Ingredients

The following ingredients have 16 Servings
  • 100g/3½oz currants
  • 100g/3½oz raisins
  • 100g/3½oz sultanas
  • 100g/3½oz dried cranberries
  • 100g/3½oz dried apricots, chopped
  • 50g/1¾oz mixed peel
  • 1 large cooking apple, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
  • 75g/2¾oz butter, cubed
  • 25g/1oz whole blanched almonds, roughly chopped
  • 125g/4oz light muscovado sugar
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground mixed spice
  • 1 lemon, finely grated zest and juice of half a lemon
  • 100ml/3½fl oz brandy, rum or sherry
  • 175g/6oz plain white flour
  • 1½ tbsp icing sugar, sifted
  • 100g/3½oz butter, cubed, plus extra for greasing
  • 75g/3oz butter
  • 75g/3oz self-raising white flour
  • 40g/1½oz semolina
  • 40g/1½oz caster sugar
  • fresh cream or brandy butter

Instruction

  • For the mincemeat, place the currants, raisins, sultanas, cranberries, apricots, mixed peel, apple, butter, almonds, sugar, cinnamon, mixed spice, lemon zest and juice into a large pan and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, leave to cool, then stir in the brandy, rum or sherry.
  • Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6 (fan 180C) and grease a 23x33cm/9x13in Swiss roll tin or equivalent.
  • For the pastry, sift the flour and icing sugar into a mixing bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
  • Add just sufficient cold water to mix to a firm dough - if you prefer this can be made in a processor. If time allows, wrap the dough in cling film and chill for about 30 minutes.
  • On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to a rectangle slightly larger than the prepared tin, then line the base and sides of the tin with pastry.
  • Trim the pastry level with the top edges of the tin and patch any gaps if necessary.
  • Spread the mincemeat evenly over the pastry base.
  • To make the topping, melt the butter and allow this to cool slightly.
  • Put the remaining ingredients into a bowl and pour the melted butter over. Mix together until the ingredients combine to form a dough. If time allows, chill this mixture - this makes grating easier.
  • Using a coarse grater, grate the topping over the mincemeat and spread evenly.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden-brown.
  • Cut into 16 slices, dust with icing sugar and serve warm with cream or brandy butter.