It first we have to prepare is the filling. We start by dissolving the brown sugar in the vinegar and then we add the apples, cut into small cubes. It is important that all the pieces of what we are going to add are of a homogeneous type, taking the size of the raisins as a reference. We also add the lard or the butter in cubes.
For him Christmas meatless mix, we leave over low heat and as soon as the apples change color, we successively add the raisins of both types, the plums and the peach dried apricots (rehydrated and chopped into pieces). Helped by a mortar, we crush the mixture of spices (1/2 teaspoon of each, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger powder) and add them to the saucepan.
We prepare a juice with an orange and 2 lemons and we also incorporate it, along with its zest. We chop the almonds into rough pieces and also add them to the casserole, mixing well. We let everything cook until it has a dark color and a texture similar to chutney or to a jam thick.
For him minced meat with meatWe fry the minced meat in a pan with lard as fat and when the meat turns color, we add the broth, letting it cook until reduced and the meat is practically free of liquid. Then, we put a ladle of our preparation of minced meat trying that it has less apple pieces and mix it.
Once the cooking of both preparations is finished, when our fillings have the desired textureAdd the brandy, let it evaporate for a minute and store them in glass jars that we will close well, cook in a water bath for 5 minutes to sterilize them and label them. So we they will last a few months in the pantry and when we want to make these cupcakes, it will be enough to fill the shortbread tartlets with a tablespoon of our favorite filling and bake until they are done.
For him assembly and baking of the tartlets, we make the shortbread by kneading the indicated ingredients, we form a ball and let it rest until ready to use. You can also use ready-made shortbread.
Cut some circles the size of the molds that we are going to use and some stars to cover the tartlets. We place the circles in our mold, we put inside each a teaspoon or two of the minced meat pie filling and we cover them with the stars.
Bake at 200ºC for about 12 minutes until golden brown and let cool. Sprinkle with icing sugar and we have them ready to eat. We can use one or the other filling, but to distinguish one type of tartlet from the others, I made the ones with meat in a larger mold that I covered with a few crossed strips of shortbread instead of with the stars.