Inspired by flavours of the past, these tartlets are a refreshing change from the traditional darker fruit version. Make your own pastry to achieve the best flavour.

Ingredients

Almond Pastry

• 1½ cups flour
• 125 grams butter, chilled and diced
• ¼ cup caster or icing sugar
• ¼ cup ground almonds
• 4-6 tblsp water
• 24 whole unpeeled almonds (optional)

Rose and Quince Fruit Mincemeat

• 200 grams glace quince, minced or finely diced
• 200 grams glace pears, minced or finely diced
• 100 grams butter, minced or softened
• 70 grams pistachio nuts, chopped
• 1-2 tsp rosewater

Method

1. Put the flour, butter, sugar and ground almonds into a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process the ingredients until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Pulse in the egg yolk and 1-2 tblsp water until the mixture resembles moist crumbs. Turn out and bring together. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured board to 3mm thickness. Cut out 24, 7 cm circles and use these to line the base of mini muffin tins. Place 1 tblsp of quince mincemeat in every case.
3. Re-roll the remaining scraps and cut out 24, 5 cm circles for the tops. Brush the undersides of these smaller circles with milk and press firmly onto the mince-filled tarts. Cut a cross in the centre. Brush the tops with milk or egg glaze, place a whole almond on top if using and sprinkle liberally with caster sugar.
4. Bake at 200ºC for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden. Transfer to a cake rack to cool. Keep in an airtight container.

Rose and Quince Fruit Mincemeat

1. Mix the glace fruit, butter and nuts together and flavour with rosewater to suit your tastebuds. The flavour will mellow as it matures. Seal in jars and keep in a cool place for one week or in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.