Fruit Mince
500g of each of the following:
shredded suet (substitute Copha if you can’t get Suet from your butcher)
grated apples (green are best)
raisins
currants
sultanas
brown sugar
500ml cider
1/4 tsp cinnamon
125g mixed peel
75g ginger pieces
1/4 mace or nutmeg
75g cherries, chopped
125g chopped walnuts or almonds
Boil the cider in a big saucepan. Add the fruit, brown sugar – everything except the nuts, spices and suet. Simmer very gently for an hour. Allow to cool. Add suet, nuts and spices. Fill hot sterilised jars, then pour 1/2 glass of whiskey over the mixture (divide between your jars of Fruit Mince). – stir to make sure it soaks right through.
Seal and keep for at least 2 weeks before using. Very few days, turn the jars upside down, to ensure the whiskey soaks the mixture evenly and you get full flavour.