How To Make Mincemeat

Filling up on a season treat

Try Bake Off star Val Stones’ mincemeat treats two ways

Home-cook extraordinaire Val Stones’ recipe for festive mincemeat is a classic filling packed with traditional flavours that are worthy of any celebration.

Here, we suggest you can use it in our black forest mince pies in our recipe spread, or to fill your favourite jar before decorating it and giving it as a gift. However, you want to use this mincemeat recipe, one thing is guaranteed; it will be savoured and enjoyed by whoever is lucky enough to sample it this Christmas.

Ingredients

• 2 medium-sized Bramley apples (150g peeled)
• 150g light-brown sugar
• Zest and juice of 1 small orange
• Zest and juice of 1 small lemon
• 30g unsalted butter
• 100g raisins
• 25g pre-soaked Californian prunes, chopped
• 50g dried cherries, chopped
• 50g dried cranberries, chopped
• 150g sultanas
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 6 tablespoons of fresh orange juice

To Make:

1. Peel and grate the apples and place in a large pan with the brown sugar and the zest and juice of the orange and lemon. Stir well and place on a medium heat. Gradually bring to the boil, stirring frequently until the apples are soft.
2. Add the butter, dried fruits and spices to the pan, stir well and simmer until thickened (this should take about 30 to 40 minutes).
3. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. Once cool, stir in the orange juice. The mincemeat can now be packed into jars or into fridge containers until needed.