Zesty mincemeat

• mixed dried fruit↗500g g
• candied peel100g g
• light muscovado sugar↗200g g
• zest and juice orange and lemon
• coarsely grated Bramley apple175g g

  and 100g finely grated Bramley apple

• brandy↗3 tbsp tbsp
• nutmeg↗½

  freshly grated

• beef or vegetarian suet↗100g g
• ground almond↗ tbsp

  optional

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Tip all the ingredients, except the suet and ground almonds, into a large bowl and stir really well. Stir in the suet, cover with a plate or cling film and leave overnight for the fruit to plump up in the juices and brandy.

2. 2

   Next day, stir thoroughly again, and if the mixture still looks very juicy, add a sprinkling of ground almonds to absorb some of the liquid. Now it is ready to jar. The mincemeat will keep for 6 months, but once open, store in the fridge.