1. Cut the bread vertically at 25mm intervals, but do not cut right through to the bottom crust

2. Open the cut sections gently and spread the surfaces with the brandy or the rum butter, then spread the mincemeat over that

3. Ease the bread sections back together again

4. Brush the bread with the beaten egg

5. Sprinkle the nuts over the bread

6. Enclose the assembled loaf loosely in a parcel of foil and seal it along the top

7. Bake the bread in the preheated oven for 12minutes

8. Unfold the foil and bake it again for 8 to 10minutes until the loaf has a rich golden crust

9. Remove the bread from the oven and break it into pieces

10. Serve while still hot

List of ingredients required:

(Serves 6 people)

1 stubby french loaf about 355mm long
3 oz(75g) brandy or rum butter
4 tablespoons of mincemeat
1 beaten egg
1 to 2 tablespoons of chopped nuts
Kitchen foil

The oven should be preheated at a temperature of 375F (190C)