Buttered Bourbon Mincemeat with Cranberries & Clementine

A little jar of Christmas at Shortcake Cottage. Tart cranberries, sweet clementine, warm spice and a generous splash of bourbon. The butter melts through the fruit, giving the mincemeat a rich, soft finish. Spoon it into mince pies, tuck it into a galette, or warm a little to serve over vanilla ice cream.

The butter is my way of avoiding those ‘suet maggots’ that are ubiquitous in mincemeat, whilst they add a delightful mouthfeel, for me, they add nothing to the flavour, nothing beats a good quality butter….

The fat acts as an emulsifier for the sugar, enveloping each fruity jewel in a blanket of spiced syrup, the perfect foil for crisp, buttery pastry.

The great thing is, a jar will develop in the fridge over the months leading up to the festive period, the bourbon and sugar acting as a preservative.

Simple to bring together but such a heartwarming gift for a loved one.

That first bite, the taste and aroma of Christmas, nothing beats it!

mincemeat, mincep pies, christmas recipes, christmas baking, holiday recipes, holiday baking, fruit tart, fruit pies, festive desserts, festive baking, festive recipes

Yield: 4 jars

Author: Suze Morrison

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Buttered Bourbon Mincemeat with Cranberries & Clementine

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 40 Min

A little jar of Christmas at Shortcake Cottage. Tart cranberries, sweet clementine, warm spice and a generous splash of bourbon. The butter melts through the fruit, giving the mincemeat a rich, soft finish. Spoon it into mince pies, tuck it into a galette, or warm a little to serve over vanilla ice cream.

Makes: approximately 4 small jars

Ingredients

• 1 large Bramley apple, peeled, cored and finely diced
• 500g mixed dried fruit
• 200g dried cranberries
• 150g dark muscovado sugar
• 100g unsalted butter, cubed
• Finely grated zest and juice of 3 clementines
• 200ml bourbon, divided
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• A pinch of fine sea salt

Instructions

1. Put the apple, dried fruit, cranberries, sugar, butter, clementine zest and juice, 50ml bourbon, spices and salt into a large saucepan. Warm gently, stirring, until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.
2. Simmer uncovered over a low heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring often, until the apple is soft and the fruit is plump and glossy. There should be no liquid pooling at the bottom of the pan.
3. Remove from the heat and leave until warm, rather than piping hot. Stir in the remaining 150ml bourbon a little at a time, giving the fruit a chance to absorb it.
4. Leave to cool completely, then spoon into clean jars. Give the mincemeat a day in the fridge before using so the clementine, spice and bourbon can settle together.
5. Keep refrigerated for 2-3 months, it will mature and develop with time, you can also freeze this for next year
6. Spoon into buttery pastry for mince pies, layer into a festive crumble, or warm a little to serve over vanilla ice cream.

https://gourmetglow.co.uk/recipes/buttered-bourbon-mincemeat

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