Apricot Hazelnut Mince Pies Recipes

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine sugar and tapioca. Add apricots and lemon juice; toss to coat. Let stand for 15 minutes. Line a 9-in. pie plate with pastry. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond edge of plate; flute edges. Pour filling into crust., In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar and pecans. Stir in butter. Sprinkle over filling. , Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cover edges with foil during the last 15 minutes to prevent overbrowning. Cool on a wire rack. Store in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• In medium bowl, mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).
• Gather pastry into a ball. Divide in half and shape into 2 flattened rounds on lightly floured surface. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.
• Heat oven to 425°F. With floured rolling pin, roll one pastry round into round 2 inches larger than upside-down 10-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side.
• In 1 1/2-quart saucepan, mix apricots and sugar. Add just enough water to cover apricots. Heat to boiling over medium heat; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered about 20 minutes or until apricots are tender; drain.
• Place apricots in pastry-lined pie plate. Spread with mincemeat. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1/2 inch from rim of plate.
• Roll other round of pastry. Fold into fourths and cut slits so steam can escape. Unfold top pastry over filling; trim overhanging edge 1 inch from rim of plate. Fold and roll top edge under lower edge, pressing on rim to seal; flute as desired. Cover edge with 2- to 3-inch strip of foil to prevent excessive browning.
• Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until crust is brown, removing foil for last 15 minutes of baking. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Make the poached apricots: Combine wine, 3 cups water, sugar, vanilla pod and seeds, and cinnamon stick in a large straight-sided skillet. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add apricots, cut-side down. Cover surface with a parchment round, and cook, simmering, until apricots are just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer poached apricots to a small rimmed baking sheet or plate.
• Bring poaching liquid to a boil and cook until reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in lower third of oven. Make the frangipane: Combine hazelnuts and sugar in bowl of food processor and process until finely ground. Add butter, flour, egg, liqueur, salt, and vanilla extract; process until frangipane is smooth.
• Prepare the tart shell: Unfold puff pastry on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Using a paring knife, lightly score a border about 1 1/2-inches in from perimeter of pastry.
• Using tines of a fork, pierce puff pastry all over within border. Spread frangipane in an even layer within border. Arrange poached apricots on top of frangipane, cut-side down; brush lightly with poaching liquid. Combine egg and cream, then brush lightly onto puff pastry border.
• Bake until tart is puffed and golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and brush apricots lightly with more poaching liquid. Let cool completely.

Steps:

• Put the flour, half the hazelnuts, the icing sugar and butter in a food processor and blitz to a sandy texture. Add the egg yolk and 1-2 tbsp water, and blitz briefly until the dough clumps together. Tip out onto a work surface and knead the dough a little until smooth. Flatten to a puck shape, wrap in cling film, then chill for 30 mins.
• Mix the mincemeat, apple and orange zest in a bowl. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Unwrap the pastry and roll out on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin. Stamp out 12 circles with a 10cm fluted biscuit cutter and use them to line a 12-hole muffin tin.
• Fill each pie with the mincemeat mixture. Scrunch up the pastry trimmings and re-roll to the same thickness as before. Stamp out 6 circles using an 8cm cutter, and 6 stars. Put the remaining hazelnuts in a dish and lightly whisk the egg white in another. Brush a little egg white around the inner rim of each pie, then brush one side of each pastry lid, and the stars. Press each lid into the hazelnuts, egg-side down, so they stick, then lightly press on top of the pies, nutty-side up. Repeat with the stars and place these on the remaining pies.
• Bake for 20 mins or until golden and crisp. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 mins, then scoop out and cool on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar before serving. Will keep in a sealed container for 3 days.

Steps:

• To make the pastry: put the flour and cinnamon into the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until it looks like very fine breadcrumbs. Sprinkle in the sugar and 3 tbsp cold water, and pulse until the mixture starts to clump together, about 30 secs. Tip the mixture onto a board and gently squeeze the pastry until it comes together into a ball - add water if it feels dry. Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill for 30 mins.
• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Roll the pastry on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of £1 coin. Using a 7cm cutter, cut out 10-12 discs and use to line a 12-hole bun tin with them. Use a 6cm cutter for the lids, or use a 6cm star cutter to make star shapes. Chill both.
• Make the mincemeat: put all the ingredients into a food processor and pulse on and off until evenly chopped. Spoon 1-2 tsp into each tart, dampen the edge of the pastry bottom with water and sit a smaller pastry disc or star on top. Using scissors, snip a hole in the lid, if you've made round tops. Bake for 12-15 mins until golden brown. Lift onto a wire rack to cool and dredge with icing sugar.