 2cm/¾” larger than the holes of the tart trays and press into the dough to make circles.
11. Lift the pastry circles into the holes of the tart trays.

Medlar Mince Tarts

1. Put a spoon of mincemeat onto each pastry circle.
2. Press a walnut half on top of the mincemeat.
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
4. Sieve icing sugar over the cooked tarts before serving.