Viennese Mincemeat Tart
By Andy Holloway, The Bistro Ventnor
The tart was inspired by Andy’s time working in Austria with a pastry chef called Alfred where it was a classic dish served in the restaurant at Christmas time. It is great served hot or cold with whipped cream but particularly good served with blude cheese or a slice of Lancashire cheddar.
To make the tart use a shortbread biscuit base, mincemeat centre and a piped Viennese buttery, sugary topping. See below for the Viennese topping.
Viennese Topping for a mincemeat tart
ingredients
250g/9oz very soft butter
50g/2oz icing sugar, plus extra to decorate
250g/9oz plain flour (sifted)
50g/2oz cornflour
1/2 tbs pure vanilla extract
Method
Preheat the oven to 170/Gas 5
Put the butter, icing sugar, vanilla extract in a mixing bowl and use a beater to beat the mix until it is pale, light and fluffy (approx. 10 minutes).
The add plain flour and cornflour in a mixing bowl and blend until smooth (approx. 10 mins). You may need to scrape the mixture down a couple of times with a rubber spatula.
Spoon the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle. Pipe the mix onto prepared biscuit base topped with mincemeat.
Bake for approximately 12 minutes, if it starts to colour quickly, turn then oven down slightly and bake for a further 10 minutes.
Make sure you keep an eye on it as it can catch in unattended for too long.
Enjoy with whipped cream flavoured with orange zest and cinnamon, custard, evaporated milk or a nice mature cheddar cheese.
