The worst thing about blogs and twitter is that I get lured in and at this time of year feel a need to do all the Christmassy domestic things. However bitter experience has taught me that this is just ridiculous as I work full-time and I am not naturally a domestic goddess so I am trying to pick and choose my moments of domestic goddessness.
Last Saturday an early morning twitter conversation about mincemeat had me looking out recipes before I did my weekly shop. I settled on Delia’s mincemeat recipe as she has never let me down in the past, well not if you overlook the plum jam incident. It’s a traditional mincemeat recipe and Delia says it is easy – sounds right up my street. The recipe says it makes 2.75kg but I am hopeless at visualising how many jars this might be. After looking at jars in the cupboard and peering at labels I decided to err on the side of caution and make half the mix.
The recipe was indeed easy. You just mix all the ingredients, apart from the brandy, in a large bowl and leave overnight. Then you cook in the oven on a very low heat for 3 hours to melt the suet which then covers and coats the fruit in a unctuous goo.
In case you don’t have Delia Smith’s Christmas Cookbook to hand here is the recipe
Ingredients
450g Bramley apples, cored and chopped small (no need to peel)
225g shredded suet
350g raisins
225g sultanas
225g currants
225g whole mixed candided peel, finely chopped
350g soft dark brown sugar
grated zest and juice of 2 oranges
grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
50g whole almonds, cut into slivers
4 tsps mixed ground spice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
grated nutmeg
6 tblsp brandy
- Combine the ingredients, apart from the brandy, in a large mixing bowl. Stir and mix together thoroughly. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and leave in a cool place overnight or for at least 12 hours.
- Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 1/4, 225 F or 120C. Cover the bowl loosely with foil and place in oven for 3 hours
- Remove from the oven. As it cools stir from time to time. When the mincemeat is quite cold stir in the brandy
- Pack into clean dry jars, cover with wax discs and seal.
Makes 6lb (2.76kg)
If you are more adventurous than me or a real domestic goddess then you might like to try this mincemeat recipe – Deborah, the owner of this blog is one of the people who encouraged me to have a go and I am glad she did.
This weekend my domestic goddess moment will see me trying to make a wreath for the front door – hopefully!