For the filling.
500 g (17 1/2 oz) apples, finely diced with the skin (golden delicious, pink lady)
250 g (8 3/4 oz) raisins
100 g (3 1/2 oz) cranberries or sun-dried cherries
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 orange (you will need the zest from ½ orange)
500 ml (2 cups / 17 1/2 fl oz) fresh apple juice
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
Combine the apples, raisins and cranberries in a saucepan
Add the apple juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla and the zest from 1 orange.
Cover the pan and simmer over a gentle heat for 30 minutes, making sure to stir every now and then. Make sure not to boil too vigorously, just a slow gentle simmer.
Add more apple juice if need to keep the mixture moist then simmer for another 30 minutes.
Turn off the heat and allow to cool.
For the pastry
2 Cups Plain Flour
2 Tablespoons Almond Meal
200 Grams Butter
Grated Rind Of 1 Lemon
1/4 Cup Icing Sugar
1 Egg Yolk
1/4 Cup Milk
Method
Double sift the flour and almond meal into a bowl,cut the cold butter into small pieces then gently rub in the flour till it resembles fine breadcrumbs,rub in quickly and handle as lightly as possible ,stir in lemon rind and sifted icing sugar,stir till combined then add the yolk and enough milk to bring the ingredients together,knead lightly on a floured board till smooth,wrap in cling film and refrigerate 30 minutes.
To make the tarts first lightly grease 2 X 12 hole patty pans,roll out the pastry till 3mm thick then use a cookie cutter to cut out 7cm rounds,place these in the patty pans and add a tablespoon of the filling to each one till all the pans are filled,roll out the remaining pastry scraps to desired shapes such as diamonds,stars etc,,brush the tops with a little egg wash and place on top of the fruit mince.
Bake in a moderate oven about 20 minutes or till light golden brown.,dust with a little icing sugar when cooled.
TheAussieChef 