Here is a delicious recipe for Stem Ginger Mincemeat.

These days people just pop mince pies into their mouth without thinking of the contents inside. Those contents are often mass made and hardly resemble the mincemeat of days gone by.

If you want a real treat you should try making your own mincemeat.  It isn’t complicated and the results are certainly well worth the effort.

A jar of homemade mincemeat makes a superb gift especially if you include some pastry and a star shaped cutter inviting the recipient to experience the joy of home baking for themselves.

Traditionally mincemeat, Christmas pudding and Christmas cakes are made from the end of October until the middle of November. This gives a chance for the brandy or rum to mature the treasures just in time for Christmas.

The procedure:

I always start any recipe by assembling and weighing out all my ingredients. This always speeds up the actual cooking process when it is just a case of popping ingredients into the pan or bowl.

Second step is to wash and dry any jars and put them in the oven to sterilise.  I use a hot oven and lay the jars on their sides.  Be careful when taking them out though they will be extremely hot.

Put all of the ingredients except the brandy (if using) into a large pan and heat on medium. Stir frequently until the sugar has dissolved and the suet has melted. This takes around 10 minutes.

While the fruit mixture is cooking put the clean jars in the oven at about 180C for to minutes to sterilise. Carefully remove and put on a chopping board so that the jars do not touch the cold surface and crack.  Allow them to cool slightly before filling.

When the sugar and the suet have dissolved take off the heat and allow to cool slightly.  Add the brandy, stir and ladle into the clean sterilised jars.

Finish with jam pot covers which will form an airtight seal. Wipe clean and put aside until Christmas and make delicious mince pies, mincemeat shortbread or even mincemeat ice-cream.

Want the recipe – here its is!

The recipe:

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Stem Ginger Mincemeat

A simple yet delicious mincemeat for festive pies and sweets

Servings: 4 lb jars

Author: Heidi Roberts

Ingredients

• 150 grams dried currants
• 150 grams sultanas
• 100 grams raisins
• 1 lemon - juice and zest
• 1 medium cooking apple, peeled, cored and chopped
• 3-4 balls stem ginger
• 1 tsp stem ginger syrup
• 200 grams dark moscovado sugar
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
• 75 grams suet
• 75 grams mixed peel
• 100 ml brandy
• 100 grams dried cranberries is optional

Instructions

1. Wash, dry and place your jars in the oven at 180°C for about 15 minutes

2. Put all of the ingredients except the brandy in a large pan.

3. Cook on high until the sugar and suet start to disolve.

4. Turn the heat down and simmer for about 10 minutes stirring from time to time.

5. Take the pan off the heat and let cool down for a few minutes then stir in the brandy.

6. Take the jars out of the oven if you haven't already and cool slightly.

7. Fill the jars with the warm mincemeat and cover with jam pot covers.

8. Let the jars of mincemeat cool completely then store in a cool dry place. The mincemeat will keep for at least 6 months but probably longer.

If you liked this recipe you might like some of the following:-

Rhubarb, strawberry and ginger jam

Blackberry jam with lemon & nutmeg

Rhubarb chutney with dates and raisins

I was not paid to create this recipe.  As usual all opinions and photographs are my own.  No photographs may be reproduced in any manner without my written permission.