As Christmas is approaching, it is the season to focus on the season's festive desserts such as puddings, cakes, and pies. Here is a recipe for homemade traditional mincemeat to use in your pies, tarts, and turnovers.
Mincemeat tastes good and is easy to make. When you make your own, you know what it contains and you are free to put in your own flair. Add fruit and spices to suit your own and your family's likes and dislikes.
Here is the recipe:
450 g (1 lb) apples (cooking apples will do, or you can include 8 ozs desert apples
225 g (1 cup) shredded suet
225 g (1 cup) currants
225 g (1 cup) sultanas
225 g (1 cup) raisins
225 g (1 cup) mixed peel or candied fruit
350 g (1 1/2 cup) soft dark brown sugar
50 g (1/4 cup) whole almonds sliced thinly or diced up small
Grated rind and juice of 1 small orange and 1 lemon
10 ml (2 tsp) mixed spice: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice combination
5 ml (1tsp) nutmeg
2 ml (1/2 tsp) cinnamon
1 medium measure of brandy
Peel and dice the apples. Put all the dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix well. Cover and leave for up to six hours or overnight.
If the mixture appears dry, add some fresh orange juice or lemon juice. Now cover with foil and place in a cool oven not more than 120 C (225 F) for three hours. This is not to cook but to melt the suet which will moisten the fruit.
Allow to cool completely and then transfer it into clean dry jars, cover, and seal.
This mincemeat will last quite some time, and if later on it appears dry, just add some more fresh orange juice.
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