Four weeks post Christmas, I can now confirm that all of our sweet mincemeat has been used!
After the Christmas period I often find that we have half a jar, or so, of mincemeat lurking in the back of the fridge, hiding behind the yogurts and cheeses! It sits there for days, which soon become weeks, being ignored and overlooked. Not wanting to waste it, after all there is nothing wrong with it, the question is what use with this fruity mixture.
In fact there are several recipes which can be rustled up with half a jar of mincemeat, most of which are a far cry from the traditional mincepie. How do flapjacks, chocolate brownies, cupcakes or even stuffed apples grab you? (Further into the post you will find links to 6 recipes by UK bloggers perfect for using up left over sweet mincemeat.)
Or perhaps this Mincemeat & Apple Galette (Free Form Pie) would fit the bill! Free form pies are super easy to make. Not only is there no need to line a pie dish or tart tin with the pastry, which let's face it can sometimes be a little fiddly, but they look so charming with their rustic homemade appearance. In fact the eagle eyed amongst you may have also noticed the slightly charred apple slice, which is all part of its rustic and homemade charm! Of course these things do happen when baking, but it certainly doesn't prevent it from being enjoyed, especially with some icecream or a drizzle of cream!
Our mincemeat and apple galette not only features sliced apple to top of the pie, but the sweet mincemeat was also mixed with pureed bramley apple and cinnamon. This, in my opinion, brings three benefits to our Mincemeat and Apple Galette. Firstly it subtly changes the flavour of the mincemeat; secondly it helps to make the mincemeat go further by bulking it out; finally it increases the moisture content of the mincemeat which can be especially helpful if it has become a little dry
since being opened.
Now, for this mincemeat and apple galette, I cut around a mixing bowl which measured 21cm in diameter to create a neat circle before filling it with the mincemeat and apple filling, but of course just use whatever you have to hand. In fact given the beautiful rustic nature of gallete and free form pies you could even trim it free hand if you refer, which would of course save on a little washing up!
How to make a galette / free form pie.
If you've never made a galette or free-form pie before, then check out video below which shows just how easy it is to assemble!
6 delicious recipes for using half a jar of mincemeat!
If you're looking for some more recipe ideas for using up half a jar of sweet mincemeat, which may be lurking at the back of your fridge, then look no further. Below are 6 delicious ideas from UK bloggers, and there's not a mincepie in sight!
Baked Apples with Mincemeat, Maple Syrup & Brandy Butter from Eb at Easy Peasy Foodie
Chocolate Brownies with Mincemeat by me at Only Crumbs Remain
Slow Cooker Mincemeat Swirls with a Brandy Glaze from Lucy at Baking Queen 74.
Mincemeat & Apple Shortcake Slice by Helen at Family Friends Food
Mincemeat Oat Bites by Kirsty at Hijacked by Twins
Mince Pie Cupcakes with Brandy Butter from Charlotte at Charlotte's Lively Kitchen.
Let's get to it and bake Mincemeat & Apple Galette (Free Form Pie)
great use of left over sweet mincemeat. The mixture is bulked out with
apple which contains no additional sugar.
Hands on time: about 30 mins Cook time: 25 mins Yield: serves 4 - 6
For the Sweet Pastry (Pate Sucree)
- 275g Plain Flour, + extra for rolling
- 100g Butter, unsalted & chilled
- 100g Icing Sugar
- 2 Eggs, large, lightly beaten
For the Mincemeat Filling
- 1 medium Bramley Apple
- 2 tablespoon Water
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 4 tablespoon Sweet Mincemeat
- 1 eating Apple (we used Braeburn)
- ½ Lemon, juice of
- 1 Egg, lightly beaten
- 2-3 tsp Ground Almond
Notes:
a) Increase the apple content if you don't have quite enough mincemeat. b) Avoid rolling the pastry too thin, as this will be more likely to tear on the decorative apple slices. c) Use shop bought sweet pastry if you prefer. d) The pastry off cuts could be used for jam tarts, for instance, or even wrap it thoroughly and freeze it for another day.
