I made my Christmas mincemeat yesterday. It's based on Delia Smith's recipe, but with a few changes. I use a bit less of some of the raisins, sultanas and currants, and add some chopped prunes, apricots and glace cherries. I leave out the almonds and use pecans or walnuts instead. And I add a bag of fresh cranberries. Oh, and I use rather more brandy than Delia does (because there are more ingredients in my batch, of course!) I also don't bother with baking it in the oven as Delia says to do. I've never found it goes off as she warns. In fact there's a jar from 2005 on the shelf which is as good as new. I suspect the generous addition of brandy helps - in Delia's recipe all the alcohol must be driven off in the oven, so the only way to preserve it to to heat it and seal it in sterilised jar.You really should try making your own mincemeat. It's not at all hard. It's not even cooking. It's just weighing out some ingredients and putting them in a bowl. That's it. Mix it up and spoon it into jars and you're all done. And the best thing about it is that you can do this anytime you fancy, because it stores so well. You don't have to wait until the height of the pre-Christmas panic. I like to do it around November, when I'm starting to feel festive but it's really too soon to do much about it.
A few years ago a friend of mine stated proudly that she made her own mince pies, using shop-bought mincemeat and shop-bought pastry. I'm afraid to say I made her feel bad and bragged that I made mine from scratch. I shouldn't have done that. But it isn't hard to make pastry. And it's even easier than that to make mincemeat.
Cartoon from Climate Cartoons.
7 comments:
I recently made mincemeat, too. Please go and check out how we do it in Northern NY. Your version is fascinating.
yup yup - i do the delia mincemeat recipe too, and her mince pie recipe. although i change the pastry a bit. I grate in some orange zest at the breadcrumb stage, and add about 1/2 tsp, maybe a little more, of mixed spice. Then instead of using water to bind the recipe together, i use a mix of OJ and rum. It gives a lovely light crumbly pastry.
something else that a friend has inspired is doing Delia's caramelised ravioli: she's on a diet, but adores mince pies. I suggested she make the above, with filo pastry, and freeze them - then she can get a couple at a time out to get her mincepie fix, without damaging the diet too much. i think it'll work for her :)
the biggest problem with putting the mincemeat in the oven is the fact that it tastes so wonderfully gorgeous and i'm constantly helping myself to a spoon here, a spoon there, until i bottle the stuff up. Very bad. *slaps hands*. on the other hand, the suet stuff raw (i.e. unmelted) isn't so appetising so i might just try bottling it raw next year.. LOL.
keth
xx
someone referred to your blog on Thursday's Child... showing the mosaic fireplace that you built, which was really nice.
i always thought mincemeat had real meat in it. it wasn't until coming to bahrain and meeting some british ladies that i found out that it isn't. this sounds yummy.
i agree, pastry isn't difficult to make, and for me, there's just something about rolling out the dough... it relaxes me.
not sure when your thansgiving is, but Happy Thanksgiving.
I make my own too. I use Josceline Dimbleby and find it keeps really well - no cooking here either! It is also just right for us because we don't like it too sweet. I ues her orange pastry for the mince pies - they are a legend in our house and keenly looked forward to.
http://devonheaven-tracy.blogspot.com/2007/11/christmas-food.html
I use Josceline's pate sucre (rich sweet pastry) with Delia's mincemeat (plus my own variations). I agree Delia's pastry recipe for mine pies is uninspiring. Orange pastry sounds great, maybe I'll give that a try this year. I also like to do lattice tops sometimes, or my favourite is to cut out little stars that don't quite cover the top, so you see little bits of mincemeat through the triangular gaps.
Okay, I can do this. I have most of the bits left over from making the cake and it'll make me feel organised!
Delia's mincemeat recipie is great. used it last year and I made some lovely pies. I may have cheated on the pastry though...
Really liking the filo idea too especially as I'm on a diet. Hmm.. I'm going to have to get cooking this weekend I think.
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