Step 1 Start by making the Fruit Mince Filling, you can prepare this up to a week ahead of time. Peel and dice the apples, cut the prunes in half and put into a medium saucepan. Add the zest and juice of the oranges. You’ll need about 1 cup of juice, make it up with extra water if you don’t have enough. Cover and simmer on a very low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples and prunes are very soft. Step 2 Using a hand held blender, blitz to a smooth paste. Step 3 Roughly chop the dried figs, and add to the saucepan along with the sultanas, currants, slivered almonds, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground all spice, ground ginger, ground black pepper pepper and a pinch of salt. Step 4 Add half a cup of water and cook over low heat, stirring often, for 10 minutes. If the mixture dries out, loosen with little more water or more orange juice. The consistency should remain thick and paste like. Step 5 Turn off the heat, add the brandy and stir to combine. Let the mix sit for a few hours to develop in flavour. If you are making the filling in advance, store in a container in the fridge. For The Sweet Shortcrust Pastry Step 6 Cut the butter into 1cm cubes, then place in the fridge until ready to make the pastry. Step 7 Sift the flour into a medium bowl, add the caster sugar and stir to combine. Tip into a stand mixer or food processor, then add the butter and mix on medium, or pulse, until the mixture resembles wet sand. Step 8 Turn off the stand mixer or food processor, then drizzle the iced water over the mixture. Continue to mix on medium or pulse until the mixture is just starting to come together. The dough should be soft but not sticky. Step 9 Turn the pastry out onto a lightly floured bench top and lightly knead for 10 seconds with your finger tips to bring it together into a ball. Flatten into a disc, then tightly wrap with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least half an hour, up to overnight. To Assemble Step 10 Preheat the oven to 170°C. Grease a 12-hole muffin tin or small pie tin tray with butter and set aside. Step 11 Take the pastry disc out of the fridge. If it feels rock hard or has been made the day before, let it soften out of the fridge for 5-10 minutes. On a lightly floured bench top, roll out the pastry to about 3mm thick. Step 12 Cut out 12 x 10cm circles with a round cutter or knife, re-rolling off cuts if necessary. Line the muffin tin holes with the pastry circles, gently pressing them into place. Step 13 Spoon about 1-2 tbsp of the fruit mince mix into each tart. Re-roll the remaining pastry to 3mm thick and cut into 1cm wide strips. Cut into 8cm lengths and create a lattice pattern on top of each tart. You could also use a star cutter and place these on top of each tart instead of the lattice. Step 14 Whisk the egg and brush on top of each tart. Put the tray in the fridge for 30 minutes to let the pastry cool again. Step 15 Place the tray in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. Step 16 Remove from the oven, let cool in the tin for 5-10 minutes, then place on a wire cooling rack to cool completely. To Serve Step 17 When the tarts are cool, dust the tops with icing sugar and serve.
