Christmas mincemeat
Background
I like making my own mincemeat because mince pies and other Xmas treats taste so much better with homemade versions. Also, it’s an ideal gifts for friends. However, I don’t like the traditional mincemeat, which is made with suet and far too much sugar. I prefer alcohol to preserve it. This Christmas mincemeat is made with the usual mixed dried fruits & spices – this year I added chestnuts and brandy for a distinct flavour.
Ingredients
- 1 large Bramley apple
- 100g light muscovado sugar
- 100 ml orange/mandarin juice
- 150g mixed dried fruits (raisins, sultanas and citrus peel)
- 75g dried cranberries
- 50g dried figs (chopped)
- 75g dried dates (chopped)
- Grated zest of 1 orange
- 1 tsp ground mixed spice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 100g coked/roasted chestnuts
- 50-75 ml Brandy or rum
- Juice of ½ lemon
Instructions
- Peel and grate the apple.
- Put the sugar and apple juice in a large, heavy-based saucepan, then heat until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the grated apple and all other ingredients except the chestnuts, brandy and lemon.
- Cook for 20-25 minutes until the fruits are soft and the sauce is thick and sticky.
- Add the chestnuts and 50 ml brandy and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring, until you get a thick, jam-like mixture. Turn off the heat and add the remaining ingredients.
- Stir well, then add the extra brandy (for a really boozy version) and spoon it into 2 sterilised jars.
- When cooled completely, put the jars in the fridge. or in a cool larder. Once opened, store in the fridge.
Tips
- This amount is enough for 4 small jars (for gifts) or 2 bigger jars.
- At the end, for the additional Brandy, you can use orange liquor instead, if preferred.
Categories
- Meal Type: - Edible Gifts - Preserves - Quick & Easy - Seasonal
- Cuisines: - British
- Occasions: - Christmas - Parties
- Ingredients: - Citrus - Dried Fruits
- Health and Diet: - Dairy Free - Egg Free - Fat Free - Gluten Free - Vegan
- Skill Levels: - Easy
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