Mincemeat & Bramley Apple Meringue Tart

Method

1. First make the pastry.

2. Sift the flour and the salt into a large bowl. Cut the butter into cubes, toss in the flour, rub in with the fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Whisk the egg with 2 teaspoons of cold water and add enough to bind the mixture. But do not make the pastry too wet - it should come away cleanly from the bowl. Flatten into a round and wrap in cling film and rest in the fridge for 15 minutes. Roll out thinly on a lightly floured worktop and use it to line the flan tin. Line with kitchen or greaseproof paper and fill to the top with dried beans. Rest for 15 minutes in the fridge.

3. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.

4. Bake the tart base blind for about 25 minutes in a moderate oven or until pale and golden, remove the beans and paper. Brush the pre-baked tart shell with a little beaten egg and pop back into the oven for 3-4 minutes or until almost cooked. Cool.

5. Be careful not to overcook because if this pastry gets too brown, it will be bitter, hard and unappetising.

6. Reduce the temperature to 150°C/Gas mark 1/2.

7. Peel and core the cooking apples. Cut into 1/2cm dice.

8. Whisk the egg whites with the caster sugar until it reaches stiff peaks. Mix the diced apple with the mincemeat and spread over the cooked pastry base. Slather the meringue on top or using a plain round nozzle (no 9), pipe the meringue in your favourite pattern.

9. Return to the oven and cook for 50 minutes, until the meringue is crisp.

10. Cool on a wire rack then dust heavily with icing sugar and if you fancy, add some edible sparkly glitter for end of season festive cheer…

11. Serve with a bowl of softly whipped cream.