First Courses Main Courses Desserts Christmas Baking Veg and Veggie

Special mincemeat

Ingredients

  • 175g currants
  • 175g raisins
  • 175g sultanas
  • 175g dried cranberries
  • 100g mixed peel
  • 1 small cooking apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
  • 125g butter, cut into cubes
  • 50g whole blanched almonds, roughly chopped
  • 225g light muscovado sugar
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp mixed spice
  • finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
  • 200ml brandy, rum or sherry

Special mincemeat

INTRODUCTION

I prefer the flavour of butter to suet in mincemeat – which makes it suitable for vegetarians – but use suet if you wish. The butter makes the mincemeat look slightly cloudy in the jar but this disappears once the mincemeat is cooked in mince pies, etc.

INSTRUCTIONS

Makes 4 x 370g jars

  1. Measure all of the ingredients except the alcohol into a large pan. Heat gently, allowing the butter to melt, then simmer very gently, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.

  2. Allow the mixture to cool completely then stir in the brandy, rum or sherry.

  3. Spoon the mincemeat into sterilised jam jars, seal tightly, label and store in a cool place.

TIP - I no longer use cellophane tops or wax paper. I simply use clean sterilised screw-top jars saved from bought marmalade or jam.

PREPARING AHEAD - Make the mincemeat up to six months ahead and store in a cool place. It’s not necessary to freeze mincemeat as it stores so well.

IN THE AGA - Follow stage 1, heat gently on the boiling plate, cover and transfer to the simmering oven for about 20 minutes.

 

This recipe is taken from: Christmas Collection (Headline)