Cranberry Jewelled Mincemeat Food

LAST-MINUTE CRANBERRY MINCEMEAT

Steps:

• Put cranberries, sugar, sultanas, orange juice and zest, cinnamon and port into a large pan. Bring to the boil and then simmer (stirring occasionally) for 5min. Cool and use as needed. Like this? You'll love... Mincemeat bakewell tart recipe Ultimate mince pies The best Christmas pudding recipes The best Christmas cake recipes

HOME-MADE CHRISTMAS MINCEMEAT WITH CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• All you do is combine the above ingredients, except for the brandy, in a large ovenproof mixing bowl, stirring and mixing them together very thoroughly indeed. Then cover the bowl with a clean cloth and leave the mixture in a cool place overnight or for 12 hours, so the flavours have a chance to mingle and develop. After that pre-heat the oven to gas mark ¼, 225°F (120°C). Then cover the bowl loosely with foil and place in the oven for 3 hours. Then remove the bowl from the oven. Don't worry about the appearance of the mincemeat - it will look as if it is positively swimming in fat, but this is how it should look As it cools, stir it from time to time: the fat will coagulate. When the mincemeat is quite cold, stir in the brandy. Pack in the jars, which have been washed, dried and heated in a moderate oven for 5 minutes to sterilise, cover with waxed discs and seal. It will keep indefinitely in a cool, dry cupboard, but I think it is best eaten within a year of making.

CRANBERRY JEWELLED MINCEMEAT

Steps:

• Tip the dried fruits and mixed peel into a large bowl. Pour over the brandy, zests and juices. Stir, then cover and leave to soak for 24 hrs.
• Tip the mixture into a large saucepan with the remaining ingredients and stir well. Set over a medium heat and, once the suet has melted, turn up the heat and bubble for a few mins. Pack while hot into sterilised jars (see tip, below). Leave in a cool, dark cupboard for at least a fortnight, or for up to 6 months.

CRANBERRY-STUDDED MINCEMEAT BY NIGELLA LAWSON

Steps:

• In a large pan, dissolve the sugar in the ruby port over a gentle heat.
• Add the cranberries and stir.
• Add the cinnamon, ginger and cloves, currants, raisins, dried cranberries and the zest and juice of the clementine.
• Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 minutes, or until the fruit has broken down and has absorbed most of the liquid in the pan. (You may need to squish the cranberries a little with the back of a wooden spoon to incorporate them fully.).
• Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little.
• Add the brandy, almond extract, vanilla extract and honey and stir well with a wooden spoon to mash the mixture down into a paste.
• Spoon the mincemeat into sterilised jars and, once cool, store in the fridge for up to two weeks.

CRANBERRY MINCEMEAT TARTS OR PIE #2

Steps:

• In saucepan, combine mincemeat and cranberry sauce, stir constantly till almost boiling on medium heat.
• Remove from heat.
• Grate orange zest, peel orange and chop segments.
• Add orange zest, chopped orange and liqueur.
• Spoon into tart shells and place on baking sheet.
• Fill pie shell and use top crust or make fancy cut-outs with pastry.
• Bake in preheated 400°F oven for about 20 minutes or until pastry is golden.
• For pie bake for about 35 minutes.
• I can only fit 1 pie and 1 sheet of tarts at a time in my oven so cooking time includes the 2nd pan of tarts while pie is still cooking.

JEWELLED MINCEMEAT

Steps:

• Peel, core and chop the apples, then put them in a large pan with the spices, sugar, citrus zests and juices. Bring to the boil then cover and simmer for about 10 mins until the apples start to soften. Add the cranberries, raisins and alcohol. Bringto the boil, stirring well, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-30 mins, uncovered, until thickened. Stir in the apricots, nuts and tropical fruits. Remove from the heat, leave to cool, then pack into sterilised jars. Seal, label and keep for up to one month in the fridge, or six months in the freezer.

MINCEMEAT-CRANBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, stir cranberry sauce, mincemeat and orange juice until heated through. Serve warm over ice cream. Store leftovers in refrigerator.