Mincemeat Food

MINCEMEAT

Steps:

• Put meat, suet, citron, peel, peeled and cored apples, lemon and orange through the meat grinder.
• Mix throughly with sugar, currants. rasins, spices, salt, brandy and sherry.
• Pack into quart jars and process or freeze.
• Every few months add a couple of tablespoons brandy, sherry or rum if the mix looks dry.

MINCEMEAT PIE

Steps:

• Place all of the ingredients except the crust into the bowl of a food processor and pulse 8 to 10 times. Place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for at least 3 days before using. Can be stored for up to 6 months.
• If you prefer a finer texture of mincemeat place the apples, dried fruit and suet into a meat grinder with a large die and grind. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the remaining ingredients. You may also finely chop the apples, dried fruit and suet by hand.
• Place the flour, cornmeal, 1 1/2 ounces sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Grate the cold butter on the large side of a box grater directly into the dry ingredients. Work together with your hands until the mixture is crumbly. Add the cider and water and stir with a spatula to combine. Knead the dough 5 to 6 times and spritz with additional water if the dough is dry. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Unwrap the dough and divide into 4 equal pieces. Place 2 pieces of the dough onto a piece of parchment paper and roll each out into a 1/8-inch thick round that is 6 to 8 inches in diameter. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the mincemeat into the center of each round, fold up the edges of the dough in order to form a crust all the way around. Brush the edges of the crust with egg wash and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Transfer the dough on the parchment to a half sheet pan. Place on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• If you prefer 1 large pie, roll out the dough on a piece of parchment into a 15 to 16-inch round, about 1/4 to 1/8-inch thick. Trim the edges with a pizza cutter. Carefully slide the rolled out dough, still on the parchment paper, onto an upside down half sheet pan. Spoon about 1 1/2 pounds of the mincemeat onto the center of the dough, leaving a 2 to 3-inch margin around the edge of the crust. Place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until the crust is golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 30 to 45 minutes before serving.

MINCEMEAT

Steps:

• Combine cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice in a bowl. Reserve 1 heaped teaspoon for the mincemeat. Store the rest in a small jar for a later use.
• Inspect two 12-ounce jars for cracks and rings for rust, discarding any defective ones. Immerse in simmering water until mincemeat is ready. Wash new, unused lids and rings in warm soapy water.
• Combine apple, sultanas, sugar, currants, raisins, and butter in a saucepan. Cook over low heat and stir gently until butter has melted. Stir in chopped almonds, orange zest, 1 teaspoon of mixed spice, and cinnamon. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and set mincemeat aside to cool down for 30 minutes. Stir in brandy. Spoon into sterilized jars.

PILGRIM APPLE MINCEMEAT PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• For the pie crusts:
• In a large bowl, combine the flours, salt, sugar and baking powder. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles cornmeal. In small bowl, mix water and vinegar with the beaten egg. Add the liquid mixture 1 tablespoon at a time to the flour mixture, tossing with a fork to form a soft dough. Shape into 3 disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator. Use 2 disks when making this pie. Freeze remaining dough for later use. Roll out 1 disk and place into a 9-inch pie dish for bottom crust.
• For the apple filling: Combine the apples, butter and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat and cook for about 8 minutes. Cool slightly.
• In a medium bowl combine the sugar, tapioca, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add slightly cooled apples and mix well. Stir in vanilla and cream. Place apple mixture into bottom of pie crust, spreading evenly.
• Spread the mincemeat on top of apple filling. Roll out another dough disk and adjust over the filling. Flute edge and vent top. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake for 15 minutes and then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for 30 to 35 minutes longer, or until golden. Garnish, as desired, with baked pastry cut outs or whipped topping.

MINCEMEAT BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• In large bowl, mix dry ingredients.
• Add the oil and milk, stirring until mixture is well moistened and crumbly.
• Reserving 1 cup of the mixture, press the remainder into 9"x13" baking dish; spread with mince meat.
• Sprinkle evenly with remaining mixture and nuts.
• Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cut into bars.
• Store, loosely covered, at room temperature.

MINCEMEAT COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Beat the butter with both types of sugar and the salt. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract and mincemeat. Stir in the flour and bicarbonate of soda, then chill for 20 mins.
• Scoop tablespoons of the mixture onto two lined baking sheets, leaving a bit of space between each so they can spread. Bake for 10-12 mins, or until the cookies are just firm around the edges but still soft in the middle - they will firm up as they cool. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool.

TRADITIONAL MINCEMEAT

Steps:

• Soak the raisins and currants in the brandy and lemon juice for 1 hr until plumped up, then drain and set the brandy aside. Mix all the ingredients together in the order given, then pour in the brandy when everything else is well mixed. Spoon and press into sterilised jars, to exclude any air (the easiest way to sterilise jars is to run them through a dishwasher on its hottest setting). Cover and leave for at least a fortnight. Will keep in the fridge for up to 6 months.

MINCEMEAT MUFFINS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together egg, juice and oil;stir in mincemeat and apple.
• In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and cinnamon; stir in sugar.
• Add dry ingredients and pecans to egg mixture and blend just until combined.
• Fill a greased 12 1/2-cup muffin pan and bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in middle come out clean.
• Turn muffins out onto rack to cool 5 minutes.
• In a small bowl whisk together icing sugar, cinnamon and 3 teaspoons of juice until smooth, adding enough of remaining teaspoon of juice to make a spreadable glaze.
• Spread glaze over tops of warm muffins.
• These muffins are best served warm or at room temperature.
• Muffins can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

MINCEMEAT DROP COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy; add egg and beat well.
• Add mincemeat, mixing well.
• Combine flour, soda, and salt; mix well, and stir into creamed mixture.
• Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets.
• Bake at 350 degrees F.
• for 18 to 20 minutes.

MINCEMEAT MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Line with cupcake papers for easy removal.
• Measure all 7 dry ingredients and sift into a bowl.
• Beat egg until frothy.
• Mix in oil, mincemeat and milk (or juice).
• Add to dry mixture.
• Stir to moisten.
• Batter will be lumpy.
• Bake approximately 20 minutes.