Christmas Baking

My Best Mincemeat Tarts

This is going to be quite short! I just made my usual TenderFlake lard pastry recipe and then used the mincemeat from the Bulk Barn. They were amazing! Best mincemeat tarts ever. One secret-don't put too much filling in each...
I made a point of noticing how long it took my KitchenAid before the dough was ready to add the liquid this time, and it was about 3 minutes. You do have to scrape down the dough a few times during the mixing-make sure you stop the mixer first! Here's what the dough looks like when it is ready to add the liquid.

When the bits in the dough are all small, pour the 1 cup of liquid in. I swear the dough changes colour and becomes a bit creamy-coloured when it's ready for the liquid. I always use the whole cup and haven't had any problems in the last 30+ years of doing that. I mix it a bit and then...

...plop the entire thing out on the counter and knead it with my hands. Use flour on your hands and tools to stop dough from sticking. When it is smooth, it's ready to roll out and then cut in circles.

These tarts are things of beauty! I brushed the tops with a beaten egg-well Jim did that, but I told him to. Bake at 425° for 12-15 minutes. 

I use these little pans that my mother-in-law gave me. They come from England and the metal is a bit soft. I love them, but always worry that they're made of some kind of bad metal like lead that will kill me. Jim says they're tin and harmless, and insists because we only use the pans once a year, so they probably won't totally kill us or give us dementia.
Because this is a once a year thing, we also have a little "discussion" about whether to oil the pans or not. Jim won this year and oiled them. They did come out very nicely...

When I was little, I loved to eat the raw dough-I still sometimes sneak a bit of it. Now if I have any leftover dough, I roll it out in a circle and put a filling in the middle. Then I just fold the dough over, wet it slightly to make it stick together like a little package. Fillings can be fruit with sugar, jam or even something savory. My mother always beat an egg with sugar and made a little pie with an open top, not a folded one. Merci Maman, pour la tarte aux oeufs! 

Butter Pecan Shortbread

1 cup butter at room temperature

2/3 cup brown sugar (sifted to remove lumps)

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1. Using a KitchenAid mixer with the cake attachment, cream the butter until it is light and fluffy. 
2. Cream in the brown sugar and then the vanilla.
3. Add the flour and mix until smooth.
4. Add the pecans and mix.
5. Place in a greased square cake pan. Smooth down lightly and make holes in the top with a fork.
6. Bake in 325° for about 30-35 minutes or until lightly brown on edges.
7. Let cool for a few minutes before turning out on a board and cutting.

   

   This shortbread is super yummy!