Making your own mincemeat will transform your mince pies into a taste sensation!
Makes 3 x 350 ml jars
INGREDIENTS
300g Bramley Apple with peel, cored and chopped small
25g chopped almonds
2 tsp mixed spice
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
110g shredded suet (use vegetarian if you wish)
175g raisins
110g sultanas
110g currants
110g finely chopped mixed candied peel
174 soft dark brown sugar
Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp brandy (optional)
METHOD
Place all the ingredients, except the brandy, into a large baking tray and stir throughly to combine together.
Cover with a Chez Beccy Christmas Tea Towel and leave over night (approx 12 hrs), for the flavours to fully develop.
Preheat the oven to 120 degrees C/ gas mark 1/4
Remove the tea towel, cover the baking tray with tin foil, and place in the oven for 3 hours. When the time is up remove from the oven. Don't worry about how it looks, there will be a lot of fat and this contains all the flavour, so you need this!
As the mixture cools, stir from time to time and the fat will become incorporated with the other ingredients.
Stir in the brandy when completely cold.
Pack in sterilised jars and cover with discs of baking paper to seal. (See below, how to sterilise jam jars)
Keep in a cool dark cupboard indefinitely!
How to sterilise jam jars
Preheat the oven to 140 degrees C/gas mark 1.Wash the jars in hot, soapy water, the rinse well.
Place jars on a baking tray and put them in the oven to ry completely (about 10 mins).
If using jars with rubber seals, fill a saucepan with cold water and bring to the boil.
Add the seals and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Place on a baking tray to dry.