Kyra's Minced Meat

Which is neither ‘mince’ nor meat’ but a wonderful mélange of fruits to use in your Holiday Tarts or Rugelach

In a large bowl combine  3 cups assorted dried fruits – your choice
Use half cup of each of your choice:
Choose from the following:
½ cup dark raisins
½ cup golden raisins
½ cup currants
½ cup dates – cut up fine
½ dried apple – chopped fine
½ cup dried apricots – diced
½ dried cherries
Add:
½  STRONG Cultured Cup Snow  Peach tea
½ cup sweet wine
½ cup honey
Juice and grated rind of 1 lemon
3-4 Tablespoons brandy
Spoon the whole lot into a large glass jar, refrigerate and allow to’mature’ for at least a week (the longer it matures the better it is!)
Before using stir in ½  chopped walnuts
When ready to use – remove as much of the mincemeat you need for your recipe with a slotted spoon – leaving behind the liquid.  Stir in ¼ - ½ cup chopped nuts [walnuts ‘traditional’ pecans ‘Texas’] into the mincemeat you are using.
And fill  little tarts or Rugelach  or  spoon over ice cream!
Note: #1 Do NOT discard the liquid!  Just keep adding fruits to the mixture – and add liquid where necessary.  You can keep this wonderful mixture for 6 months in the refrigerator. It only gets better!!
Note: #2  You can also add a peeled diced apple or pear to the ‘mincemeat.


Grandma Katie’s Rugelach with Sour Cream Pastry
Pastry:
2 cups flour
1 cup cold butter cut into cubes
¼ cup confectioners sugar
¾ cup sour cream
1 egg yolk
½ cup smooth apricot jam

Topping: 1 egg white
¼ cup cinnamon sugar
Place flour butter and confectioner’s sugar in the food processor [see note*] and process on and off until you have a coarse meal
Add sour cream and egg yolk and process just until the dough comes together
Wrap the dough and chill for at least 4 hours [can be refrigerated for up to 2 days]

Method # 1
Divide the pastry into 2
Roll out the one half into a 8x 14 rectangle
Spread with half the jam and spoon on 1 cup of the fruit filling
Roll up on the long end to form a 14” log
Repeat with the second half of the pastry
Chill for at least 30 minutes
Cut the logs into 1 ½ inch slices
You can freeze the unbaked Rugelach at this point
When ready to bake – heat oven to 350
Set Rugelach on baking sheet and brush with egg white and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar
Bake for about 20 minutes or until browned and baked through

Method #2
Roll out half of the dough into a 12” circle. Brush with the apricot jam
Cut the pastry across into 12 wedges Spread 1 – 2 cups of the fruit filling evenly over the circle
Roll op the wedges firmly from the wide end leaving narrow ends face down
Then proceed as for recipe

Note#
If you do not own a food processor – you can make the dough by hand:
Place the flour and confectioner’s sugar in a large bowl .. Cut in the butter and work lightly with finger until you have a coarse meal
Stir in the sour cream and egg yolk and work the mixture until it comes together to form a dough