Lucy Allen
Oh I'm so sorry for not visiting sooner Angela, I've just been watching your video and it seems galettes are so easy to make that I must try them very soon. Using a bowl to cut around is a great idea, I don't know how I imagined you do it before. I like the addition of more apple to the mincemeat, that's a really good way to add moisture and flavour. Will try this next year to use up my leftover mincemeat! Thanks for linking to my recipe. X
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Oh don't worry about that Lucy. They really are very easy to make - an awful lot easier than lining a pie dish! I think if folk don't cut around a bowl they just manage to roll the pastry into an aproximate circle which would make it look even more beautifully rustic. Thanks for your lovely comment Lucy, and you're welcome I'm amazed by how many amazing things which can be made in a slow cooker!
Angela x
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins
Thank you for featuring my mincemeat oat bites. I love Apple with mincemeat and your tart looks delicious x #CookBlogShare
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
You're welcome Kirsty, they really do look fabulously tastey.
Thank you for your lovely comment and of course for hosting,
Angela x
Jenny
Mincemeat and apple go so well together, and why should mincemeat only be for Christmas? I love your free form pie too - so rustic and unique looking, and of course tasty!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
My thoughts as well - it's such a lovely concoction isn't it. Though perhaps if we had it all year long it may feel a bit 'everyday same-y' and not particularly special when Christmas arrives. Of course, though, those left overs need using rather than wasting them.
Thanks for your lovely comment Jenny,
Angela x
Corina @ Searching for Spice
I love the idea of this! I didn't make anything with mincemeat before Christmas so unfortunately I haven't been any to enjoy any leftovers either but this would be lovely. I've never made a galette but they always look so tempting and rustic and of course like any pie, it would be fantastic eaten up as leftovers to so thank you so much for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Wow, I don't think I can imagine our christmas without any mincemeat, for me it's all part and parcel of the whole thing. You know, until the other day I'd never made a galette either, they're so amazingly easy to make and as you say so fabulously rustic.
Thanks for hosting Corina,
Angela x
The Intolerant Gourmand
Oh my word does that look good! I often do cupcakes with left over mincemeat stirred into the batter, or a pain perdue style pudding, but this sounds so good too! x #cookblogshare
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Ooh I love the idea of mincemeat stirred into a sponge batter, and the pain perdue version sounds scrummy too!
Thanks for your lovely comments,
Angela x
Cliona Keane
This looks beautiful, your photos are particularly amazing too! I've definitely got some mincemeat leftover in the fridge so I'll give this a go at the weekend! #CookBlogShare
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Aw that's so lovely of you to say Cliona, I've noticed a marked improvemnt in my images since we got the DSLR. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did,
Angela x
Johanna GGG
You have made me think about my leftover mincemeat - it is still lurking! I have used it up in the past in traybakes, scrolls, flapjacks - but I often don't use it til mid year - problem is that once Christmas is over (when we pretend it is cosy and wintery in Melbourne) it just doesn't seem right for summer - but now I feel I should face it and get it out of there! Your pie looks fabulous - I love free form
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
I don't know why, but I've never thought of warm climes over the Christmas period as using Mincemeat, I've certainly learnt something there, and so I can certainly understand why you hold back using your left overs until your winter arrives.
Thanks for your lovely comment Johanna,
Angela x
Mandy
This sounds like my perfect dessert - unfortunately I love mincemeat so much that I don't have any left! Will have to save it for next year #CookBlogShare
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
We love mincemeat too Mandy and usually end up buying too much of it for just us and family which leaves us with some hanging around in the fridge.
Thanks for popping by Mandy,
Angela x
Eb Gargano
What a lovely sounding and looking pie - such neat pleating. My freeform tarts look a lot more 'freeform' than that!! 😀 Great video too. And thanks so much for including me in your roundup!! Eb x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
You're welcome Eb, the apple looks absolutely scrummy, i couldn't not include it! Hahaha, I guess though that is the charm of free-form pies, the more rustic they are the better 🙂
Thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angela x
Helen - family-friends-food
This looks fab! Thanks for the timely post - I have half a jar of my own lurking in the fridge...
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
I think many of us do Helen, happily it doesnt seem to spoil readily!
Thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angela x