Plan ahead now and you'll have the perfect batch of rich, matured mincemeat in time for December- if you can keep your hands off it for that long!
Ingredients
250g
cooking apples
100g
vegetarian suet
200g
raisins
100g
sultanas
100g
currants
200g
dark sugar
1
orange zest and juice
1
lemon zest and juice
25g
chopped almonds
1/4 tsp
cinnamon
2 tsp
mixed spice
A pinch of nutmeg
3
tbsp brandy
Method
Firstly, gather and weigh out all your ingredients. Zest and juice your fruit; this makes life a lot easier when it comes to putting it all together.
Core your apples and grate them, putting them in a big mixing bowl.
Add the dried fruit, spices, sugar, apples, nuts, juice, zest and vegetable suet.
Mix thoroughly and cover with a tea towel and leave overnight.
The next day pop the mixture into the oven at 120�c and leave for 3 hours. The suet will produce a layer of oil on top of the mix but this is normal.
Take the bowl out of the oven and, as it cools, stir it every so often so that the fat coats all the ingredients - this will help to preserve the mince.
Once the mix is cool, add your brandy - one for me and one for you! Then, if you're not too tipsy, transfer into sterilised jars.
Last but not least, tell your friends how amazing you are that you've made your own mincemeat for Christmas; don't tell too many people, though, or they will all be knocking on your door to get some off you!