English Mincemeat (chopped Fruits cooked in Apple Cider)

Historically Mincemeat had been made with meat, therefore its name. Today it often contains beef suet. My Mincemeat is meat free! I prepared it with fresh apples & pears, candied fruits, dried cranberries, nuts. I cook it all in apple cider and finish it by adding brandy and orange liqueur.

[facebooklike] 

For 2-3 little jars you will need:
♥  250ml apple cider, dry
♥ 2 big apples (around 400g)
♥ 1 pear (around 300g)
♥  200g  candied fruits (mandarins, pears)
♥  100g dried cranberry
♥  75g almonds
♥  75g pecans
♥  75g candied orange skins
♥  100g brown sugar
♥  100ml brandy
♥  juice and zest from 1/2 lemon
♥  3 tablespoon orange liqueur
♥  1 teaspoon gingerbread spice mix (see here)

1. In a large saucepan, dissolve the sugar in the cider over a medium heat.

2. Add chopped apples and pear. Simmer it all for 10min.

3. Add chopped candied fruits and dried cranberries. Simmer for another 20min.

4. Remove the skin from Almonds. In order to do so but them into boiling water for about 1min. After this time skin should go off easily.

5. Add crushed nuts, lemon juice, lemon zest and spices. Stir it well and simmer for another 10min.

6. After this time the Mincemeat should get jam-like. Remove from the heat and add brandy and orange liqueur.

7. Put the jars you want to use into boiling water for 5min. Fill the clean jars with still hot mincemeat and directly close them. After they cool down store it in the fridge for weeks.