30 Days of Christmas Cooking: Slow Cooker Fruit Mince
Who doesn't love a fruit mince tart or pie at Christmastime? They're a Christmas treat tradition, delicious for morning tea, afternoon tea, supper or just to enjoy with a cuppa.
This is my easy peasy version of fruit mince, all done in the slow cooker, and it is delicious. It makes the best fruit mince pies and tarts, big and small. Enjoy it as a part of your own Christmas celebration or make it, bottle it and give it as gifts to the gourmets and bakers on your gift list.
Slow Cooker Fruit Mince
Ingredients:
500g apples, cored and cut into small dice (no need to peel)
250g shredded suet
1kg mixed fruit
250g glace peel, finely chopped
350g dark brown sugar
grated zest and juice of 2 oranges
grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
50g slivered almonds
4 tsp mixed ground spice
½ tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
150ml brandy
Method:
Combine everything except the brandy in a 6 litre slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 - 10 hours until fruit is very soft. Don't worry if the mixture seems to be very runny and swimming in fat - it should look like that. It's the suet. Sit the crock of mincemeat on the sink with a tea towel over it to cool completely. As the fruit mince cools the suet will coat the fruit and it will thicken. Pour in the brandy and stir. Spoon the mincemeat into hot sterilised jars and seal. As the mincemeat cools it will form a layer of fat on top - this is fine, it is supposed to do this. The fat will help to preserve the mincemeat. Mincemeat prepared this way will keep in a cool, dark cupboard indefinitely but I guarantee you won't need to worry about keeping it that long.
This is my easy peasy version of fruit mince, all done in the slow cooker, and it is delicious. It makes the best fruit mince pies and tarts, big and small. Enjoy it as a part of your own Christmas celebration or make it, bottle it and give it as gifts to the gourmets and bakers on your gift list.
Slow Cooker Fruit Mince
Ingredients:
500g apples, cored and cut into small dice (no need to peel)
250g shredded suet
1kg mixed fruit
250g glace peel, finely chopped
350g dark brown sugar
grated zest and juice of 2 oranges
grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
50g slivered almonds
4 tsp mixed ground spice
½ tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
150ml brandy
Method:
Combine everything except the brandy in a 6 litre slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 - 10 hours until fruit is very soft. Don't worry if the mixture seems to be very runny and swimming in fat - it should look like that. It's the suet. Sit the crock of mincemeat on the sink with a tea towel over it to cool completely. As the fruit mince cools the suet will coat the fruit and it will thicken. Pour in the brandy and stir. Spoon the mincemeat into hot sterilised jars and seal. As the mincemeat cools it will form a layer of fat on top - this is fine, it is supposed to do this. The fat will help to preserve the mincemeat. Mincemeat prepared this way will keep in a cool, dark cupboard indefinitely but I guarantee you won't need to worry about keeping it that long.