mincemeat

Traditional home-made mincemeat is a real treat for mince pies and it is so easy to make! Make it once and you'll never go back to jars.

Mincemeat

225 grams/8 ounces vegetarian suet

225 grams/8 ounces Bramley apples, peeled, cored and chopped

candied peel, chopped

sultanas

raisins

currants

demerara sugar

tsp mixed spice

orange, zest and juice

60 milliliters/2fl oz brandy

Sweet and boozy this fruit mincemeat will have you looking for new ways to use it this Holiday season!

Homemade Fruit Mincemeat

sweet apples, peeled,

orange, zested, peeled and diced

c raisins

golden raisins

½ c dried apricots, chopped

dark brown sugar

lemon juice

cinnamon

nutmeg

allspice

½ c brandy*, (bottom shelf is fine)

In a medium saucepan, mix diced apples, orange...

In a medium saucepan, mix diced apples, orange zest, diced orange fruit, and remaining ingredients except the brandy. Stir and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes.

Remove the mixture from the heat and stir...

Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the brandy.*

Place the mixture in an air-tight container and...

Place the mixture in an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks before using, to let the flavors meld.

This will keep in the fridge 2-3 months.

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/wqyet5qhrkmubeximmxs.mp4

What is mincemeat? We’re here to break down the confusion behind this boozy fruit concoction and share a recipe to make your own homemade mincemeat.

This microwave Christmas pud, which uses shop-bought mincemeat, takes just 35 mins - simply combine the ingredients and cook on the day.

Last-Minute Christmas Pudding

fine shred orange marmalade

molasses cane sugar

tbsp treacle

eggs, beaten

tbsp whisky

butter, frozen and coarsely grated

self-raising flour

Last-minute Christmas pudding

Butter and line the base of a 1.5-litre pudding basin with greaseproof paper. In a large bowl, stir the ingredients together, adding them one at a time in the order they are listed, until everything is completely mixed.

Tip the pudding mix into the basin and cover with a circle of greaseproof paper. Place the pudding on a plate and microwave on Medium for 20-25 mins until cooked and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave to stand for 5 mins, then turn out and serve with brandy butter and cream.

Bake this festive fruit cake in advance of Christmas and feed it regularly with rum, brandy or whisky to build the flavour and keep it moist

Make & mature Christmas cake

1kg mixed dried fruit(use a mix of raisins, sultanas, currants, cherries, cranberries, prunes

orange

lemon

milliliters brandy,Sherry, whisky

pack butter,softened

light soft brown sugar

plain flour

ground almond

½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp ground cloves

flaked almonds

eggs

tsp vanilla extract

Put 1kg mixed dried fruit, the zest and juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon, 150ml brandy or other alcohol, 250g softened butter and 200g light, soft brown sugar in a large <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/five-best-saucepans">pan</a> set over a medium heat.

Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 mins. Tip the fruit mixture into a large <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-mixing-bowls">bowl</a> and leave to cool for 30 mins.

Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Line a deep 20cm cake tin with a double layer of <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/baking-equipment">baking parchment</a>, then wrap a double layer of newspaper around the outside – tie with string to secure.

Add 175g plain flour, 100g ground almonds, ½ tsp baking powder, 2 tsp mixed spice, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground cloves, 100g flaked almonds, 4 large eggs and 1 tsp vanilla extract to the fruit mixture and stir well, making sure there are no pockets of flour.

Tip into your prepared tin, level the top with a <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/test-best-spatulas">spatula</a> and bake in the centre of the oven for 2 hrs.

Remove the cake from the oven, poke holes in it with a skewer and spoon over 2 tbsp of your chosen alcohol. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin.

To store, peel off the baking parchment, then wrap well in cling film. Feed the cake with 1-2 tbsp alcohol every fortnight, until you ice it.

Don’t feed the cake for the final week to give the surface a chance to dry before icing.

Pronounced ba-boor-tea, the national dish of South Africa is a delicious mixture of curried meat and fruit with a creamy golden topping, not dissimilar to moussaka

Bobotie

white bread

onions, chopped

butter

garlic cloves, crushed

1kg packet lean minced beef

tbsp Madras curry paste

herbs

cloves

allspice berries

tbsp peach or mango chutney

tbsp sultana

bay leaves

full-cream milk

Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Pour cold water over the bread and set aside to soak.

Meanwhile, fry the onions in the butter, stirring regularly for 10 mins until they are soft and starting to colour. Add the garlic and beef and stir well, crushing the mince into fine grains until it changes colour. Stir in the curry paste, herbs, spices, chutney, sultanas and 2 of the bay leaves with 1 tsp salt and plenty of ground black pepper.

