Tuesday 16 March 2010

Moist Mincemeat Tea Loaf

This recipe almost didn't get blogged, due to greed I realised when eating the last slice I had forgotten to photograph it, and so the picture you see below was indeed the last of it mid-devour!

Its very tasty on its own but even better with a little butter on too!


Its a great way of using any leftover mincemeat up from Christmas (where has the time gone - we are nearly April??) or also incase you found any in the sale post-xmas - I picked up two jars of mincemeat reduced to 60p, despite being in date till 2011!
Recipe is taken from Step by Step Baking, one of my favourite baking books as everything always works!

Makes one lovely fruity loaf (Apparently makes 12 slices..yeah, erm, depends on how thick you cut it really!)

You will need a 2lb/ 900g loaf tin

225g self raising flour
1/2 tsp ground mixed spice
125g cold butter, cubed
75g flaked almonds (I had run out so improvised with pecan nuts)
25g glace cherries, rinsed, dried and quartered
75g light muscavado sugar
2 medium eggs, lightly whisked
250g mincemeat
1tsp lemon zest (I had previously frozen some which worked perfectly in this)
2tsp brandy or milk (I used Port!)

Pre-heat oven to 180o/ 350o/ gas 4 (I have a fan oven and set it at 160o)

Sift flour and spice into a large bowl, add the butter and rub in until breadcrumbs

Reserving 2 tbsp of the nuts, add the remaining, the sugar and cherries to the bowl

Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. In a seperate bowl lightly whisk the eggs, stir in the mincemeat, lemon zest and brandy /milk (or port even!). Fold into the dry ingredients, spoon into a lined loaf tin, smooth over and top with reserved nuts. Bake for 30 minutes, cover with tin foil to stop the nuts burning and bake for a further 25-30 minutes or until well risen and a skewer comes out clean.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tin before transferring to a cooling rack. Enjoy!

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Alongside the loaf I made some experimental carrot & dried cranberry muffins - tasted good but didn't rise as hoped, will carry on tweaking though and post if succesful!


P.s. really not loving silicon bakeware, did not come away cleanly from the case at all!

11 comments:

  1. Sounds like a good idea for using up leftover mincemeat - it was obviously tasty too!

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  2. Yes, I've done that too, eaten it all before remembering to take pictures lol! Mincemeat is great in scones too.

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  3. I love that photo of the last piece of cake! It speaks volumes!

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  4. I still have mincemeat too - thanks for a good idea to use some up!

    Agree with the comment about silicon bakeware, just not all its cracked up to be as far as I'm concerned! I usually end up lining it with baking parchment which sort of defeats the point!!!

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  5. I love mincemeat - one to try definitely

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  6. I have a similar recipe, adding apple juice and prunes to the cake batter, along with the mincemeat. Trouble is - the people here who won't eat mincemeat also don't like fruit cake!

    Interesting that you're not liking silicone bakeware - I almost bought silicone muffin cases recently, but resisted the temptation!

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  7. Mmmm just reading those ingredients made my mouth water, I bet it tasted amazing! :)

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  8. This made me laugh out loud! The number of times I've carefully made something to take a photo of and blog about.... then realised halfway through scoffing it down that I'd forgotten to take the photo. Ahhhhh greed and a camera don't mix :)

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  9. I love the words 'mid devour'! I've often remembered the camera too late. Looks really good.

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  10. Choclette – definitely a keeper! Have been experimenting with leftover mincemeat and this was definitely the best so far! I did make a cheesecake but it was just wrong!

    Janice – Glad am not the only one! Mm love the idea of mincemeat scones!

    Joy – Its almost a sad photo in that its all gone but happy memories too!!

    C – Glad to be of service! I think my silicon stuff is headed for the dusty back of cupboard retirement village! Have been told it works but have several brands and shapes and just not loving them..long live baking parchment!

    Beth (Jam and Clotted Cream) – Am sure you will love the tealoaf too!

    Suelle – Like the sound of apple juice addition, imagine it being quite moist? I have similar issues, luckily I have a weakness for fruit cake, though I did give my mum half of it! I would stick with paper cases in all honesty, the biggest disappointment was my heart shaped ones as they were so awkward to remove when baked most of them got all mashed up 

    Catherine – Am on a bit of a tealoaf baking mission at the moment and this is definitely the winner!

    Jen - Reciplace –You are so right about greed vs camera not mixing well! I often make some lovely dishes when people are over but don’t get the chance to photograph it before they dive in! Some of my pictures were done at clever angles so you don’t see the eaten bits! Though, at least if its half eaten it shows how good it was!

    Nicisme – Glad am not the only one to do it! Devour is my new favourite word! 

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  11. Interesting comments about the silicone bakeware. My mum has some and I find the cakes she has baked have a bit of a weird taste to them. I know it's not the cakes themselves because she also put some of the mix in paper cases lol! Anyone else find this?

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Thanks for stopping by my kitchen! I love to hear your thoughts and comments on my recipes!

Anne

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