Christmas Frangipane Tart

Christmas Frangipane Tart served on a silver plate with a dollop of cream on top
  • 8 servings
  • 50 Minutes to prepare
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Ingredients

  • 200g plain flour
  • 1tbsp icing sugar
  • 125g chilled unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 medium egg, yolk beaten
  • 1/2 tbsp chilled water
  • 200g Christmas mincemeat
  • 175g unsalted butter, softened
  • 175g caster sugar
  • 3 medium eggs
  • 175g ground almonds
  • 1tsp almond extract
  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • 30g chopped walnuts

Instructions

You will need a 24cm loose-bottomed cake tin.

Firstly make the pastry by popping the flour, icing sugar and chilled cubed butter in a food processor and blend until you have a mixture that resembles breadcrumbs. Transfer to a large bowl, mix the egg yolk and chilled water together and then pour into the flour and with a palette knife or blunt knife work the mixture until it comes together. With your hands, roll the dough into a ball, wrap in cling film and pop in the fridge for about 30 minutes. If the dough feels too sticky just add a little more flour or if it feels too dry just add a little more water.

Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a pound coin. Line the tart case with the pastry leaving an overhang and prick all over with a fork. Pop the pastry case in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up.

At this stage preheat the oven to 180°c / gas 4.

Line the pastry case with non-stick baking paper and cover with baking beans or uncooked rice and bake for 15 minutes, remove the beans and baking paper and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes until the pastry is golden. Trim the edges with a sharp knife. Leave to cool.

Meanwhile beat together the softened butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy, add the eggs one at a time with 1tbsp of the ground almonds making sure each egg is completely incorporated. Stir in the almond and vanilla extract and finally the remaining ground almonds.

Spread the mincemeat all over the bottom of the cooled pastry case, pour over the almond sponge and level off. Finally sprinkle over the chopped walnuts and bake for 35-40 minutes until golden (and when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean). Cool for a few minutes and then carefully remove from the tin. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and eating.

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