Fruit Mince Chocolate Tarts
An Original Recipe by Not Quite Nigella
Makes 24 mini tartlets
Preparation time: 35 minutes + 15 minutes freezing time
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Pastry
- 250g/0.5lb butter, softened and divided in half
- 1/2 cup icing or confectioners sugar
- 1.5 cups plain all purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons rice flour
- Fat pinch of fine salt
Filling
- 1/2 cup raisins, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes
- 1/4 cup Woolworths Gold honey
- 75g/2.65ozs. Woolworths Gold dark chocolate, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped, toasted nuts (I used flaked almond because I had some already toasted but you can also use hazelnuts)
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
Step 1 - Preheat oven to 180C/350F and have two x 12 mini muffin trays ready. First take half of the butter and place it in a saucepan and cook it on medium to high heat until it becomes fragrant and starts to brown. As soon as it starts to brown, remove it from the stovetop and cool until it starts to firm up.
Step 2 - In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat both the regular and browned butter with the sifted icing sugar until it becomes pale and fluffy. On the lowest speed, add the flour, rice flour and salt and mix to combine and becomes a cohesive dough.
Step 3 - Pinch of small balls and press into cavities of the tins (no need to grease the tin). You will have a bit of dough leftover. Prick the bases with a fork and place the trays in the freezer for 15 minutes. This will prevent the dough from rising too much.
Step 4 - Mix all of the filling ingredients together and set aside. Then roll out the remaining dough. Place the rolled out dough in the fridge to firm up.
Step 5 - Bake the tart shells without filling them for 15 minutes. While they are baking, cut out letters or shapes in the remaining dough. Once the tart shells are baked, spoon the filling into them, pressing down gently onto the pastry if it has puffed up and then add a pastry decoration on top. Bake for another 10-15 minutes until the shortbread on top is golden.