Baking & Bread
Baking & Bread
Mincemeat Slices
Perfect for the festive season - or make it with apricot jam at any time of year
If you have mincemeat left over from making Christmas mince pies or if, like me, you bought a good-quality jar or two when you spotted that all the festive food had been reduced on the supermarket shelves this month, this is a great way to use it… A slice is lovely with a cup of tea mid-afternoon, or serve it warm with custard as a delicious pud. It’s somewhere between shortbread, sweet shortcrust pastry and cookie dough, sandwiched with a layer of mincemeat. It’s definitely worth saving some mincemeat for, but it’s also good with a thick layer of apricot jam at other times of year!
Ingredients
Makes 8 slices
- 185g butter, at room temperature
- 100g caster sugar
- 225g plain flour (plus extra for rolling)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 200g mincemeat (or apricot jam)
- 1 egg
Method
Line a 20cm non-stick sponge tin with baking parchment then beat the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy (this is easiest in a food mixer). Mix in the egg, then stir in the flour and cinnamon and mix gently until you have a stiff dough.
Lay a sheet of greaseproof paper on the worktop and sprinkle with flour. Tip out half the dough and, with floured hands, press it into a round. Lift the dough circle into the base of the tin, and press it out a little more with your fingertips to fit the tin exactly. Spread the mincemeat (or jam) over it, not quite to the edges. Press out the other half of the dough, then lay on top of the mincemeat.
Bake at 180C for 20-25 mins until just golden on top. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins until the dough has hardened a little, then use the baking parchment in the tin to help you lift it out to cool on a wire rack. Slice when at room temperature.