Four layers of spicy, sweet, fruity sumptuousness come together in this mincemeat tart. It starts with melt-in the mouth spelt and almond pastry which is good enough to eat all by itself. The meringue topping splits into a crunchy crust on top and a billowy marshmallow layer below. And the filling is, of course, mincemeat. It makes a delightful winter dessert and can even stand in for the Christmas pudding.
Place all of the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
125 g wholemeal spelt flour, 25 g ground almonds, 30 g icing sugar, 1 pinch salt
Cube the butter, then add to the bowl and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Don't worry if there are little lumps of butter left in, they help to give the pastry its delicious flaky quality.
80 g unsalted butter
Add the egg yolk, almond extract and 3 tbsp of water. Mix together with a flat bladed knife until the pastry starts to clump together. If it's too dry, add the final tbsp of water.
1 egg yolk, ¼ tsp almond extract
Bring the dough together with your hands and form it into a round disc. Cover with a tea towel or wrap it in a plastic bag and leave to rest in a cool place for twenty minutes.
Set the oven to 180℃ (160℃ fan, 350℉, Gas 4).
On a clean floured surface, roll the pastry into a circle to fit the bottom and sides of a round 23 cm (9 inch) tart tin. The pastry should be about 4mm thick.
Roll the pastry loosely around the rolling pin and transfer it to the tin. Lay the pastry over the bottom and press into the sides. Then trim off any excess pastry with a knife.
Filling
Spoon the mincemeat in an even layer over the pastry base.
16 tbsp mincemeat
Meringue
Using clean electric beaters or a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl until they start to form peaks. At this point, add the sugar in a tablespoonful at a time, whisking all the while.
2 egg whites, 75 g golden caster sugar
Continue to whisk until the meringue is glossy and you can turn the bowl upside down without the meringue moving.
Spread the meringue over the top of the mincemeat with a spoon, creating peaks and swirls as you go.
Bake on the bottom shelf of the oven for thirty to forty minutes or until the pastry is crisp and golden. Place a baking tray on the shelf directly above the pie. This will help to stop the meringue from burning.
Allow the pie to cool on a wire rack for five minutes. Place the tart tin on a small bowl so that the side ring slips off the tart. Carefully lift or slide the pie onto a plate and serve.
Notes
If you find making pastry by hand a bit laborious, you can make it in a food processor instead. Pulse the dry ingredients and cubed butter together until you've got a breadcrumb like consistency. Then drop in the egg yolk and water. Pulse again, until it all comes together and forms a dough.If you're going to serve the mincemeat meringue pie at room temperature, allow it to cool in the tin before removing.For the most delicious pie, try making your own mincemeat. I have two recipes for homemade mincemeat and you can adapt either to suit your own tastes: chilli chocolate mincemeat and lemon and ginger mincemeat.Please note: calories and other nutritional information are per serving. They’re approximate and will depend on exact ingredients used.