Mincemeat Loaf for Christmas Morning

Mincemeat Loaf For Christmas Morning - MS Word document for downloading

I think this recipe originally came from a Reader’s Digest cookbook. Christmas Lunch in our house is a very movable feast. It gradually dawned on me that it would be lovely to start Christmas Day with a special breakfast. I came across this recipe and couldn’t wait to try it.

Be warned, though - it can have consequences if served for breakfast with lots of Buck’s Fizz and black coffee! The friends who shared it with us that first year staggered home. Even though they spent much of the rest of the day recovering, they did ask to be invited again! I tucked in, like everyone else. As I hadn’t prepared the Brussel Sprouts the night before, I ended up feeding my family frozen ones! That is something I have never been allowed to forget (amongst other things!).

Mincemeat Loaf is made like garlic bread, but with brandy butter and mincemeat, (homemade, of course). Allow about half a French stick or baton per adult, plus a bit. It’s difficult to give quantities accurately for the mincemeat and brandy butter. It’s according to taste, really. It’s very rich and filling, so you need to bear this in mind when making it up. A little bit of plain bread with each slice is very refreshing.

Preparation time: about 10 minutes for 3 loaves. I prefer to make the loaves up and pop them in the freezer (for up to 3 months), allowing them to thaw out overnight, in the fridge. You could make them up on Christmas morning and pop them straight in the pre-heated oven for 10-15 minutes at 180C- Gas Mark 4.(The fruit will be very hot, so take care!)

Cooking time: as above, immediately before serving. Turn the oven right down and keep unopened loaves warm until required.

This quantity serves 4 adults.

Ingredients and Shopping List for 3 loaves.

• Foil
• 3 French sticks or batons
• about 50-75g (2-3oz) brandy butter
• about 50-75g (2-3oz) mincemeat

For serving:

• tablespoon milk, mixed into one beaten egg
• 3 tablespoons chopped nuts
• Paper napkins for sticky fingers

Method.

1. Taking care not to cut all the way through, slice the bread at an angle at 2.5cm (1″) intervals.
2. Separating each section out and using a round-ended knife, smooth a little brandy butter at the base of the cut.
3. Then add about a teaspoon of mincemeat.
4. Work along the loaf, adding brandy butter and mincemeat between each slice.
5. Sit the whole loaf on a big sheet of foil. (I have tried sitting the loaf on foil and then cutting the bread, thinking it would save time. I’ve ended up cutting the foil!).
6. Either: seal well and freeze. Take out of the freezer at least 4 hours before needed. Then follow the steps below, immediately before serving. Or: brush the top of each loaf with a little milk and egg. (Don’t be tempted to skip this step - it just “freshens” the bread).
7. Sprinkle on the nuts.
8. Fold over the top and sides of the foil to seal and pop into pre-heated oven, as above.

Liz Milton