Monday 15 December 2014

Posh mincemeat tutorial


I treated myself to this magazine recently.  It has some lovely recipes in it and I made the Cranberry and Ginger Chutney from this magazine and as soon as time allowed, I set to and opened the page at Home-made Mincemeat with Cherries in Kirsch and Marzipan and assembled the ingredients.





I have finally been dragged screaming into the 21st C.  My old beam scales are what I use for pounds and ounces weighing (which is what I work in, given the chance).  I also have a set of scales which does both persuasions, but it had been getting a little unbalanced recently and I couldn't trust it for small amounts.  So I went to Fleabay and forked our under £5 (incl. postage) for this wee beast, which will weigh tiny amounts in grams accurately, and will convert to lbs and oz too.  Why did I wait so long?!


I hope you can read this recipe, and that I am not infringing copyright regulations by showing it!, but since it is a published publication I assume not.


Chop finely 200g of prunes.  This is a breakfast bowl, apparently, which I bought from Matalan recently.  It is totally the WRONG shape to be stacked anywhere but on top of plates in my cupboard, BUT it is excellent for holding a small portion of a main meal and for assembling ingredients (sweet or savoury) in.


Add 200g large juicy raisins.


And 200g of dark moist Muscavado sugar.


The recipe called for dried apple, but that seemed unnecessary so I used two of my winter store apples from our own trees, chopped small.



Add the drained cherries.  Also the zest of a lemon and the zest and juice of a good orange.  Before using them I make up my own cleanser to remove pesticides from the peel - take 1 tblspn vinegar (I used my home made cider vinegar for this) and 1 tblspn lemon juice (old lemons perfect for this), and a cup of water.  Place fruit to be cleaned in this for a few minutes, scrub skins and wash and dry.

The spices are added next and it is cooked as per recipe.  Allow it to cool, then add the reserved 6 tblspns Kirsch infused cherry juice and stir in the chopped marzipan.  Bottle into sterilized jars.  Seriously good stuff this and a lovely gift.


7 comments:

  1. Hi BB

    I see to have missed this magazine. Think I may have slipped up there.

    I think I a going to call you the Mincemeat Queen; remember all those years ago you introduced me to proper home made mincemeat and to the little cookbooks (which I subsequently invested in with all sorts of preserving recipes and main meals. This recipe looks a good one too; thinking out of the box if you bottled your own cherries this would be a lovely recipe to pop up early on as it would give a good few months maturing. I tend to keep marzipan in but it is easily made at home. I also like your recipe for cleaning waxed lemons; I normally soak in warm water and then take a little nail brush to the skins of the fruit and then dry off with tissue, but this fits in nicely with my preference for using natural ingredients i.e. vinegar/ascorbic acid. Lovely post as usual BB. I hope the family are all home with you for Christmas pity we do not live nearer as I think we could end up leading each other astray. Take care Pattypan xx

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  2. Looks good, though I'm not sure about the marzipan

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  3. I must say BB that it looks very yummy. I made some this year but I think I might have tried this recipe had I seen it in time - I adore marzipan.

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  4. Hi Pattypan. The Mincemeat Queen - I rather like that!! I wish we did live nearer, as I know you would be a very close and dear friend. We are on the same wavelength.

    Smallholder - smelt wonderful too. Marzipan is only ground almonds and sugar really ,so it should go well with the soft fruits.

    Pat - I'll let you know how good it is when I do the first lot of mince pies.

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  5. All looks yummy .. although it would have to be homemade marzipan for me (almond paste) .. I dont like the bought stuff.
    I too have a 'modern' scale .. it likes in its box on top of the cupboard. My son Richard bought if for when he cooks ... I think he thinks I'm a bit 'unbalanced' still working with my old battered scale!

    Vicky x

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  6. That will make some serious mince pies! Jx

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  7. A couple of mince pies made with that and a snifter of last year's Sloe Gin and I'll not be able to walk a straight line!

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