No Suet Mincemeat

Suet in mince pies has never appealed to me for me i would rather have more fruit spice and booze in my pies than the addition of course fat.

Sophie and i have been tinkering with a few made up recipes in the kitchen for mincemeat for our Christmas mince pies.

150g sultanas
150g currents
150g raisins
150g semi dried cherries, i get the ones that have been dried but then soaked in kirsh or you can do this yourself
100g dried cranberries
50g semi dried dates
50g semi dried figs
3tsp heaped cinnamon
3tsp heaped all spice
3tsp heaped ginger
1 fresh grated nutmeg
grated rind only of lemon and orange
4 tbsp heaped course cut marmalade
1/2 35ltr bottle of brandy more if you want

you can pretty much do as you please with this recipe putting in more things that you like and leaving out what you don't, just place it all fruit in a blitzer and mince slightly to break the fruit up then put everything into a bowl and stir together before spooning into a preserving jar i always add a layer of brandy to the top of the jar so the fruit can have an extra drink, i then leave this for a week or two before using.

When i come to use it i spoon into a bowl and then add
50g chopped walnuts
100g chopped pecans
2 grated fresh apples skin too
flesh of a clementine chopped and added