Mincemeat Filled Braid Recipes

Steps:

• Combine cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice in a bowl. Reserve 1 heaped teaspoon for the mincemeat. Store the rest in a small jar for a later use.
• Inspect two 12-ounce jars for cracks and rings for rust, discarding any defective ones. Immerse in simmering water until mincemeat is ready. Wash new, unused lids and rings in warm soapy water.
• Combine apple, sultanas, sugar, currants, raisins, and butter in a saucepan. Cook over low heat and stir gently until butter has melted. Stir in chopped almonds, orange zest, 1 teaspoon of mixed spice, and cinnamon. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and set mincemeat aside to cool down for 30 minutes. Stir in brandy. Spoon into sterilized jars.

Steps:

• Place the ground beef into a skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir until the beef is well browned, about 10 minutes, breaking it up into small crumbles as it cooks. Drain excess fat.
• In a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium heat, mix the cooked beef, suet, apples, brown sugar, brandy, raisins, walnuts, dried mixed fruit, mixed fruit peel, lemon juice, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. Stir the mincemeat until thoroughly combined and the sugar has dissolved, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until the flavors have blended and the mincemeat filling is thickened, about 1 hour. Stir occasionally.
• Use as mincemeat pie filling.

Steps:

• Soak the raisins and currants in the brandy and lemon juice for 1 hr until plumped up, then drain and set the brandy aside. Mix all the ingredients together in the order given, then pour in the brandy when everything else is well mixed. Spoon and press into sterilised jars, to exclude any air (the easiest way to sterilise jars is to run them through a dishwasher on its hottest setting). Cover and leave for at least a fortnight. Will keep in the fridge for up to 6 months.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line the base and sides of a 20cm square tin with baking parchment. Beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, 1 tsp of the cinnamon and the cloves together with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Stir in the flour and ground rice first with a spoon, then get your hands in and knead to a smooth dough.
• Halve the dough and press one half evenly into the base of the tin. Spread the mincemeat over the top, leaving a 1cm border around the edge. Roll out the remaining dough between 2 sheets of baking parchment to a 20cm square, then slide onto the mincemeat. Seal around the edge with your fingers gently press all over until dimpled, then prick all over the top with a fork.
• Bake for 25-30 mins until lightly golden. Mix the granulated sugar with the remaining 1/4 tsp cinnamon and sprinkle over the top. Cool in the tin before cutting into squares. Will keep for 3 days in an airtight container.