Christmas fruit mince with cherries
Christmas fruit mince with cherries
by Sam Linsell
This Christmas mince can be made in advance and preserved in jars, or made to use for Christmas mince pies. You can store the cooked mince in a jar in the fridge for a month.
4 medium/large apples or pears (or both), peeled cored and chopped into small pieces
300-400 gms fresh cherries, pitted and cut in half
500gm mixed dried fruit (Raisins, sultanas, currants)
Zest and juice of an orange
3 Tbs candied citrus peel
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp ground cloves
3 cups granulated white sugar
1/2 cup vinegar (white wine or apple cider)
Combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes until thickened stirring from time to time. Allow fruit mince to cool.
Use to make Christmas mince pies or other Christmas treats. Alternatively preserve the fruit in a jar as per below instructions.
To preserve this mince, prepare your stockpot by filling it with water and bringing it to a boil. Heat jars and lids in the simmering water until they ready for use. Do not boil. Set the bands aside.
When the fruit mince is ready, ladle it into hot jars leaving 2 ½ cm (1/2 and inch) headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim the rim and centre the lid on the jar. Apply the band until the fit is fingertip tight.
Process jars in boiling water (stockpot) for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude (the water should cover the lids in the stockpot by about 2 cm). Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. The lid should not flex up and down when the canter is pressed.