This is my essential Christmas Chutney recipe that I always like to make in the run up to Christmas. I include the dried and glacé fruits that I use in my Glacé Fruit Christmas Cake, Boiled Fruit Cake for Christmas, Christmas Pudding and Mincemeat. It is sweet, spicy and beautifully rich, which makes it perfect to serve with your cold turkey, beef or nut roast on Boxing Day.

You can still make your Christmas Chutney in December

Most recipes suggest allowing chutney to mature for at least a month before using, so October and November are the ideal months for making your chutneys for Christmas. However, you don’t need to make them so far in advance. I often use my chutneys only a week or so after making them, so don’t worry, you can still make this Christmas Chutney deep into December.

Christmas Chutney

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Cuisine: BritishDifficulty: Medium

Yield

Adjust servings

+

–

4

pounds (lb)

Prep time + 3 hours standing

30

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Ingredients

• 12 ounces / 350 grams dried apricots

• 8 ounces / 225 grams dried dates (pitted)

• 8 ounces / 225 grams dried figs

• 4 ounces / 110 grams mixed candied peel

• 6 ounces / 165 grams raisins

• 4 ounces / 110 grams glacé cherries

• 3 medium oranges zest and juice

• 14 fluid ounces / 400 ml cider vinegar

• 14 ounces / 400 grams soft light brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon mixed spice

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

• Roughly cut up the dried apricots, dates and figs. I find a pair of scissors quicker and easier than a knife for this job.
• Cut the glacé cherries in half and if your candied peel is not the ready chopped variety cut that up too.
• Put all he dried and glacé fruit into a large bowl and add the zest and juice of the oranges.
  
• Stir the mixture, then cover and leave to stand for at least 3 hours. If it is more convenient it can be left overnight. The dried fruit will absorb the juice and become plump.
• Transfer the contents of the bowl to a preserving pan or a large saucepan.
• Add the spices and salt and vinegar to the pan.
• Bring to the boil over a moderate heat stirring frequently.
• Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes, again stirring frequently until the fruit softens and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
• Add the sugar and stir until it is dissolved.
• Bring the mixture back to a simmer, stirring all the time, as once the sugar is added the mixture will burn more easily.
• Simmer for about 15 minutes stirring all the time until the mixture is thick, shiny and sticky.
  
• Spoon into sterilised jars while hot. You should have enough to fill four one pound jars.
  

Christmas Chutney Storage

If you manage to make your chutney in advance then leave it to mature before using. This would ideally be for at least a month, but as mentioned it can still be used after only a couple of weeks. Store in a cool place and it should keep for up to a year. Opened jars should be stored in a fridge. It doesn’t tend to last that long in my house as it all gets eaten or given as a gift over Christmas.

Look out for my other Christmas recipes such as my recipe for the orange pastry I use for mince pies. Combined with my homemade mincemeat this pastry makes very special mince pies.

As you may have gathered I just love making preserves – jams and spreads, jellies, marmalade, pickles, sauces and chutneys. They each have their season – jams and jellies mainly in the summer, marmalade in January and February when the Seville oranges are available, and pickles and chutneys in the autumn, ready for Christmas. When I look in my cupboard and see all my jars I have a warm, satisfied feeling, probably similar to a squirrel surveying the nuts hoarded for the winter.

Happy hoarding!

Tanya