Goodbye Gluten Christmas Mince Tarts

Ingredients

"Sweet cream" Cheese pastry

2 cups gluten free flour mix
2 tablespoons icing sugar pinch of salt
½ tsp baking powder, gluten free
130 g cream cheese (traditional), chilled
165 g butter, chilled
1 large egg
1 tbsp cold water

Fruit Mince

200 g dried apricots, roughly chopped
200 g dried figs, stalks removed and roughly chopped
150 g raisins
150 g dried cranberries
200 g currants
zest of 1 lemon
3 apples, grated
2 tbsp honey
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
¼ cup lemon juice
½–¾ cup brandy

Directions

Sweet pastry

1. Place the flour mix, icing sugar, salt and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to mix.
2. Cut the cream cheese and butter in to chunks and then add it to the food processor. Whizz until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
3. Whisk the egg and water together. Pour in to the dry flour mixture and pulse until it starts to clump together but is still crumbly.
4. When you press some of the moisture together in your fingers it should feel like it will come together when it is removed from the food processor.
5. If it feels too dry add a few more drops of water but be careful not to add too much. Tip out on to a clean surface and work the mixture with your hands until a smooth dough is formed.
6. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate until ready to use.

Fruit Mince

1. Place apricots and figs in to the bowl of a food processor and process until chopped in to pieces the same size as the raisins.
2. Add the raisins and cranberries and pulse to chop a little more. Transfer mixture to a non-metallic bowl. Add currants, lemon zest and grated apples. Mix well.
3. Mix honey, orange juice and lemon juice together until honey is dissolved.
4. Add to the fruit mixture, then add the brandy. Mix together thoroughly.
5. Cover and leave to stand for 24 hours, giving the mixture a stir every now and then.
6. Transfer to a clean, dry storage jar and keep in the refrigerator.

The fruit mince will keep for months in the refrigerator.

Tarts

1. Preheat oven to 175°C.
2. To make the pastry easier to work with, divide it in half and use one half at a time. Roll out thinly between two sheets of baking paper.
3. Cut out circles about 7 cm in diameter and press in to two 12 hole muffin tins. Spoon fruit mince in to each tart.
4. Roll out remaining pastry and cut out star shapes, about 5 cm diameter.
5. Place a star on top of each tart. Bake for about 15 minutes until golden.
6. Delicious served warm with lightly whipped cream flavoured with brandy.

‘All Good’ Gluten Free Flour Mix

This is easy to mix up and is best stored in an airtight container in the pantry. I have used white rice flour and cornflour from maize not wheat. Xanthan gum is made from corn sugar and is used as a gluten substitute to give elasticity in gluten free baking. Tapioca flour is also known as arrowroot.

2 cups rice flour
1 cup tapioca flour
1 cup cornflour
2 tbsp xanthan gum

1. Sift all ingredients in to a large mixing bowl.
2. Using a wire whisk, slowly stir until well blended.
3. Transfer to an airtight container.