Cranberry, Fig and Almond Mincemeat with Dates is a modern British recipe for a classic north African flavoured mincemeat with a blend of fruit and spices in a base of fig and dates flavoured with sloe brandy. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Cranberry, Fig and Almond Mincemeat with Dates.
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This is a mash-up of a traditional mincemeat with, what I think is the earliest recipe for a mincemeat-like spiced fruit filling from the 15th Century. Everyone I’ve tried it on absolutely loved the medieval filling and wanted a mincemeat version. I’ve kept it pretty authentic, adding apple for the classic mincemeat base and substituting dried cranberries for half the currants as a modern twist.
Ingredients:
1 medium Bramley apple
150g (8 ½ oz) dried cranberries
75g (3/8 cup) light muscovado sugar
1 tsp ground mixed spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
100g (3 ½ oz) finely chopped dried figs
50g (2 oz) finely-chopped dates
6 ready to eat prunes, finely chopped
150g (8 ½ oz) currants (half finely chopped, the remainder whole)
50g (2 oz) finely chopped blanched almonds
finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
2 tbsp sloe brandy
Juice of ½ lemon
1 tbsp amaretto
Method:
Combine half the currants, the dates and the figs and prunes in a bowl with the brandy and orange juice. Macerate over-night then drain (reserving the liquid) Pound the fruit to a paste in a mortar and set aside.
Combine the dried cranberries in a bowl with juice of ½ lemon and 2 tbsp hot water. Set aside to macerate over-night. When plumped add to the mincemeat with the macerating liquid
Peel and coarsely grate the apple. Place in a saucepan with the cranberries (and soaking liquid), light muscovado sugar, ground mixed spice, ground cinnamon, fruit paste, remaining currants, fruit soaking liquid, almonds and the orange zest.
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting and simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat, stir in the amaretto and pour into a sterilised 500ml (2 cups) spring-clip jar. You can use it straight away in your mince pie recipes, or it can be stored in a jar for up to 1 month or frozen for up to 6 months.
Once opened, store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
