Recipe: Mincemeat

It never properly feels like Christmas until you’ve eaten your first mince pie, fresh out of the oven, still steaming, maybe with a drizzle of cream and a cup of tea. Granted, the likes of Mr Kipling do them pretty well, but nothing beats a homemade one. And they’re so easy to make. Our Executive Pastry Chef, Ryan, has been perfecting his mincemeat recipe for years, but it’s got to the point where he feels it’s good enough to share (hopefully you like yours boozy too…).
We’ll leave the pastry up to you.

Ingredients

  • 125g suet
  • 125g mixed peel
  • 250g raisins
  • 250g currants
  • 250g sugar
  • 5g lemon zest
  • 7g mixed spice
  • 1tsp ground clove
  • A generous pinch of salt
  • 250g grated apple
  • 1/4 bottle of sherry
  • 1/4 bottle of brandy
  • 1/4 bottle of sweet cider

Method

  1. Combine all of the ingredients except the alcohol in a large baking bowl. Stir the mixture thoroughly making sure it is evenly distributed. Cover with a tea towel and leave overnight to allow the flavours to melt together.
  2. Replace the tea towel with tin foil and place in an oven at 110°C for two and a half hours.
  3. Remove from the oven and stir the mincemeat well. Leave to cool, stirring from time to time.
  4. When the mixture has cooled, add the sherry, brandy and cider and stir for a final time.
  5. Fill sterilized jars with your mixture and seal with a grease-proof paper and a lid. Leave in a fridge to mature for at least two weeks.

Top Tip: Prepare your mincemeat, pop into a jar, tie with festive ribbon and give as a lovely festive gift this Christmas.

If you’d rather leave it up to the professionals, why not book our quintessential Afternoon Tea this December?