A Golden Oldie from Saltwater Foodways

Perfect for a tea or dessert party, Banbury Tarts are a simple puff pastry
with a filling like a lemon-y mincemeat

Bann Berries

One cup of sugar, 1 cup seeded raisins chopped, 1 egg, juice of 1 lemon. Put all in a double boiler and cook two minutes.
Make pastry of 2 cups of flour, ½ cup lard, ½ teaspoon baking powder, a little salt. Roll out and cut thin.
Put a teaspoon of raisin mixture in each puff, and bake.
[Miss E. Agnes Stewart. From The Stonington Cookbook, Reprint of the Cookbook of the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor of the Second Congregational Church (Stonington, CT,) ca. 1900, p. 45.]

You can make your pastry yourself, or if you wish, use prepared puff pastry, re-rolled so it will not puff quite so dramatically.

Filling:
1 cup sugar
1 cup raisins
1 egg
juice of one lemon (and zest, if you wish)

Pastry:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup lard (or vegetable shortening)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
6-8 tablespoons ice water

Preheat the oven to 425.
Chop the raisins coarsely by rocking a knife through them. Mix the filling ingredients well then cook, stirring constantly until it is slightly thickened. Cool completely. Mix the pastry ingredients and chill. When you are ready to make the tarts, roll out and cut two rounds for each tart. Put filling on the bottom round, moisten the edges, then place top round over, pressing the edges together with a floured fork. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Yield will vary depending on how large a cutter you use.