Autumn is a fabulous time to crack on and get ahead with your festive preparations; those darker evenings lend themselves very well to a spot of pottering in the kitchen playing with festive spices (then you can go to bed safe in the knowledge you have a cupboard full of Xmas gifts maturing nicely!) Mincemeat is very forgiving in terms of the ingredients; my family can’t abide dried peel but if you would like to adds some, just use 50g to replace some of the dried fruit; either brandy or rum are delicious and walnuts, pecans and hazelnuts also make a nice change. Absolutely delicious dotted through an apple crumble!
Cranberry, orange and almond mincemeat
An easy homemade mincemeat with plump dried fruit, festives spices and zesty orange, baked low and slow.
Ingredients
- 2 Bramley apples about 300g after peeling and coring, grated or finely chopped
- 250 g raisins
- 200 g dried cranberries
- 200 g dark muscovado sugar
- 150 g sultanas
- 150 g suet vegetarian suet works well
- 80 ml brandy or dark rum
- 50 g flaked almonds
- 2 oranges zest and juice
- 1 lemon zest only
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- 1 pinch ground cloves
Instructions
- Mix everything except the almonds and the brandy in an ovenproof dish. Cover and leave overnight in a cool place.
- Heat the oven to 120C (100C fan), gas ¼. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 3 hours, stirring once or twice. Do not worry if it looks very fatty: the suet coats the fruit and seals in the juices.
- Leave to cool completely.
- Stir in the toasted almonds and the brandy, and taste. If you would like it a little more spicy, stir in a pinch more cinnamon or nutmeg.
- Pack into sterilised jars, pushing the mincemeat down firmly with the back of a spoon to get rid of any air pockets, and seal. Keep in a cool, dark cupboard for at least 2 weeks, and ideally 4, before using. It will keep for up to 6 months. Once opened, keep it in the fridge.
Notes
Stir the brandy in at the end, once the mincemeat is cold, so it is not cooked off.
Toast the almonds and add them at the end so they keep a little bite.
Slow cooker method: put the soaked mixture (everything except the almonds and brandy) in a slow cooker and cook on low for about 3 hours, stirring once or twice, until the suet has melted and the fruit is soft and glossy. Leave the lid slightly ajar, or put a clean tea towel under it, so the steam can escape and the mincemeat does not turn watery. Then cool, stir in the almonds and brandy and jar as in the main method.
Best used within 6 months. Keep unopened jars in a cool, dark cupboard and, once opened, in the fridge.
Go easy on the cloves: they are very strong and can taste bitter and medicinal if you use too much.
To give it as a gift, tie on a tag with the date it was made and a note to add a splash of brandy to the pastry for extra Christmassy mince pies.
Our secret trick for an extra special mince pie: press a small piece of marzipan into the bottom of each pie case before you add the mincemeat.
