Spiced cider, apple and sultana mincemeat
Serves: 1.5kg
Prep time: 25 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Maja Smend
Spiced cider, apple and sultana mincemeat
Recipe by Lucy Jessop
Laced with nutmeg, cinnamon, punchy cider and a splash of brandy to plump up the sultanas, this is a lovely appley twist on classic mincemeat, but its roots are firmly fixed in tradition. Label up and tie with ribbon for a gorgeous homemade gift
Serves: 1.5kg
Prep time: 25 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (Per tbsp)
Calories
44Kcal
Fat
1gr
Saturates
1gr
Carbs
8gr
Sugars
6gr
Fibre
0gr
Protein
0gr
Salt
0gr
Lucy Jessop
Lucy, our former Food Editor creates lots of delicious meals each month. Her recipes are always packed with flavour and they're super easy too!
See more of Lucy Jessop’s recipes
Lucy Jessop
Lucy, our former Food Editor creates lots of delicious meals each month. Her recipes are always packed with flavour and they're super easy too!
See more of Lucy Jessop’s recipes
Ingredients
- 125g unsalted butter
- 200g dark muscovado (or brown) sugar
- 150ml dry cider
- 125g sultanas
- 125g dried figs, finely chopped
- 200g tub glacé cherries, quartered
- 125g raisins
- 125g currants
- 100g cut mixed peel
- 1 heaped tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 heaped tsp ground mixed spice
- 1⁄4 tsp ground ginger
- ½ whole nutmeg, finely grated
- 1 large Bramley apple or 2 small (about 350g), cored and coarsely grated
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 100ml brandy (or Calvados)
Step by step
How to store
Make up to 3 months ahead and store in a cool, dark place. Once opened, store in the fridge and use within a month.
- Sterilise your jars – you will need 6 x 250g or 3 x 500g jars. Preheat the oven to 140°C, fan 120°C, gas 1. Wash the jars and lids in hot soapy water, rinsing well. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes until dry. Switch off the oven, leaving the jars inside until ready to use.
- For the mincemeat, put the butter, sugar and cider into a large pan and heat gently for about 8-10 minutes until the sugar has dissolved – don’t let the mixture boil.
- Carefully tip in all the dried fruit, the glacé cherries, spices, grated apple, lemon zest and juice and almost all the brandy.
- Bring slowly to a simmer, reduce the heat to low and cook very gently, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes until thickened slightly (it will also thicken on cooling). Stir in the rest of the brandy. Remove from the heat.
- If using straight away to make mince pies, cover and leave to cool to room temperature before filling the pastry cases. If preparing ahead, spoon the warm mincemeat into the sterilised jars, add the lids and label once cool.
