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Mincemeat Citrus Frangipane Strudel

Mincemeat Citrus Frangipane Strudel

Taking classic mincemeat and balancing it with a citrus frangipane filling to make a wonderfully impressive looking strudel.  Serve it with whipping cream as a dessert, or sliced with coffee for breakfast!

Course Baking
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 12 slices

Ingredients

Mincemeat Filling

  • 2 medium Granny Smith Apples peeled and diced into 1/4 inch cubes
  • 1 large Bartlett Pear if you can't find the pear, then use three apples, peeled and diced into 1/4 inch cubes
  • 1 cup dried currants
  • 1/2 cup sultanas
  • 1 cup walnuts or pecans chopped small
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup apple juice or cider
  • 1/4 cup brandy cognac or rum can also use apple juice if needed
  • 4 tbsp 1/2 stick butter
  • 2 tbsp candied ginger diced small
  • Grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
  • Grated zest of 1/2 navel orange
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Frangipane

  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 Extra Large egg or two medium eggs
  • 1/4 cup AP flour
  • 3/4 cup ground almonds
  • 1 tbsp orange zest
  • 1 tsp lemon zest

Strudel

  • 1 lb 450 grams puff pastry, sheets or block, thawed thoroughly in the refrigerator
  • 1 egg beaten with a touch of water, for egg wash
  • raw sugar for sprinkling
  • icing sugar for dusting

Instructions

Mincemeat

  1. Place all the ingredients into a heavy bottomed pot and set over medium high heat.
  2. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer
  3. Stir regularly, until the liquids have reduced to a thick syrup and have coated all the ingredients. The bottom of the pan will be almost dry, as you stir and expose the bottom with a wooden spoon. Do not let it completely cook off though. The remaining liquids will solidify as it cools so you want some syrup there, or else it will be a stiff, dry filling.
  4. Set aside. This part can be made in advance and stored in a glass jar. Bring back to room temperature before using in the recipe below.

Frangipane

  1. Beat the butter and sugar with a hand held mixer until soft and fluffy.
  2. Add the egg and cream till smooth
  3. Add the flour and almonds and beat on slow till a thick cream develops.
  4. Fold in the zest.
  5. This can be stored in the fridge till needed. Let it warm up before spooning it onto the pastry though, or else it may pull or tear at the pastry as you try to spread it.

Strudel

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 375F (190C)
  2. Ensure that the mincemeat and frangipane are at room temperature.
  3. Take your pastry sheets from the fridge. They should be completely thawed.
  4. Spread them out on parchment (you may use the parchment they came wrapped in)
  5. Most sheets seem to come sized at about 10x11 inch (26x28 cm) If you are working with a block of pastry, divide it and roll it to the above dimensions.
  6. They should be oriented in portrait, or with the short ends at the top and bottom. They should fit nicely inside the parchment paper.
  7. Spoon the frangipani down the middle of each pastry. It shouldn't be wider than 2.5-3 inches. See Notes below.
  8. Spoon the mincemeat (also warmed to room temperature) on top of the frangipani.
  9. Make incisions on either side of the filling on a slight angle (see photos in Strawberry Rhubarb Jalousie recipe, link in notes) , stopping short of the filling itself, each cut about 1 inch apart. You should have strips about 2 3/4 or so inches long and 1 inch wide.
  10. Fold the top fringe across the fruit on a slight angle, pulling gently to cover the fruit. It should just start to meet the other side. But don't force it further. As long as it covers the mincemeat, you're good.
  11. Fold the opposing fringe over this one, creating a criss cross, pressing gently into each other, so that they adhere.
  12. Continue on till you have reached the end. Press the top and bottom ends tightly and under to seal them. Brush away any excess flour from the parchment paper.
  13. Gently transfer the pastry to a baking sheet, using the parchment to carry it over. The parchment can remain on the baking sheet.
  14. Egg wash the entire pastry. Sprinkle with raw sugar.
  15. Bake until golden, about 30-35 minutes. Don't be eager to remove too early.

  16. Cool and then dust with icing sugar.  Slice each strudel into six portions.

    Can be stored in an airtight container for a few days.

Recipe Notes

See Strawberry Rhubarb Jalousie for instruction photos.

As per my photographs, I only spoon enough of the frangipani and fruit that seems reasonable for the size of pastry I have rolled out. If it seems unreasonable to use all that you have prepared, don't use it all. It will just ooze out between the 'braid's'. Better to be reasonable when spooning it out, and then have a bit leftover to use elsewhere, than trying to stretch the pastry too thin to cover over it.

There always seems to be leftover frangipane. You could store the frangipani in the fridge and make tarts later in the week. Just make or thaw frozen mini tart shells. Par-bake 15 minutes after thawing. Then fill with frangipani and top with mincemeat or fresh fruit. Just remember that frangipani puffs up as it bakes, so you don't need to overfill. 1/3 of the tart is more than enough. Then bake till the shells have finished baking, about 20 more minutes. As per tart box instructions.