Cover and simmer for 10 mins. Squeeze the water from the bread, then beat into the meat mixture until well blended. Tip into an oval ovenproof dish (23 x 33cm and about 5-6cm deep). Press the mixture down well and smooth the top. You can make this and chill 1 day ahead.

For the topping, beat the milk and eggs with seasoning, then pour over the meat. Top with the remaining bay leaves and bake for 35-40 mins until the topping is set and starting to turn golden.

Rum butter is one of our favourite Christmas treats and we&#8217;ve come up with a fantastic new way to use it – in mincemeat! Use to fill mince pies, try it in our spiced rum butter mincemeat cake or have a go at this royal mincemeat pie.

Spiced rum butter mincemeat

bramley apple (about 200 grams)

unsalted butter

dark rum

chopped mixed peel

½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1½ tsp ground mixed spice

light muscovado sugar

lightly toasted blanched almonds, chopped

You’ll also need…

Sterilised jars with tight-fitting lids (you’ll need enough

For the mincemeat, both zestsand juices in a medium-size pan. Peel, quarter and core the apple, then coarsely grate, stirring itinto the juices as you grate to stop the apple from browning.

Add the butter, rum, dried fruit, mixed peel and spices and cook over a low heat, stirring frequently, for about 1 hour until the apple has broken down, the dried fruit has plumped up and all the liquid has been absorbed.

Stir in the sugar and set aside to cool, then stir in the chopped almonds. Spoon the mincemeat into sterilised jars (see Know-how), then press a waxed disc firmly onto the surface of the mixture and seal immediately. Store in the fridge until needed and use to make our spiced mincemeat cake.

A twist to the traditional mince pies in canape size. Celebrate the spirit of Christmas by serving to these decadent treats at your party!

Mince Pies

Jus-Rol Shortcrust Pastry Sheets

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C (fan)/Gas 6

Unroll the pastry and using a 7.5cm/3″ cutter, cut out 12 discs and line the base of a muffin tin. (For mini mince pies, use a 3cm cutter and a mini muffin tray). Cut out 12 smaller discs with a fluted cutter for the lids and set aside. (You can use different shaped cutters for the lids. Christmas trees and stars work really well!

Fill each pastry case with 2 teaspoons of mincemeat; lightly moisten the underside of the pastry lids before placing on the pies, pressing the edges gently to seal. Make a hole in the top of each pie with the tip of a sharp knife (to allow any steam to escape).

Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown; allow to stand in the tin for 2-3 minutes before carefully transferring to a cooling rack. Serve warm or cold.

Readymade puff pastry and three optional flavour twists using shop-bought mincemeat means making these mince pies is almost as simple as buying them – but gains you far more brownie points! 


Puff pastry mince pies 

300 grams/10½oz mincemeat

cranberries

½ pear, cored and finely diced, no need to peel

eating apple, peeled,

300 grams/10½oz mincemeat, sieved to remove most of the syrup

tbsp sloe gin

grams/1 ounces walnuts, finely chopped

tsp almond liqueur,

flour,

puff pastry

free-range egg, beaten

350 grams/12 ounces mincemeat (choose your favourite flavour from the suggestions above)

golden granulated sugar,

Mary Berry's mince pies will win any Christmas get-together. These Christmassy bites have delicious orangey pastry and grated marzipan on top that gives a wonderful flavour.

Equipment and preparation: for this recipe you will need a 12-hole muffin tin and 8cm/3in fluted pastry cutter. 


Mary Berry's mince pies

flour

grams/2½oz butter,

grams/1 ounces icing sugar,

orange,

egg,

250 grams/9 ounces good-quality ready-made mincemeat

125 grams/4 ounces uncoloured marzipan, grated

Make your own mincemeat this Christmas – and not just for mince pies. Try it in Chelsea buns or sweet samosas. You could also give jars of it away as gifts

10-minute mincemeat

apples

mixed dried fruit

brandy

grated unsalted butter

½ tbsp ground almonds

Put the peeled and grated Bramley apples, light muscovado sugar and the zest and juice of the orange and lemon into a large bowl with the ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, allspice, mixed dried fruit and brandy. Stir in the grated unsalted butter or shredded suet and ground almonds. Transfer to jars or containers. Keep in the fridge, unopened, for up to three months or in the freezer for up to six months.

Few people today know what REAL mincemeat should taste like, today's version paling in comparison to the mincemeat that has been a household tradition for centuries.&nbsp; Give this traditional version a try and even if you've always hated mincemeat this may just be the one to convert you!

