GAME-CHANGING MINCEMEAT!

I’m not a huge fan of traditional mincemeat, so when it comes to making my own, I tend to stray towards the sweeter side. This one is packed full of pears, Christmas spices and there’s more caramel than you can shake a stick at, so it delivers some serious flavour.

If caramel is not your thing, then try this delicious Fig, Ginger, and Chocolate Mincemeat instead.

RECIPE: Pear, Caramel, and Rum Mincemeat

MAKES: About 400g

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 PEARS, diced
• 150g DRIED FIGS, diced
• 150g RAISINS
• 80g BROWN SUGAR
• 2 balls STEM GINGER, finely diced
• 20g GINGER SYRUP, from the Stem Ginger jar
• 80g SUET
• 1 tsp. GROUND GINGER
• 1 tsp. GROUND CINNAMON
• 80ml SPICED RUM
• 140g SOFT CARAMELS, diced

METHOD:

1. To a large mixing bowl, add the PEAR, DRIED FIGS, RAISINS, SUGAR, STEM GINGER, GINGER SYRUP, SUET, GROUND GINGER and GROUND CINNAMON. (That’s everything except the rum and soft caramels).
2. Mix well and drape a tea towel over the top, covering the bowl, and leave in a cool part of the kitchen overnight (or at least 12 hours).
3. THE NEXT DAY decant the mixture into a large heavy-bottomed saucepan and turn on to medium. Heat the mixture for 30 minutes on a medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. What you want is for the suet to melt and for the fat to coat all the individual pieces, whilst giving the fruit a head start before it heads into mince pies. Once the mixture is glistening, remove from the heat and leave to cool.
4. After about 15 minutes, stir in the SPICED RUM and SOFT CARAMELS.
5. Spoon the mincemeat into sterilised jars and store in a cool dark place until Christmas. It will last indefinitely, but I’d recommend using it within a year.
6. Try using the mincemeat to make my Mince Pies Crumbles or Viennese Whirl Mince Pies.