Jamie Oliver's Mincemeat Palmiers

Do you need to come up with something truly elegant in a hurry? These palmiers fit the bill perfectly. Make them ahead of time and stick the roll in the freezer; slice and bake when you need them. These won't take 10 minutes to make as practically everything comes in a jar or from the freezer. Jamie adds some fresh orange rind, nuts and a dash of brandy to the bottled mincemeat to brighten it up. I love the idea and they are full of all the yummy flavors of Christmas. With a glass of wine or sherry, you've got the perfect little treat. 

Jamie Oliver's Mincemeat Palmiers
Adapted from Jamie Oliver

Ingredients:
zest of 1 orange
1/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped
1 piece stem ginger (from a jar), finely chopped ( I omitted)
1 1/2 cups mincemeat (I used Crosse & Blackwell)
1 splash brandy
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed in the refrigerator overnight
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 bottle Pedro Ximénez or other sweet sherry, to serve 

Method:
In a bowl, mix the orange zest, chopped pecans and stem ginger into the mincemeat, then add a splash of brandy. Set aside. 
Preheat the oven to 425ºF. 
Lay the pastry on a clean work surface, very lightly floured, with a short edge facing you. Spread thinly and evenly with the mincemeat mixture, leaving a 1 inch border around the pastry. Brush the pastry border with a little beaten egg. Then, working from the short ends, fold each end halfway to the center. Then fold each side again toward the center until the folded edges almost touch. Fold one side over the other and press lightly. Wrap in wax paper or cling film and place in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up. (Or freeze)

Unwrap the pastry and cut off and discard the ends to make it neat. Slice into 24 rounds, then lightly flatten each one. Transfer to 2 non-stick baking sheets, spaced apart. Bake in the oven for 15–18 minutes, until cooked through, puffed and golden brown. Place on a wire rack to cool.