Bake

For the apricot filling:

·       Put the chopped apricots into a saucepan and add enough water to cover them by 2-3 cm. Simmer and bubble for 15-20 minutes, or until they thicken.

·       Stir in the sugar, butter, nutmeg, cinnamon and orange juice.  Keep the saucepan on the heat of the cooker until it looks and feels like jam.

·       Cool and store in a fridge in an airtight container until ready to use.

For the tart dough:

·       Put the cream cheese, butter and vanilla into a bowl.

·       Using a big spoon, mix the ingredients together until smooth.

·       Add the flour and mix until the mixture is hard to stir. Use your hands to squash the dough to help thicken it.

·       Shape the dough into a ball and cover tightly with food wrap or place into a air tight storage container.

·       Place the dough into a fridge for at least one hour, or overnight.

·     Warm the oven to 200 degrees Celsius whilst you make the tarts.

To make the tarts:

·       Shape the dough into balls (a little smaller than a ping pong ball) and place into a mini muffin or tart tin.

·       Dust the end of a rolling pin with flour, and push it into each of the balls of dough to make a tart shape.

·       Fill each tart with a rounded teaspoon of the pre made filling (you can use ready made apricot jam).

·       Bake for 10 minutes until lightly golden.

·      This is a good time to clear things away and make a nice space for when the tarts are cooked.

·       Remove the tin from the oven and carefully remove each tart and placing them on a wire rack. Be careful only to touch the pastry as the jam can get very hot!

·       When the tarts have cooled, sprinkle with a little icing sugar.

·       Store in an airtight container or freeze until ready to eat!

Enjoy your marvellous tarts!