Mary Berry’s mincemeat and marzipan tarts are crisp orange pastry cases filled with mincemeat and chopped apricots, topped with grated marzipan that bakes golden. The recipe makes 12, and takes about 55 minutes from start to finish.
Berry calls them Mincemeat and Orange Feathered Tarts in Mary Berry’s Absolute Favourites (2015). Instead of a pastry lid, she grates marzipan over the filling, which she says “is quicker than topping with pastry and gives a wonderful flavour too.” The grated marzipan bakes into crisp, feathery shreds, which is where the name comes from.
The pastry has to be thin. Berry rolls it to just 1 to 2mm, much thinner than a standard mince pie, so it bakes crisp in 12 to 15 minutes. Roll it any thicker and the base stays pale and soft under the mincemeat.
Mary Berry Mincemeat And Marzipan Tart
Course: Sides, Dinner, LunchCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy12
servings25
minutes15
minutes220
kcal55
minutesA quick festive bake from Absolute Favourites (2015) that swaps mince pie lids for grated marzipan. The orange-zest pastry needs only 15 minutes in the fridge, and the tarts keep for 3 days, so you can bake them ahead for Christmas visitors.
Ingredients
- For the pastry:
175g (6oz) plain flour
75g (3oz) cold butter, cubed
25g (1oz) icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
grated zest of 1 large orange
1 egg, beaten
- For the filling:
250g (9oz) good-quality mincemeat
100g (4oz) ready-to-eat dried apricots, finely chopped
100g (4oz) natural marzipan, grated
Directions
- Prepare: Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan/Gas 6) and put a baking sheet inside to heat up. You’ll need a 12-hole bun tin and an 8cm (3in) fluted pastry cutter.
- Make the pastry: Mix the flour and butter in a food processor, or rub them together with your fingertips, until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Add the icing sugar and orange zest and mix briefly, then add the egg. Mix until the dough just holds together, wrap in greaseproof paper and chill for 15 minutes.
- Line the tin: Roll the pastry out very thinly on a floured surface, to 1 to 2mm thick. Stamp out 12 rounds with the cutter, line the bun tin and prick the base of each case with a fork.
- Fill: Mix the mincemeat with the chopped apricots and divide between the cases. Top with the grated marzipan.
- Bake: Slide the bun tin on to the hot baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden and crisp. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm.
Notes
- Chilling: 15 minutes
FAQs
How do I stop the marzipan sticking when I grate it?
Chill it first. Berry’s tip is to put the marzipan in the fridge, because it’s “easier to grate” cold. Use the coarse side of a box grater and keep the block moving, otherwise it warms in your hand and clumps.
How do I roll pastry that thin without it tearing?
Berry’s tip is to wrap the pastry in greaseproof paper to chill, then roll it between two sheets of paper or cling film. That stops it sticking to the rolling pin and lets you lift the whole sheet without breaking it. She uses any leftover pastry to make jam tarts.
Why does the bun tin go on a hot baking sheet?
The preheated sheet sends a blast of heat straight up into the base of each tart. That’s what crisps the bottom in such a short bake, before the mincemeat has a chance to make it soggy. Don’t skip the heating time, because a cold sheet does nothing.
Can I make them ahead or freeze them?
Yes. Berry says they can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container, or frozen, well wrapped, for up to 2 months. I warm them for a few minutes in a low oven before dusting with icing sugar, because she serves them warm.
How can I get more orange flavour?
Berry suggests splitting the zest: half goes into the pastry and half into the mincemeat filling. That way the orange comes through in every bite, not just the case. It also lifts the apricots and cuts through the sweetness of the marzipan.
Does she make a larger mincemeat tart?
She does: a Mincemeat and Almond Tart, in her Traditional Puddings and Desserts (2009) and Complete Cookbook (2024). For more of her Christmas baking, try her Christmas cake. If you want a warm pudding instead, her toffee apple steamed pudding is a good alternative to Christmas pudding.
