Yes I know it’s months to Christmas, but .........................

I ran out of time to make my mincemeat last year and I can’t bear the overly sweet and tasteless version on offer in the shops.  I tentatively approached a Kilner jar that remained full from Christmas 2010 in the hope that it may be OK.  It had certainly been given plenty of time to mature!  It was marvellous.  Probably the best mincemeat I have made in years.

I can thoroughly recommend this recipe and the beauty of it is that most of the work is done by the food-processor and it can go straight into the jar without the usual couple of days soaking. 

Ingredients (Makes approximately 2 large Kilner jars)

50g blanched almonds 225g each of sultanas/raisins/currants 100g candied peel 140g shredded suet 1 Bramley apple 225g light muscovado sugar 50g stem ginger, plus 2 tbsp syrup from the jar ¼ tsp each powdered ginger/mixed spice/nutmeg 50g glacé cherries grated zest and juice of 1 orange 50g ready-to-eat dried pineapples 150ml brandy or dark rum

Method:

1. Peel and  core the apple and chop into large chunks.
2. In your food processor, pulse the almonds, peel, apple, ginger, cherries and pineapple together until finely chopped (but not mushy), then tip into a large bowl.
3. In batches, pulse the sultanas, raisins and currants until just chopped a little bit then add to the bowl.
4. Sprinkle the suet and sugar, salt and spices over all the chopped fruit and mix well. To mix, squelch through fingers.
5. Pour over the ginger syrup, orange juice and zest and alcohol (I prefer to use brandy), then mix again.
6. Spoon the mixture into sterilised jars and keep until needed.
    

So that’s a job ticked off the 2012 Christmas list!