Season's Weakness

Introduction:
It is at this time of year that I find myself vulnerable to the temptation of the modestly packaged, deadly attraction of the Woollies brand fruit mince tart. The crumble of buttery pastry with the soft, spicy, Christmassy innards always lures me into a shameful indulgence behind the pantry door.

Aim:
This year, after spying the Nigella Lawson version of these little treats in a foodie magazine, I decided to take matters into my own hands and produce some tarts of my own.

Apparatus:
Two batches of sweet shortcrust pastry.
Some fruit mincemeat.
Lots of little tart trays.

Method:
Roll, cut, peel and place. Roll, cut, peel and place. Roll, cut, peel and place. (Repeat 21 times)
Scoop. Scoop. Scoop. (Repeat 21 times)
Roll, cut, peel and place. Roll, cut, peel and place. Roll, cut, peel and place. (Repeat 21 times)
Bake at 220 degrees C for 12 minutes.
Makes 24.

Results:

Though the process of rolling, cutting, peeling and placing the fragile pastry is a little more involved than the slight elbow bend needed to pick up a pack from the supermarket shelf, the result are much the same! (Though mine look far cuter with the little stars, even if I do say so myself!)

Conclusion:
When looking for a relaxing, fiddly, timely exercise to wile away an hour or so and fill the house with yummy baking smells, little star tarts are the go. For all other fruit mince tart needs, see your local Woolworths bakery department.