Mince pie filling:
I make my own -

A load of raisins/sultanas/currants whatever
Some orange peel (optional)
Some lemon peel (optional)
Chopped up cherries (optional)
Crushed almonds (optional)
A massive heap of muscovado sugar
A big dollop of mixed spice
Suet (depending on how many currants etc you use one pack of Atora should be enough, unless you're making enough to feed an army)
An entire bottle of brandy (doesn't need to be good or expensive, and if you want adventure you can try with other things - red wine mince is pretty nice)

So. You take all of this, and bung it in a big bowl. Leave it overnight so that the currants (or whatever) can absorb the booze and get nice and juicy and fat. If you have the ratio of stuffs right, it should basically look like a bowl of vomit with maggots floating in it (the suet) at this point.

Next, you transfer everything into a big pan. Add some water (optionally infused with more brandy and cinnamon). Boil and boil until the suet melts. At this point, you'll have a pale brown gloopy mess that smells amazing, but looks revolting. You'll need to conquer your fears and taste it. If the raisins (or whatever) taste mince-y, then it's ready.

Now for the vaguely tricky part.

Get the big bowl that you had earlier back in action. Put a colander/sieve/giant strainer over it. Slowly pour the gloopy mess into the sieve, waiting patiently as the brown suety gunge slowly makes its way through the holes. The pile of glistening, gloopy currants remaing will still look pretty nasty. Don't fret, however. Empty the brown gunge from the big bowl, but not down the sink - the suet will re-congeal, blocking your pipes and causing you to accidentally flood the apartment below yours (true story). Dispose of the by-products responsibly.

Now, put the curranty stuff into the bowl and let it cool down.

Mince pie stuffing!
(judeski walked on water and ran through fire, Fri 3 Apr 2009, 23:27, 1 reply)

Thanks for the advice -
- but I think I'll stick with the faster, easier, cleaner, and cheaper solution. It's only for family snacking, so the brandy alone would push the budget.
(The Incredible Sulk Finally remembered his password on, Sat 4 Apr 2009, 12:52, closed)