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Mincemeat Dartois
A dartois can be very rustic and approachable or very polished and professional. This recipe uses a spiced mincemeat filling, making it a nice dessert to end a holiday meal or add to an assortment of desserts for a larger group. Dress up individual portions with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of Crème Fraîche.
YIELDS
8
Ingredients
Mincemeat
- 1 apple or pear
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped crystalized ginger
- 1/4 cup orange marmalade
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons brandy or rum
- 1/4 cup slivered and sliced almonds
Assembly
- 1 lb puff pastry dough
- Medium egg wash
- Turbinado or pearl sugar
Directions
Mincemeat
- Peel the apple (or pear) and grate it coarsely into a saucepan with a box grater. Add the raisins, dried cranberries, ginger, marmalade, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often. Simmer for about 15 minutes, reducing the heat if the sauce sticks, until the apple (or pear) cooks into the filling (it will no longer be visible). Remove the mincemeat from the heat and stir in the brandy (or rum) and the almonds. Cool to room temperature and then chill completely before using. You can prepare the mincemeat up to a week in advance. This mincemeat recipe makes 1½ cups (375 mL) of filling. Double the recipe to make enough filling for a traditional two-crust mincemeat pie.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface to a rectangle over 8 × 10 inches (20 × 25 cm) and just under ¼ inch (6 mm) thick. Trim the edges to straighten, then cut the pastry in half to make two pieces of 4 × 10-inch (10 ×25 cm) (1).
Assemble
- Place one piece of pastry on the baking tray. Dock the pastry with a fork and brush the outside edge with water. Spoon the mincemeat over the pastry, leaving a clear ½-inch (1.2 cm) edge uncovered on all sides. Use a paring knife or pastry wheel to cut slits into the second sheet of pastry about an inch (2.5 cm)apart (2). Carefully lift the pastry and place over the mincemeat filling, letting the slits open. Line up the edges of the top and bottom pieces of pastry and press down gently to secure them (3).
- Brush the top of the dartois with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake the dartois for 30 minutes, until the pastry is rich golden brown. Let the pastry cool on the tray on a rack for at least 1 hour before slicing to serve. Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy! The dartois are best enjoyed the day they are made, but the unbaked dartois can be wrapped well and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking. Reheat for 10 minutes at 350°F (180°C) before serving. Once served, the remaining dartois will keep, loosely wrapped, in the fridge for up to 3 days.
