Yep, I’m definitely going to start talking about the C-word now. We’re a week away from December, I’ve had to put my tree up for photography purposes, and I’m on the mince pies.
Well I’m kind of on the mince pies. More mince tarts. And let’s quietly ignore the slightly burnt bit that caught because I was distracted by my knitting and the film we were watching. I only meant to press ‘off’ on the timer, and go in a second later, after the good bit. Not five minutes later when the credits were rolling.
For all that, I have it on good authority that the mince tart is currently being scoffed in the husband’s office, no problems. So maybe it’s not that bad.
Anyway, this is not about my baking skills, or ability to get distracted. This is about one of my most popular recipes, year on year, only surpassed by my vegan spotted dick. The latter even gets hits from Russia via Pinterest. Which makes me wonder what spotted dick translates to in Russian?
My vegan mincemeat recipe, uses gin as it’s base booze. It’s a lot lighter than the traditional stuff, is absolutely positively vegan friendly, and goes down a storm every year. I used Poetic License Fireside gin in the recipe, but any spicier gin would work a treat – Yuletide Gin, Darnleys Spiced Gin, even Batch Gin with it’s Frankincense and Myrrh would work well.
But then I got thinking. Would a sloe gin work? Or a damson gin, or as had just arrived thanks to my Batch Innovations subscription, Batch’s Whinberry gin? There was only one way to find out, right?
So, I had a go. I’ve edited the recipe a little, there’s more spice in there, and I added ginger. A great serve for the Whinberry Gin is with ginger ale, so it felt a little natural. The result is a fruitier mincemeat, still nice and light, but according to those in the husband’s office ‘bloody lovely’.
That’ll do for me.
Vegan Mincemeat with Batch Whinberry Gin
Ingredients
- 250 grams Cooking apples, peeled and grated
- 50 grams Flaked toasted almonds
- 1.5 tbsp Ground Mixed spice
- 150 ml Batch Whinberry Gin
- 1 inch Ginger root, peeled and grated
- 100 grams Coconut oil
- 125 grams Raisins
- 100 grams Currants (if you don't like them, switch them out for more raisins or sultanas)
- 100 grams Sultanas
- 150 grams Mixed candied peel, finely chopped
- 175 grams Soft brown sugar
- 1 Lemon - zest and juice
- 1 Orange - zest and juice
Instructions
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Put all the ingredients into a large ovenproof bowl, and mix until combined.
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Cover, and leave overnight.
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The next day, set your oven to it's lowest setting.
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Remove the cover, stir it the mincemeat, and put it into the oven, on the bottom. Don't re-cover it.
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Leave it for three hours, checking on it, and stirring occasionally.
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Remove from the oven and leave it to cool. This can be put into sterilised jars and will keep, sealed, for up to three years. If it lasts that long.
