Vienna Slice -

Vienna Slice

Ingredients

275 g (10 oz) shortcrust pastry
411 g (14 oz) jar of mincemeat
150 g (6 oz) butter
100 g (4 oz) caster sugar
3 eggs
Few drops of vanilla essence
225 g (8 oz) plain flour, sifted
8 glacé cherries, quartered
Strips of angelica, chopped
Icing sugar, to dust

Details

Serves: 8

Method

1 Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until it is large enough to fit a 30 x 11 cm (12 x 4½ inch) loose-bottomed flan tin. Alternatively, roll it out to line a 20 cm (8 inch) round flan ring. Chill for 15 minutes.

2 Line with greaseproof paper, fill with baking beans and bake blind in a preheated oven, 190˚C (375˚F), Gas Mark 5, for 10 minutes. Remove the baking beans and cook the pas­try for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

3 Spoon in the mincemeat and level the surface. Set aside.

4 Cream together the butter and caster sugar. Separate 2 eggs; beat 2 yolks, 1 whole egg and the vanilla essence into the creamed mixture. Beat in the flour, until smooth. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle and pipe a lattice on top of the mincemeat. Pipe rosettes in between the lattice. Chill for 1 hour.

5 Decorate with glacé cherries and angelica, and then bake for 25­-30 minutes, until golden. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar.

PREPARATION TIME: 20 MINUTES, PLUS 1 ¼ HOURS CHILLING TIME
COOKING TIME: 40-45 MINUTES
OVEN TEMPERATURE: 190˚C (375˚F), GAS MARK 5

Related food category:

• Teatime Favourite