A vibrant red dish filled with roasted apples, raisins, and nuts, creating a warm and inviting autumn treat.

Apple, Ginger and Pear Mincemeat

You must be here because you've taken on the challenge to make your own Christmas mince pies—or maybe you just want to eat mincemeat straight from the bowl! No judgment here. This recipe is perfect on several fronts: it uses fresh as well as dried fruit and contains absolutely no suet. In fact, it has very little fat (only the natural oil in the almonds). The result? Light and fruity, with all the rich, warm spiciness of traditional mincemeat. A real showstopper!
720 mins
serves 4

Method

  1. Wash, core, and chop the apples, then place them in a saucepan with the orange juice. Cook gently until soft, then blend into a puree using a blender or by pushing through a sieve. You should have about 700ml of apple puree.
  2. Transfer the puree to a large bowl, add all the remaining ingredients except the brandy or gin, and mix thoroughly. Cover the bowl and let it stand for 12 hours.
  3. Preheat the oven to 130°C (Gas Mark ½). Place the mincemeat in a large baking dish and bake uncovered for 2–2.5 hours.
  4. Remove from the oven, stir in the brandy or gin, and spoon into warm, sterilised jars, ensuring there are no air pockets. Seal the jars and store in a dry, dark, cool place until Christmas.
  5. Use within 12 months.

Ingredients

(Makes 4 x 450g jars)

1kg Bramley apples

Finely grated zest and juice of 2-3 oranges (you need 200ml juice)

500g firm pears, peeled, cored and chopped into 1cm cubes

200g currants

150g raisins

150g sultanas

100g crystallised stem ginger

100g orange marmalade

250g demerara sugar

½ tsp ground cloves

2 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp ground cinnamon

½ nutmeg, grated

50ml ginger wine or cordial (optional)

100g chopped almonds

50ml brandy or sloe gin

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