Ecclefechan Tarts
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
25 mins
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Chilling Time
30 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
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Servings
12 tarts
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Calories
240 kcal
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Course
Dessert
Ecclefechan Tarts
Description
To make Ecclefechan Tarts, start with preparing a sweet shortcrust pastry by rubbing cold butter into plain flour, mixing in sugar, then binding with egg and milk. After chilling for at least 30 minutes, roll the dough thin and cut circular rounds to line muffin tins. The filling combines melted butter, light brown sugar, beaten egg, lemon juice, chopped walnuts, and mixed dried fruit. This filling mixes lightly to avoid a marshmallow texture and is portioned into the pastry cases without overfilling to prevent overflow during baking.
Baked tarts have a crisp, buttery crust and a moist, fruity nut filling with a hint of citrus brightness. They can be dusted with icing sugar once cool for visual appeal. Ecclefechan Tarts are suitable for dessert or afternoon tea, providing a satisfying blend of textures and flavors reminiscent of traditional Scottish baking.
Chilling the dough helps minimize shrinkage in the oven. Rolling the pastry thin ensures a good filling-to-pastry ratio. Avoid overbeating the filling to maintain texture. Filling only 50-75% full prevents messy overflow. Adjust quantities based on desired servings by scaling ingredients appropriately.
Ingredients
For the sweet shortcrust pastry
- 150 g plain flour
- 75 g butter unsalted, cold
- 1 tablespoon caster sugar
- 1 egg small
- 1 tablespoon milk full-fat
For the filling
- 150 g dried fruit mix mixed
- 50 g walnuts chopped
- 1 egg
- 100 g light brown sugar
- 75 g butter
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- To make the pastry, cut the butter into cubes.
- Sift the flour in a large bowl, add the cubed butter, and use your fingertips to rub the flour and butter together until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add the sugar and mix.
- Crack in the egg, add the milk, and knead the dough gently until it's smooth.
- Cover the dough with clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Flour the work surface, and use a rolling pin to roll the dough to a thickness of 3 mm.
- Use a large cookie cutter (mine is 10cm in diameter) to cut out rounds - reuse the dough until you get 12 rounds.
- Arrange the rounds onto the muffin tin holes and refrigerate the tin until the filling is ready.
- To make the filling, melt the butter and transfer it to a bowl together with the sugar.
- Mix them, add the egg beaten lightly, followed by the lemon juice, and mix again.
- Add the walnuts and dried fruit, and mix to combine.
- Divide the mixture evenly between each muffin tin and bake in the preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) for 25 minutes until the pastry is golden and the filling is set and risen.
- Leave the tarts to cool down in the tin for 10 minutes, then carefully pop them out and leave them to cool down completely on a cooling rack.
Notes
- Chill the pastry dough thoroughly to reduce shrinkage during baking.
- Roll the dough thin to balance pastry and filling for ideal texture.
- Mix the filling ingredients gently to avoid a marshmallow-like consistency.
- Fill tart cases about halfway to three-quarters full to prevent filling overflow.
- Optionally dust cooled tarts with icing sugar for a festive appearance.
- Ingredient amounts can be adjusted by changing the serving size accordingly.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12tarts
Amount Per Serving
Calories 240 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 240kcal | 12% |
| Carbohydrates | 27g | 9% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 14g | 22% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Trans Fat | 0.4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 54mg | 18% |
| Sodium | 95mg | 4% |
| Potassium | 143mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 15g | 30% |
| Vitamin A | 356IU | 7% |
| Vitamin C | 0.4mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 42mg | 4% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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