BEST Traditional Mincemeat

beef steak

Note: Traditionally

(190 grams) raisins

(190 grams) currants

(80 grams) golden raisins

tart apple

(450 grams) packed dark brown sugar

lemon peel

orange peel

(25 grams) finely chopped blanched almonds

lemon, its zest and juice

apple cider vinegar

mace

ginger

coriander

Combine all ingredients except for the brandy and rum in a medium-sized pot and slowly bring to a simmer to prevent scorching.  Reduce the heat to LOW and simmer uncovered for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, more towards the end to prevent burning.  (If the liquid reduces too soon and the mincemeat starts to stick/scorch on the bottom, add a little bit of apple juice or water.)  Stir in the brandy and rum.  (Note: If you prefer to have the alcohol cooked out, add them at the same time as the other ingredients.)  

Spoon the hot mincemeat into sterilized jars.  As the mixture cools the suet will harden, creating a seal to help preserve the mincemeat.  *If you&#x27;re including the beef be sure to refrigerate the mincemeat.  If you&#x27;re storing it for more than a couple of weeks follow the directions in the blog post for pressure canning the mincemeat for longer-term storage.See blog post for additional ways of storing your mincemeat.

Makes about 1 quart.&nbsp; Feel free to double, triple, etc, as needed.

Use this mincemeat to make Homemade Mince Pies! (click link for recipe)

Note:  Mincemeat is traditionally stored for several months before using to allow time for the flavors to deepen, however this mincemeat is also delicious eaten within just a few days.

These deep and crumbly mince pies are so simple and delicious. The secret to Paul's mince pie recipe is to jazz up shop-bought mincemeat with a little extra fruit and zest.  (No soggy bottoms, please.)

Equipment and preparation: You will need a deep muffin mould with 12 holes, a round pastry cutter and a fluted pastry cutter.

Paul Hollywood’s mince pies

250 grams/9 ounces butter, softened

125 grams/4 ounces caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

tangerines, zest grated and flesh chopped

apple, finely diced

Mince Pies but without all the fiddly pastry! These Frangipane Mince Pie Slices have all the flavours you'd associate with mince pies but in a tray bake instead of an individual little pie.

Frangipane Mince Pie Slices

water

margarine

150 g caster sugar

60 g plain flour

90 g ground almonds

almond extract

orange zested

For the pastry, measure the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs

Add enough water to form a soft dough. Add it gradually because you might not need to add all three tablespoons

Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan assisted, 180°C non fan). Roll the dough out on a slightly floured surface and line the bottom of a 33x24cm tin with it

In another bowl cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the rest of the frangipane ingredients and mix until combined

Spread the mincemeat evenly across the pastry making sure you get right to the edges

Dot spoonfuls of the frangipane on top of the mincemeat and spread evenly across the mincemeat

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes and then allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes or so before turning out onto to wire rack to cool completely&nbsp;

Cut into 24 equal squares&nbsp;

Deliciously moist Mincemeat &amp; Almond Cake which is perfect served as an afternoon treat or warm as a comforting dessert. How would you eat yours?

Mincemeat &amp; Almond Cake

140 g caster sugar

140 g ground almonds

140 g self raising flour

orange (zested)

tbsp flaked almonds

Heat the oven to 160ºC (fan assisted, 180°C non fan) and line a loose bottomed 8&quot; cake tin

Mix the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes

Add the eggs, ground almonds, flour and almond extract and mix together until combined

Add the orange zest and fold through

Spread half the mix into the tin and then add the mincemeat and spread out

Spread the rest of the cake mix on top of the mincemeat and scatter with flaked almonds. Bake for 45-50 minutes and check it&#039;s done by using a cocktail stick. If it comes out clean, the cake is done

Top 35 mincemeat recipes from across the web

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Top 35 mincemeat recipes from across the web

The most viewed mincemeat recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Mincemeat

Homemade Fruit Mincemeat

Last-Minute Christmas Pudding

Make & mature Christmas cake

Bobotie

Spiced rum butter mincemeat

Mince Pies

Puff pastry mince pies

Mary Berry's mince pies

10-minute mincemeat

BEST Traditional Mincemeat

Paul Hollywood’s mince pies

Frangipane Mince Pie Slices

Mincemeat &amp; Almond Cake

Mincemeat Pinwheels

Cinnamon swirl mince pies

Christmas Mincemeat Flapjacks

Mincemeat & pecan palmiers

Easy Puff Pastry Mincemeat Rolls

Easy Festive Apple and Mincemeat St...

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Crumble Topped Mince Pies

Unbelievably easy mince pies

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Mincemeat Cake Recipe - Easy Christ...

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Easy Peasy Mini Mince Pies

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Easy Puff Pastry Mince Pies

Easy Mincemeat Christmas Cake

Air-fryer mince pies

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The most viewed mincemeat recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

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