A filling for mince pies of course, but also great inside baked apples or flapjacks. Don’t forget to make it in advance so that flavours can mature in the jars. Makes 1kg

Ingredients

• 250g (10 oz.) cooking apples
• 100g (4 oz.) vegetable suet
• 200g (8 oz.) raisins
• 100g (4 oz.) currants
• 100g (4 oz.) sultanas
• 200g (8 oz.) dark muscovado sugar
• 1 orange
• 1 lemon
• 25g (1 oz.) chopped mixed nuts
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons mixed spice
• A pinch of ground nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons vegan brandy

Method

1. Put the suet, dried fruit, sugar, nuts and spices into a large bowl.
2. Peel and core the apples and grate them. Add to the bowl.
3. Grate off the zest of the lemon and orange. Squeeze out their juice. Add both zest and juice to the bowl.
4. Cover the bowl and leave it in the fridge overnight.
5. The next day, preheat the oven to Gas Mark ½ / 250°F / 120°C.
6. Transfer the mixture to a baking tray and for three hours
7. Remove the tray from the oven and leave to cool. As it cools, occasionally stir in the fat so it coats the mixture.
8. Once fully cooled, stir in the brandy.
9. Sterilise some air-tight jars, fill with mincemeat and seal. Store until ready to use/