Making your own cranberry mincemeat for mince pies at Christmas is so easy. This luxury mincemeat recipe mixes together beautiful flavours of fresh apple, dried fruit, brandy, nuts, and fresh cranberries (dried cranberries work too). Based on a traditional mincemeat recipe this recipe works not only for mince pies but makes a great Christmas gift too. Plus as a bonus mincemeat can last for years when placed in sterilised jars and kept somewhere cool and dark.
500gapples(eating or cooking apples both work. A mix is nice but I often use just eating apples)
2lemons(zest and juice)
2oranges(zest and juice)
300gfresh cranberries(or you can use dried or frozen but allow to defrost first)
800gmixed dried fruit(normally a mix of sultanas, currants, raisins, orange peel and lemon peel)
40gcandied peel(only add if your mixed fruit doesn't have it inside the mix)
100gglace cherries
50gchopped almonds
Spices
1tspground ginger
2tspground cinnamon
1tspgrated nutmeg
1tspground cloves
Store cupboard
250gsuet(I used Atora brand)
225gdark brown sugar
Alcohol
175mlbrandy
Optional Extras
100gdried apricots
60gpreserved ginger in syrup(optional)
Instructions
Peel, core and finely chop the apples. Put them in a large jam pan or saucepan.
Add in the dried mixed fruit (and candied peel if your mixed fruit doesn't have it in it).
Stir in the chopped almonds.
Add in the cranberries and glace cherries.
Add the dark brown soft sugar.
Add in the suet.
Zest and juice the oranges and limes. Stir it into the mix.
Measure out and add all the spices.
Add the brandy and give it all a really good stir.
(Optional) Remove the preserved ginger from the syrup then chop it up along with the apricots and add to the mix.
Put the saucepan/ jam pan on a medium heat and cook for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes to make sure it's all gorgeously mushing together. It will smell incredible. The mix will look very fatty but that is how it is meant to look.
While the mincemeat is cooking, prepare and sterilise the jars are you going to use to store it. (Check out the notes below for how to sterilise them.)
After an hour, give it a good stir and gently pour the cranberry mincemeat mix into the jars. Add the lids and allow them to cool. The jars will be really hot so be careful. It will take a few hours for it to cool completely.
Video
Notes
•The mincemeat will last in its jar for about 3 years or so when kept unopened in a dark cool place. It is a perfect pantry item.•Makes great gifts and can be used in a range of Christmas dishes.•Created 2 litres of mincemeat.•To steralise the jars give them a good hot soapy wash, rinse well and then place them in the oven at 140ºC/ 284ºF for 10 minutes. They should be completely dry and still hot when you add the mincemeat to them. This will stop them from breaking.