Spiced Cranberry and Fig Chutney Recipe

Searching for a simplechutney recipethat’s perfect for Christmas or giving as edible gifts to friends and family? This delicious spiced cranberry and fig chutney is the recipe you’ve been looking for. Its tangy flavour makes this fruity chutney the perfect accompaniment to a Christmas ham or crumbly cheeses.

If you’re a fan of cranberry sauce, you’ll love this fruity chutney. We’ve made it with fresh cranberries, so autumn is the best time of year to try your hand at making this chutney as cranberries will be in season and in the shops. Rich figs also make a delicious addition to chutneys, as well as to fig jam, and pair well with sharp, salty cheeses. We’ve also added fudgy dates for a sweet contrast to the tart cranberries.

We’ve added a generous slug of red wine, plus lots of spices to give this chutney complexity and a little heat, like mustard seeds, mustard powder and warming cinnamon. If you fancy making a batch of this chutney to give as edible gifts at Christmas then try making it at least 6 weeks ahead to give the flavours a chance to develop and mature. This coincides with the run-up to US Thanksgiving, when you’re likely to see cranberries start appearing in the supermarket.

If you’re making this spiced cranberry and fig chutney for food giftsthen don’t forget to sterilise your jam jars first. Stick pretty labels on the jars with the name of the chutney and the date it was made and you’ve got a budget-friendly and thoughtful Christmas gift ready to go.

How to Make Spiced Cranberry and Fig Chutney

1. Place the red wine in the pan. Bring to a boil, stirring until reduced to 200ml (7fl oz), then add the red wine vinegar and sugar, and stir until dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring regularly until the chutney is well reduced and thick. Remember that chutneys thicken even more when cold.

2. Spoon the chutney into warm sterilised jars and seal.

3. Store in a cool dark place for at least 6 weeks before eating. It will last for 3 or 4 months.

Ingredients

• 600ml (1pt) red wine
• 850ml (1½pt) red wine vinegar
• 450g (1lb) light muscovado sugar
• 1.3kg (3lb) Bramley apples, peeled, cored and chopped
• 200g (7oz) stoned dates, chopped
• 450g (1lb) onions, peeled and chopped
• 150g (5oz) cranberries
• 150g (5oz) figs, chopped
• 125g (4½oz) sultanas
• 3tsp yellow mustard seeds
• 1tsp black pepper
• 2tsp ground cinnamon
• 2tsp English mustard powder
• 2tsp salt

YOU WILL NEED

• a preserving pan, sterilised jars and vinegar-proof lids