Festive Bakes

Satisfy your sweet tooth this season with a classic festive bake from Edinburgh’s The Pastry Section. Perfect for impressing guests or giving as a homemade gift, it’s impossible to have just one…

Frangipane mince pies - makes 6

For the pastry:

125g butter

90g caster sugar

1 large egg

250g plain flour

For the frangipane:

125g butter

125g caster sugar

1 large egg

125g ground almonds

35g plain flour

Splash of almond essence

For the filling:

1 jar of mincemeat

Zest and juice of an orange

Flaked almonds

Icing sugar

Method:

  1. Cream the butter and sugar for the pastry until well combined. Add the egg and mix well.

  2. Mix in the plain flour, then wrap in clingfilm and place in the fridge for at least three hours, or preferably overnight.

  3. Once chilled, cut off a small amount of pastry from your block and and roll on a lightly floured surface until it’s nice and thin.

  4. Gently lift the pastry into the tart case and press gently, removing the excess pastry around the rim of the case.

  5. Repeat until all six cases are filled. Chill the prepared cases for at least 30 minutes.

  6. To make the frangipane, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg and mix well.

  7. Mix in the ground almonds, followed by the plain flour and almond essence.

  8. For the filling, mix the pre-made mincemeat with the zest and juice of an orange. Set aside the flaked almonds and icing sugar for decorating later.

  9. Once ready to bake, pre-heat the oven to 170 degrees.

  10. Place a tablespoon of the mincemeat filling on the base of each unbaked tart case and spread to cover evenly.

  11. Now use the frangipane to fill the tarts to the top, smoothing with a knife to give a nice even finish.

  12. Top the tarts with flaked almonds, then bake in the oven for 22 minutes, or until the frangipane is golden brown.

  13. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then remove the tarts from the cases and cool on a wire rack.

  14. Dust with icing sugar, then serve.

hood mag