I have always considered myself quite a nice person. I like food of all shapes, flavours and colours. From every country and continent. I don’t discriminate, I am an equal opportunity eater. It’s only the doctors who say I’m intolerant. And certain foods who refuse to tolerate me. They certainly refuse to recognise and respect my right to eat them without major physical discomfort and distress.


Gluten and lactose are not my friends.


Despite the negative attitudes surrounding me from many of those I love best, (cakes, ice cream, hot toast) I decided to become a chef. Not always easy when you live in a bread and milk filled world. I like to think that this has helped me become a better person as I embrace my differences and refuse to let the gluten get me down. I believe InTolerance. I am the InTolerant Chef.

Food should not be about what you can’t eat, but what you can and what you enjoy eating. This blog is about my journey of cooking and eating and discovery. It’s not a definitive guide to allergy awareness nor do my intolerances make me an expert. Your body is your responsibility, not mine. I only know what works for me.


I can tell you this..... No glutens were harmed in the making of this website.

December 10, 2013

Festive Fruit Mince Slice



'Tis the Season for Festive Feasting!

It's also the Season for Get-Togethers, Drop-Ins, Bring-a-Plates and various other gatherings. As anyone with InTolerances knows, there's very little chance of being offered anything other than a piece of fruit at these events, so it's always a good idea to take along a nice yummy that you can enjoy while proving  to others how delicious InTolerant cooking really can be


Mince Tarts are such an iconic Christmas offering that I was determined to make a huge pile of them to share with my friends and family this year. Then I realised- to make individual little babies would take quite a lot of time and energy, both of which are in short supply this time of year with all the running around I have to do... A quick re-think, and thus the Festive Fruit Mince Slice was born. All the same yumminess as a regular Mince Pie, but a lot less mucking about. Definitely something to be Merry about indeed!




Festive Fruit Mince Tart
1/2 cup Castor Sugar
250gm lactose free Spread
3 cups gluten free plain Flour
1 tsp Vanilla
1 1/2 cups gf and lf Fruit Mince either home made or pre-prepared


Pop the flour, sugar, spread and vanilla into the bowl of a food processor



Pulse it all until it comes together nicely
OR mix the ingredients together in a big bowl until they form a nice soft dough



Divide the dough in half, putting the half for the top in the fridge to chill until a bit firm



With the other half of the dough, push it out carefully and evenly to line the slice tray, then bake it at 170*C for about 30 minutes or until lightly set and slightly golden



Ooops! Can anyone spot my deliberate mistake? I stuck my pot-holder into the shortbread while I was pulling it out of the oven- just to demonstrate how very soft it still is until it cools, not because I'm a klutz or anything  :)
Let the shortbread cool in the tin until it firms up nicely :P


Spread the fruit mince over the base, leaving a thin margin of clear shortbread all the way around the edges. This will help the top to seal nicely and stop the fruit mince bubbling up over the edges and burning on the hot metal



Roll the top layer of dough out to an even sheet, then lay over the fruit mince. Pat it down carefully on the edges just to make sure it connects. Sprinkle the top with a bit more castor sugar for a pretty, glittery effect, then bake again for about 35 minutes or until the top is set and lightly golden

As I wanted a nice festive effect, I cut some shapes out of my dough before it was placed on top. I very kindly made another 'deliberate mistake' to then show you what would happen if you didn't chill the dough enough to set the shapes properly. Aren't I kind? The dough spread and instead of a scattering of snowflakes I ended up with a splodge of spider webs instead. Never mind, at least you won't make the same mistake :)


The finished item with it's spidery Halloween designs instead of Christmas ones- not as pretty but still as tasty!



This is a lovely 'short' pastry that crumbles quite easily, so it's a bit easier to slice it up once cooled. It's also perfect for dunking in a cup of Earl Grey tea in case you're interested. I leave mine in the fridge this time of year and it lasts for at least a week if I can control myself- but I make no promises!



So Dear Readers, what do you like to munch on to be Merry, and are you on top of your Christmas shopping yet?








28 comments:

  1. I had my first fruit mince tart last year and now you're giving me slices? Be still my heart!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What a shame you missed out all those other years Maureen! You'd better make up for lost time now :)

      Delete
  2. These look fantastic. I love the Snowflake cut outs.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Becca, so festive! I love the snowflake decorated top! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Celia! I'm so behind on my baking though, I'll be busy this weekend for sure!

      Delete
  4. I love the cutouts too, Bec… and so true about how difficult it is with parties etc at this time of the year if one has intolerances. Happy baking and Merry Christmas to you and yours.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It can be a real minefield Lizzy, sometimes there is just nothing for me at all and I have to stop on the way home for a snack:) Merry Christmas to you too!

      Delete
  5. Ooh I love those snowflakes on top too! They're so festive! :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Lorraine, although with todays 35* they may not be all that appropriate :)

      Delete
  6. It looks really beautiful how you decorated it with the snow flakes. I know what you mean about going to pass-around events and having to turn down plate after plate! Sometimes you eat about three things only and go home starving! xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know Charlie! I try and have something stashed in my purse, but it's usually just a muesli bar- not very festive :(

      Delete
  7. gosh,this post made me misssing home for christmas even more!
    lovely fruit bars!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, but I hope home sickness doesn't spoil your holidays too much?

      Delete
  8. Will have to make these but not just for xmas all year round they remind me of those pillow biscuits

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe if you added some blended figs it would taste even more similar Simcha. Let me know how you go

      Delete
  9. Doh! *Headslap* Why on earth had I not thought of making mince pies in a slab instead of fiddling around with tart cases? You are my kind of cook, Bec!

    ReplyDelete
  10. oh yayyy! we used to get something similar in bakeries when I was a kid - nickname "fly cemetaries".

    Yummo!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fantastic name Ista! Maybe I should have called them Fly Pies instead :)

      Delete
  11. Poor thing, you would definitely have to take your own goodies to survive at Christmas. I do love a fruit mice slice Bec and your looks very yummy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Tania! It's just so much easier to take my own then stand there hungry :)

      Delete
  12. Good job, lovely, for putting such wonderful recipes out there for the intolerant peeps. You're a gem. I adore cherries at gatherings! & eggplant dip. Not pate ;)
    Heidi xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm a huge fan of eggplant too Heidi, and of course cherries are a Christmas must!

      Delete
  13. I love how you have altered the traditional fruit mince tarts, so cute and what a delicious flavour combination too! Perfect for Christmas!!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Mince slice always makes my heartbeat fasts. Such a lovely fruit mince slice you have. And I love the snowflakes design on top of it too!

    ReplyDelete