Festive mincemeat in a delicate flaky free form dessert that has all the seasonal taste of its traditional counterpart. With the addition of a shortbread crumble topping brings two holiday traditions, mincemeat and shortbread together, in one festive treat. Yuletide scrumptiousness in every blissful slice.
Mincemeat Galette
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Pie Crust:
1 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup light olive oil
3 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon white vinegar
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the olive oil and blend together with a fork until the mixture resembles an oatmeal texture. Sprinkle in the cold water and vinegar and mix together to form a soft dough. You may have to add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if you find the dough some what dry, you want a soft but not sticky dough. Gather the dough and press into a ball. Roll out between sheets of wax paper. Invert the rolled dough onto a parchment lined baking tray and gently remove the wax paper.
Notes: you may use a ready made pie crust, if you wish, just follow package instructions.
Shortbread Crumble:
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1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup (1 and 1/2 sticks) butter, melted
2 teaspoons almond extract
In a large bowl combine the flour, oats, baking soda, salt, sugar, butter and almond extract. Beat with an electric mixer at low speed for 1 to 2 minutes, or alternately blend with wooden spoon or fork, until the mixture is crumbly.
Notes: you may add grated orange or lemon rind to the crumble mixture for added flavour.
Mincemeat Filling: Either make your favourite mincemeat filling or use a ready made mincemeat filling, which is what I do, to save time. This year, I used Marks & Spencers Brandy & Clementine Mincemeat although Robertson's Mincemeat is my go to mincemeat filling. Both are vegetarian and suitable for vegans.
Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line a baking tray with parchment paper if using wax paper to roll the pie pastry out.
Make the Pie Crust (see above recipe): Roll the pastry between pieces of wax paper or you can roll between pieces of parchment paper. If using parchment paper gently glide the rolled pie pastry with the parchment paper underneath onto a baking tray and trim the edges of the parchment paper to fit the baking tray.
Spread 510 grams (2 1/2 cups) of mincemeat filling over the rolled out pastry, leaving about a 1 - inch gap around the edges. Carefully fold the sides inward to form an edge. Overlapping is fine.
Make an egg wash: mix 1 egg beaten with a tablespoon of water. Using a pastry brush, brush the folded edges with the egg wash.
Make the Shortbread Crumble (see above recipe): Sprinkle the Shortbread Crumble generously over top. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the crumble is golden brown.
Remove from the oven and while warm, sprinkle with vanilla caster sugar. Allow to cool on the baking tray. Lightly dust with icing sugar before serving. If you do not add grated orange or lemon rind to the crumble mixture you may grate some over top before serving or place pieces of candied orange peel on top will also do nicely too.
