Instant Mincemeat Recipe

I've posted this recipe before  .. but it so good I'm posting it again ! 

Christmas week I seem to rush about like my hair os on fire I often realise too late that I haven't made mince meat. This recipe is so quick and simple to make - it's happiness a pot as fa as I am concerned. Packed full of orange, spices and fruit - it tastes fantastic and what's more a jar in the fridge makes a super emergency gift - and you know you need that peace of mind of having one stashed - just in case!

Makes 2 x 440ml Jars

Preparation 10 minutes

Cooking 20 minutes

170 ml Orange and Cinnamon Brandy (or just brandy )

200g soft brown sugar

170g dried cherries/ blueberries or mixture

300g Fresh Cranberries

200g of currents and raisins

30g peeled very finely grated fresh ginger

2 tsp mixed spice

juice and zest of 2 medium oranges

a Vanilla pod cut into 4 pieces

1 Add the sugar and brandy into a large pan and warm gently. Add the fresh cranberries and cook gently for about 3 minutes. Stir well.

2 Tip the Dried fruit, ginger, mixed spice, orange juice and zest and vanilla and stir well. Cover and simmer very gently for about 15 minutes, stirring and checking occasionally.

3 Spoon into clean jars and store in the fridge. This keeps happily for up to 2 weeks.

Vanilla Vodka

I know that if time is short and cash is light then making a gift can seem like the last thing you have the last thing you have the nerves for ..  but this takes about 2 minutes, and costs about £16 ... there is still time to do it!  ( Waitrose vodka is £10.60 & the Nadali Vanilla pod £4.99)

You can buy flavoured vodkas, but believe me: this is so much nicer and more vanilla-y. I love to use this in cocktails and I give it as a gift with the cocktail recipe below attached to the bottle. 

It also goes on a treat  on Christmas puddings if like me you've drunk all the brandy,  that is if you can bear to pour it in the pudding rather than into a cocktail glass!

Makes 1 x 75cl bottle

Prep time  2 minutes – or more if you drink some !

75cl vodka

3 vanilla pods

250g Vanilla Sugar

2 tsp of edible glitter (optional)

1 Put all the ingredients into a sterile glass bottle and seal. Shake well.

2 Shake several times a day over the course of a week and the sugar will dissolve to leave you with a beautiful clear liqueur with vanilla flecks

Vanilla White Russian

Serves 1

Prep time 2 minutes

50ml Vanilla Vodka

25ml coffee liquor

25ml single cream

Fill a shaker (or a jam jar if you don’t have one!)  two thirds  full with ice add a large (50ml) shot of Vanilla vodka and a shot of Kahlua or coffee liquor . Shake and strain into an ice-filled glass. Pour a small shot of single cream over the top,. You get it to sit on top by pouring it over the back of a spoon. Finish with a dusting of cocoa powder.

Tip  - you can use Baileys instead of cream