With Christmas right around the corner, it seemed a great time for a mincemeat ganache tart. Making your own mincemeat is, in my opinion, the way to go. You get full control over the dried fruits you use, based on what you like, instead of getting a mince full of currants and raisins…. Use your favourite holiday spices and your chosen brandy to make it unique to you.
Ingredients
Sweet & Spiced Mincemeat
FIRST SET
50gcoconut sugar
150mlbrandy
1zest of orange
1zest of lemon
3star anise
3cloves
1cinnamon quill
1 pinchsalt
SECOND SET
150gdried figsstems removed and chopped
150gdried dates pitted and chopped
75graisins
75gdried cherries
Mincemeat Ganache
140gcacao pasteshaved
75gcoconut sugar
115ghot water or milk
65ghazelnut butter
1tsptamari
1 pinchsea salt
3 dropscinnamon essential oil
125g + 75gmincemeat
Oat Pastry Crust
FIRST SET
100gwater
15gcold pressed sesame or nut oil
75gmaple
75gcashewssoaked 1 hr and rinsed
15gpsyllium husk
SECOND SET
45goat flour+ more for rolling
60gground almonds
25gcoconut flour
Citrus Creme
75gyoung coconut meat pat dry
50g fermented cashew cream stage 1
60g maple syrup
20gxylitol
30gorange juice
30goatly cream or your fav non dairy milk
pinch sea salt
4 dropscaramel medicine flower extractoptional
4 drops orange essential oil optional
Zest of 2 oranges
40g deodorised coconut oilmelted
30g cacao buttermelted
Instructions
Sweet & Spiced Mincemeat
Wrap the whole spices up in a piece of cheesecloth and tie a knot in the top. This will save you fishing them out later when you want to use the mix.
Combine first set of ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil for 1 minute, then reduce to a simmer.
Simmer 5 minutes, remove from the heat and allow to come to room temp. The point of this is to cook out the alcohol and allow the spices to open up in the liquid.
Add all other remaining ingredients to the brandy and stir to combine.
Marinate the fruit for at least 24 hours in the fridge and up to 3 days. Remove the spice parcel before using in the recipe below.
Mincemeat Ganache
It’s important that the water is warm / hot and the chocolate is shaved before you start this recipe.
The liquid being hot and the chocolate being shaved will mean that the mixture melts very quickly and can properly emulsify in the blender.
Combine all ingredients except mincemeat in a high speed blender and process, starting on low-medium and then increase to full power until all ingredients are smooth and creamy.
Pulse the mincemeat through at the end to combine, but keep the texture of the fruits.
Once the pie crust is ready and at room temp, sprinkle in the extra 75g of mincemeat into the crust. You can also add in some candied hazelnuts for crunch.
Pour the ganache over the fruits and fill the crust. Pop in the fridge to set, about 3 hours, or in the freezer, about 1 hour.
Slice and serve. Or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for several months.
Oat Pastry Crust
Blend the first set of ingredients, except the psyllium, until smooth.
Add the psyllium and pulse to incorporate.
Mix the last set of ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
Add the contents of the blender and mix well with your hands until it comes together.
Form the mix into a ball and allow to rest 5 minutes to firm up.
Roll it out to ¼ inch thickness and cut into a circle slightly larger than your tin (s) and cut a few stars or other shapes for using as a “lid” or garnish on top of the pies. I used these tart forms.
Repeat cutting circles and shapes until dough is used up.
Gently press the crust into the forms and cut away any excess using a knife. Smooth it down with a little water as needed to keep it looking nice.
Dry at 150f for 4-6 hours or until firm enough to remove from the rings. Remove by running a thin paring knife between the crust and form.
Allow to cool before adding the ganache layer.
Citrus Creme
Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender, starting on low and going up to the max speed to get the creme completely smooth. Taste and adjust as needed.
Pour into a container and set in fridge for 6-8 hours or in the freezer for 2 hours.
Using an electric whisk, whip the creme until it's softened. Transfer to a piping bag and decorate as desired.
Reserve 50g or so of the citrus creme and whisk through ½ tbsp cocoa/cacao powder to use for contrasting piping design.