CHRISTMAS MINCEMEAT.
I first made my own Christmas mincemeat a couple of years ago and I have not looked back.
It is so easy to make and SO much better than anything you can buy in the supermarket.
I can't take too much credit for this recipe as it is a really great one by Delia Smith which I have tweaked (there original can be found here) but it is just so delicious.
Ingredients...
450g Bramley Apples
225g shredded suet (I use the versions suitable for vegetarians)
1kg dried fruit (whatever you like from sultanas, raisins, currants, dried cherries, cranberries etc)
350g soft brown sugar
2 oranges
2 lemons
4tsp ground mixed spice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Method...
Mix all of the ingredients together thoroughly in a large bowl (or to save washing up, a large saucepan/ovenproof dish and cover with clingfilm and leave somewhere cool overnight.
Preheat the oven to gas mark 1/4 or 110 degrees.
Cover the saucepan/ovenproof dish loosely with foil and place in the oven for 3 hours (your house will smell amazing!). The aim of placing in the oven is to melt the fat (the suet) which then coats all of the ingredients and preserves them.
After the 3 hours are up, remove from the oven and give it a quick stir (it doesn't look great at this stage). As it cools, give it a stir every now and then to make sure the fat is evenly distributed. When it is cold, you can store it in jars or in a large container that can be tightly closed (like a tuppaware container with clips) and it can be stored for up to 3 months.
Mixture fills 6 large jars.
