Quick No Suet Mincemeat Macaron Filling Recipes

QUICK NO-SUET MINCEMEAT - MACARON FILLING

Steps:

• Throw all the ingredients and 8 tbsp of the Brandy (or apple juice) in a heavy-based pot with a lid and cook on a low-medium heat for about an hour.
• Allow to cool, stir in another 2 tbsp of Brandy, then fill sterilised jars with the mixture
• For filling macarons, blitz the mixture in a food processor (or hand blender) until a smooth paste. Leave to cool then fill your macaron shells with the mincemeat paste and sandwich them together. Leave to mature in a container in the fridge for 24 hours, to let the macaron magic do its work.

EASY MINCEMEAT

Steps:

• Put all the ingredients, except the brandy, in a large saucepan. Cook over a low heat for 10 mins, stirring occasionally, until the sugar and suet have completely dissolved.
• Remove from the heat and leave to cool to room temperature before stirring in the brandy. The mincemeat may look loose at this stage, but it will continue to thicken. You can encase it in pastry as soon as it's cooled. Alternatively, spoon the warm mincemeat into a large sterilised jar or several smaller ones (see tip, below). Will keep in a cool, dry place for up to six months.

10-MINUTE MINCEMEAT

Steps:

• Put the peeled and grated Bramley apples, light muscovado sugar and the zest and juice of the orange and lemon into a large bowl with the ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, allspice, mixed dried fruit and brandy. Stir in the grated unsalted butter or shredded suet and ground almonds. Transfer to jars or containers. Keep in the fridge, unopened, for up to three months or in the freezer for up to six months.

QUICK-TO-MIX MINCEMEAT

Steps:

• Put everything except the suet into a large mixing bowl and mix well using your hands. Leave for at least 2 hrs, or overnight if you can. Add the suet, mix again, then spoon into sterilised jars (see tip, bottom left) while they are still warm. Will keep for up to 1 year in a cool, dark place. If the mincemeat starts to look dry as it matures, add a little more brandy.