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Home » festive recipes » Dark Chocolate Mincemeat for Christmas

November 12, 2011 By Janice Pattie 15 Comments

Dark Chocolate Mincemeat for Christmas

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bowl and jar of dark chocolate mincemeat

Dark Chocolate Mincemeat is a delicious variation on the traditional dried fruit mincemeat we use to make mince pies and other mincemeat desserts.

open jar of dark chocolate mincemeat

What is Mincemeat?

Mincemeat is a rich mixture of dried fruits, spices, apples, citrus zest and juice, alcohol, and suet or butter. It is mainly used to fill sweet shortcrust pastry tarts which are served as individual Mince Pies.

Mince pies with Instant Chocolate Mincemeat

Dark Chocolate Mincemeat Mince Pies

Mince Pies are the classic way to use Christmas Mincemeat. Sweet shortcrust pastry is filled with mincemeat with a pastry lid on top.  As well as the full-sized festive treats, I like to make Mini Mince Pies because they are the perfect little mouthful for tea time or parties. 

Is there Meat in Mincemeat?

Originally, there was meat in mincemeat as well as the dried fruit and spices. This is how it got its name.  The meat element was gradually replaced with beef suet. 

I use vegetable suet but you can also use butter. This means the mincemeat is also suitable for vegetarians.

Why add chocolate to mincemeat?

The idea for this Dark Chocolate Mincemeat is a combination of Nigella’s Chocolate Fruit Cake as featured in her book Feast in 2004 and Dan Lepard’s Dark Rich Mincemeat from his book Short & Sweet.

Dark and rich immediately makes me think of chocolate so I decided to combine these ideas and create Dark Chocolate Mincemeat. Because you can never have enough chocolate, right?

Glass jam jars

How do I sterilise my jars?

I sterilise my jam jars and metal lids by thoroughly washing and rinsing them. I then put them, still wet, upside down onto a baking tray, and place it in the oven at 150C just before I start to make the mincemeat. If you are using the clip jars with rubber seals, put the rubber seals in a bowl and cover with boiling water from the kettle.


The water creates steam which helps to sterilise the jars. I take them out of the oven and fill them with the finished mincemeat, then put on the lids. There are other methods but this is how I sterilise my jars.

Can I freeze mincemeat?

I cannot recommend freezing Dark Chocolate Mincemeat as it has not been tested. I do have a Freezer Mincemeat recipe that is suitable and will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.

How to make Dark Chocolate Mincemeat

The process is really quite simple, it is more about heating and combining ingredients and does not involve a setting point like making jam.

All quantities and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page

stacked squares of dark chocolate

What do I need to make Dark Chocolate Mincemeat?

  • Apples
  • Raisins
  • Sultanas
  • Dried Cranberries
  • Prunes
  • Stout or Porter (dark ale)
  • Muscovado Sugar
  • Lemon
  • Mixed Spice
  • Cinnamon
  • Cloves
  • Butter
  • Brandy or Rum
  • Dark Chocolate
Beer bottle

In a large pan

Put the stout into a large pan with the grated cooking apple, sugar, lemon zest and juice and bring to the boil Simmer for 5 minutes.

Raisins

Add the dry ingredients

Weigh the dry fruits and spices and put them into a large bowl with the chopped dessesrt apples. Stir to combine, then add to the pan with the butter and simmer the mixture until thick.

Bowl of Dark Chocolate Mincemeat mixture

Finally add the brandy and chocolate

Remove the pan from the heat once the mixture is thick leave until just warm. Then stir in the brandy or rum.

Leave the mixture to cool completely before adding the chopped dark chocolate, because if you add the chocolate too soon it will melt.

Closed jar of Dark Chocolate Mincemeat

Seal and Store

Seal the mincemeat and set aside to use in mince pies or other mincemeat desserts. It will keep sealed in sterilised jars for up to a year, but I doubt if you will be able to keep it that long. Once opened store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

More Mincemeat Recipes from Farmersgirl Kitchen

Ingredients for Slow Cooker Mincemeat

Easy Slow Cooker Mincemeat is the easiest mincemeat I’ve ever made. Mince Pies are a Christmas tradition in the UK. Mince Pies are sweet pastry tarts filled with a rich mixture including dried fruit,  spices, and sugar. 

  • Freezer Mincemeat
  • Instant Chocolate Mincemeat
Mincemeat recipes

What can I make with the Dark Chocolate Mincemeat?

