Its hard to think about Christmas in early November but if you love to bake at Christmas I am afraid you have to be prepared. The Christmas cake needs baking and feeding with booze, mincemeat needs time to mature and develop flavour and sloe gin needs weeks to be perfect just in time for that lovely Christmas tipple.

So last night I prepared all the ingredients needed to make Delia’s homemade mincemeat, the ingredients looks so beautiful, like jewels all ready in the bowl ready for a good mix and as I am not making a Christmas cake this year (well I may make a little one) I got the Children to each give the ingredients a good stir and make their Christmas wishes.

This morning at 7.30am I put the oven on, popped all the prepped ingredients in and went off to do the school run, on my return I was welcomed home with the aroma’s of Christmas. It was gorgeous.

I helped the boys Nonna make mincemeat so many times and I always remember that she would always make a batch just for me with no peel in it, I hate the stuff and always substitute peel with gorgeous cherries just like she did for me. It was a standing joke that when she sent me into the larder to get the cherries I would always have to pop some in my mouth, Jasmine would always jokingly tell me off about eating them, but we both knew it was part and parcel of the tradition. Even now I can not open a pot of cherries without eating a few and if there are some in the cupboard I can not help but eat them like sweets!

Well today is All Souls’ Day and what better day to be remembering a truly wonderful woman.

Our thoughts are always with you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

8oz (225g) Bramley apples, cored and chopped small (no need to peel them)
4 oz (110 g) shredded suet
6oz (175 g) raisins
4oz (110 g) sultanas
4oz (110 g) currants
4oz (110 g) whole mixed candied peel, finely chopped, if like me you hate the stuff you can always leave it out or use glace cherries instead
6oz (175 g) soft dark brown sugar
grated zest and juice 1 orange
grated zest and juice 1 lemon
1 oz (25 g) whole almonds, cut into slivers
2 level teaspoons mixed ground spice
¼ level teaspoon ground cinnamon
good pinch freshly grated nutmeg
3 tablespoons brandy ( I am going to try Amaretto in the next batch)

All you do is combine all the ingredients, except for the brandy, in a large mixing bowl, stirring them and mixing them together very thoroughly indeed. Then cover the bowl with a clean cloth and leave the mixture in a cool place overnight or for 12 hours, so the flavours have a chance to mingle and develop.

After that pre-heat the oven to gas mark ¼, 225°F (120°C). Cover the bowl loosely with foil and place it in the oven for 3 hours, then remove the bowl from the oven. Don’t worry about the appearance of the mincemeat, which will look positively swimming in fat. This is how it should look. As it cools, stir it from time to time; the fat will coagulate and, instead of it being in tiny shreds, it will encase all the other ingredients.

When the mincemeat is quite cold, stir well again, adding the brandy. Pack in jars that have been sterilised (see below). When filled, cover with waxed discs and seal. The mincemeat will keep for ages in a cool, dark cupboard but I think it is best eaten within a year of making.

NOTE: To sterilise jars, wash the jars and lids in warm soapy water, rinse well, then dry thoroughly with a clean tea cloth, place them on a baking tray and pop into a medium oven, gas mark 4, 350F, 180C, for 5 minutes.