Ecclefechan Tart

The Ecclefechan tart has been around for al long time, but has found renewed popularity, with the BBC Scotland stating "A traditional tart from Scotland is proving a Christmas culinary rival for the mince pie. More than 50,000 Ecclefechan Tarts - named after a small town in Dumfries and Galloway - have been sold in the past month alone. Supermarket chain Sainsbury's said it had been sure the cakes - reminiscent of pecan pie - would "go down a storm". A VisitScotland Dumfries and Galloway spokesperson said the tarts were just one of the region's "great products". Sainsbury's said the cakes scored top marks in taste tests earlier this year.

This is a recipe that I found in a book of my Mums by Judy Patterson called Scottish Home Baking, by Judy Patterson. It is a variation of a traditional border tart.

8 ounces flaky pastry dough
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup loosely packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons wine vinegar
1 cup mixed dried fruit
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat your oven to 375°F. This recipe may be made into several small tarts but, because the filling is fairly liquid, we chose to make one large (7-inch) tart. A small pie plate would also work.

Roll out the pastry until it's large enough to line your tart pan(s). Pour in the filling and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. This may also be served with double, clotted or whipped cream