Lattice Pastry Recipes

Steps:

• Pulse the flour, shortening, sugar, salt and 4 tablespoons of the butter in a food processor until the mixture is the consistency of a fine meal. Add the remaining 8 tablespoons butter and pulse to pea-size pieces. Sprinkle the vodka and water over the mixture and pulse until the dough just comes together.
• Divide the dough between 2 pieces of plastic wrap, and gently pat each portion into a round. Wrap each round tightly and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour and up to overnight. The dough can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 3 months.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface into a large rectangle. Transfer to a lightly greased baking tray.
• Put the sultanas in a small mixing bowl with just enough warm water to cover them, and soak for 10 mins.
• Core the apples and pears and slice them into even-sized pieces - you don't need to peel them. Put the pieces in a bowl and add the honey and 2 tbsp apricot jam. Drain the soaked sultanas and add them to the mixture. Stir well and add the mixed spice and cinnamon to taste.
• Spoon the mixture in a thick strip down the centre of the puff pastry. Use a sharp knife to make roughly 8 diagonal cuts down each side of the pastry like a lattice. Fold the pastry strips alternately across the filling like a plait.
• Crack the egg into a bowl, whisk with a fork and, using a pastry brush, glaze the top of the puff pastry.
• Place the plait in the oven and bake for 25-30 mins or until the apples are soft and the pastry is golden brown. Serve with crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream.

Steps:

• Combine flour and salt. Cut in lard or shortening with fingertips, knives or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Sprinkle in water, mixing lightly with fingertips or a fork, until particles can be gathered together in a ball. Wrap in foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
• To prepare the pastry in a food processor, combine the flour and salt in work bowl and blend together using the knife blade. Add lard or shortening cut into small pieces and process with an on-off or pulse control for a few seconds, until the mixture achieves a uniform mealy texture. Then, with the machine running, add the water a tablespoon at a time, through the feed tube. You will probably need the smaller amount of water and perhaps as little as one to one-and-a-half tablespoons because of the speed with which a food processor amalgamates the ingredients. Process only until a ball of dough forms.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and put a baking sheet in to heat up. Lightly flour a work surface, roll out the puff pastry to a 30 x 45cm rectangle, then put on a sheet of baking parchment. Mix together the apples and cranberries, then add the cinnamon, mixed spice, sugar, lemon zest and mincemeat, and mix again.
• Arrange the pastry in front of you with a short edge nearest to you. Spread the mincemeat mixture in a line down the centre, about 12cm wide, leaving 2cm of pastry at the top and bottom.
• To create the lattice pattern, start at the top of the pastry and cut a 1.5-2cm-wide horizontal strip of pastry on both sides of the mincemeat filling (so it is still attached next to the filling). About 1.5cm in from the filling, cut out a 0.5cm strip of pastry and remove this, then cut another 1.5-2cm strip (you're creating a pattern like the teeth of a comb). Repeat this method until you get to the bottom of the pastry. You'll need to cut out the final strip and remove this. Fold the top and bottom flaps of pastry up and over the filling. Fold the strips of pastry diagonally over the filling, starting from the top until you reach the bottom, creating a lattice pattern. You can now chill the tart for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
• Brush the tart with the egg and sprinkle with the extra sugar. Using the baking parchment, transfer the tart to the hot baking tray. Bake for 20-25 mins or until golden brown on top (add an extra 10-15 mins if baking from frozen). Leave to cool for 5 mins before serving with whipped cream or brandy cream.