Description
This Mince Pie Frangipane Tart is a delightful festive dessert combining a buttery shortcrust pastry base with a rich almond frangipane filling, traditional mincemeat, and tart cranberry sauce. Baked until golden and topped with toasted flaked almonds, this tart offers a perfect balance of sweet, nutty, and fruity flavors, ideal for holiday celebrations or special occasions served warm with a drizzle of double cream.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pastry
- 150g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 75g butter, cubed
- 50g icing sugar
- 1 egg, separated
For the Filling
- 150g cranberry sauce
- 100g butter, softened
- 100g golden caster sugar
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 150g ground almonds
- 50g self-raising flour
- 100g mincemeat (vegetarian if needed)
- 2 tbsp flaked almonds
To Serve
- Icing sugar, for dusting
- Double cream
Instructions
- Make the Pastry: Tip the flour and cubed butter into a food processor and blitz until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. If you don’t have a food processor, rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips. Pulse in the icing sugar, then stir together the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water. Add this to the flour mixture and blitz or stir until it starts to clump together, adding up to an extra teaspoon of water if needed to bring the dough together. Form the dough into a ball, flatten into a disc, cover, and chill for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 days.
- Prepare the Tart Shell: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled pastry into a 30cm circle about 1/2cm thick. Line a 20cm fluted tart tin with the pastry, pressing into the base and sides, leaving any excess overhanging. Chill the shell for at least 30 minutes, up to 1 hour.
- Blind Bake the Pastry: Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan/gas mark 6). Scrunch up baking parchment and line the chilled pastry case with it, then fill with baking beans. Bake for 15–20 minutes until the base is lightly golden and sandy in texture. Remove beans and parchment, prick the base all over with a fork, brush the egg white over the pastry case, and bake for a further 5–10 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool, then reduce oven temperature to 180°C (160°C fan/gas mark 4).
- Make the Frangipane Filling: In a bowl, beat the softened butter and golden caster sugar together with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the beaten eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in the ground almonds and self-raising flour until just combined.
- Assemble the Tart: Spread the cranberry sauce evenly over the cooled pastry base. Spoon dollops of the frangipane mixture over the cranberry layer and gently spread it out. Using the back of a spoon, make little indentations in the frangipane and fill each with heaped teaspoons of mincemeat. Carefully swirl the mincemeat into the frangipane using a skewer. Scatter the flaked almonds over the top.
- Bake the Tart: Bake the assembled tart in the oven for 30–35 minutes until the frangipane is golden and puffed up. Remove from the oven, trim any excess pastry from the edges, and allow to cool slightly.
- Serve: Dust the tart with icing sugar and serve warm in slices, drizzled with double cream for a luscious finish.
Notes
- The pastry can be made ahead and kept chilled for up to 2 days before rolling out.
- Using vegetarian mincemeat makes this tart suitable for vegetarian diets.
- Be sure to blind bake the pastry fully to prevent a soggy base from the moist fillings.
- You can swap mincemeat for an equal amount of dried fruit mixture if preferred.
- Serve this tart warm for the best flavor, especially with freshly whipped or lightly poured double cream.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: mince pie, frangipane tart, Christmas dessert, festive tart, almond tart, mincemeat, cranberry sauce, holiday baking