33 Recipes using Mincemeat is a collection of festive recipes for cakes, desserts, cookies, breads and tarts, and alternatives to traditional mince pies all using mincemeat.  You are sure to find a recipe you want to make.

bowl and jar of dark chocolate mincemeat

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open jar of dark chocolate mincemeat

Dark Chocolate Mincemeat

Janice Pattie
Dark Chocolate Mincemeat is a rich combination of fruits, spices and chocolate that will make your mince pies even more delicious.
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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Baking, Dessert
Cuisine British
Servings 42
Calories 90 kcal

Equipment

  • large pot or pressure cooker
  • Large bowl
  • Sharp knife
  • chopping board
  • grater
  • wooden spoon
  • weighing scales
  • Measuring spoons
  • measuring jug

Ingredients
 

  • 2 dessert apples peeled, cored and chopped small
  • 100 g Dried raisins
  • 100 g Dried Sulatanas
  • 100 g Dried cranberries
  • 100 g soft prunes stoned and chopped
  • 250 ml stout or porter
  • 1 medium cooking apple peeled cored and grated
  • 300 g muscovado sugar
  • 1 lemon grated zest and juice
  • 1 tbsp mixed spice
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 50 g butter
  • 3 tbsp brandy or rum
  • 100 g dark chocolate

Instructions
 

  • Add the stout or porter to a large pan with the grated cooking apple, muscovado sugar, lemon zest and juice.
  • Bring to the boil, stirring and simmer for about 5 minutes.
  • Measure the dried fruits and other dry ingredients and put in a bowl with the chopped dessert apples.
  • Add the dried fruit mixture to the pan with the butter and simmer until thick.
  • Remove from the heat, leave until warm and stir in the brandy or rum. Leave to cool completely, then stir in 100g chopped dark chocolate.

Notes

 Yield: around 3lb

Nutrition

Calories: 90kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 1gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 13mgPotassium: 102mgFiber: 1gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 55IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 14mgIron: 1mg
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Filed Under: Baking, Dessert, Festive Recipes, Vegetarian, Winter Tagged With: raisins, rum, We should Cocoa

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. [email protected]atebaked says

    November 12, 2011 at 7:07 pm

    What a great entry for We Should Cocoa! And chocolate in mincemeat…yummmmmm. I can't wait to get my hands on Dan's book- its top of my Christmas list!

    Reply
  2. Choclette says

    November 12, 2011 at 8:10 pm

    Ha ha, great minds think alike. I made mincemeat too this weekend and I also decided to put 100g of dark chocolate into the mix. I didn't sadly use Dan's recipe though as I didn't think to look for it there. It would be great if we could do a share and contrast! I made mine as a back-up to my We Should Cocoa entry in case it didn't work out. So really pleased you've entered this one.

    Reply
  3. Karen S Booth says

    November 12, 2011 at 8:54 pm

    That is a wonderful idea for Let's Make Christmas and We Should Cocoa……mincemeat with chocolate, perfect!

    Reply
  4. Brownieville Girl says

    November 12, 2011 at 11:24 pm

    Genius idea! Looks really dark and delicious.

    I am so used to baking with dried fruit at this time of year, that I almost forget that I can't stand the stuff!!!!!!!

    Have to say that all the gang here would just love your mincemeat.

    Reply
  5. A Trifle Rushed says

    November 12, 2011 at 11:29 pm

    What a fabulous idea, combine the two best tastes on the planet, make a pie and enjoy!

    Reply
  6. Scott at Real Epicurean says

    November 13, 2011 at 12:43 pm

    Dark chocolate works great in mincemeat, Nigella's Christmas Puddini Bonbons won me over the other year!

    Reply
  7. fiona maclean says

    November 13, 2011 at 2:13 pm

    tee hee, now I am sad I'e already made my mincemeat. this looks fab janice. Next year;)

    Reply
  8. Janice says

    November 13, 2011 at 6:27 pm

    Just had some puff pastry mince pies with 'the mincemeat' outstanding taste, note to self: needs more mincemeat in the pie ratio!

    Reply
  9. Dom at Belleau Kitchen says

    November 13, 2011 at 9:31 pm

    Oh this looks so wonderful. I keep looking through the book and deciding what to cook. I'm a bit stuck but I think I'll start with one recipe from each chapter… ANd this mincemeat is a great place to start… I even have the little jars. Lovely x

    Reply
  10. [email protected] says

    November 13, 2011 at 9:52 pm

    I am dying to get hold of Dan Lepard's book and this chocolate mincemeat is one of he reasons why. Well you have now made me want to make it on stir up Sunday instead of Delia's!

    Reply
  11. Janice says

    November 13, 2011 at 9:59 pm

    Laura – the chocolate is my addition to Dan's mincemeat, not in the original recipe. Book is worth getting though, a treasure.

    Reply
  12. C says

    November 14, 2011 at 7:14 pm

    Sounds like an inspired idea to me – I love mincemeat, and the addition of chocolate is intruiging, I really must try that!

    You'll have to let us know what it tastes like when you've made something with it!

    Reply
  13. Anne says

    November 14, 2011 at 8:21 pm

    Looks like heaven! Dark chocolate and mincemeat together sounds like a fabulous combination! A great idea!

    Reply
  14. Baking Addict says

    November 14, 2011 at 10:09 pm

    Congratulations on your win. What a great entry for we should cocoa and lets make christmas.

    Reply
  15. Ren Behan says

    November 17, 2011 at 6:44 am

    Ooh this looks divine, I was just thinking of making my own mincemeat only yesterday. I have this book too, looks like a winner to me!

    Reply

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Janice Pattie - Farmersgirl Kitchen

Hello, I’m Janice, I live on a farm and I love to cook and bake. My aim is to be your friend in the kitchen, providing simple and delicious recipes, friendly advice, inspiration, and honest reviews. Read more on my About page.

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