Right then.
Next weekend will see me end my self-imposed seasonal mince pie embargo. December 1st will arrive and I’ll be marauding through as many as I can stomach.
This year’s brandy-soaked debauchery will be lent special significance, as I’ve been successfully avoiding cakes, sweets and biscuits (bar a couple of cheat days a month) for the majority of this year.
However, to ensure that I go into this properly prepared, I need the views of all you bold pioneers who have doubtless been balls-deep in all things pie since the 1st of September.
What are the best options out there?
m&s. customer brought some in earlier this week. gone in no time. ace.
Waitrose ones are lovely!
Waitrose ones are lovely!
Hmmm, the Waitrose puff pastry things are vile. Almost no filling, only pastry.
I’ve not found a really good one this year. I’ve tried M&S, Aldi and the aforementioned lumps of dough. I will dedicate myself to the quest though..
Morrisons The Best Black Forest Mince Pie Crumbles.
Strictly speaking, not actually a proper mince pie......
Morello cherry mincemeat and a cherry and Kirsch filling, in a butter-enriched chocolate pastry case, topped with all-butter chocolate chip crumble, finished with a sweet glittery dusting.
Delicious
Strictly speaking, not actually a proper mince pie……
My tolerances are very broad in this regard. If it's a mince pie, or even remotely mince pie adjacent, I'll eat it.
Assuming they're still in business at Christmas, Patisserie Valerie are the best I've had, and I have done extensive testing...
Aldi salted caramel mince pies, a tad light on filling, but taste ace.
You can have mine.
Mince pies are rotten
Unless its a pie with minced animal...
Aldi salted caramel mince pies, a tad light on filling, but taste ace.
Ditto
The only mince pies I've managed to find here in Spain are Mr. Kipling or Iceland. Better than nothing, but still 🙁
I worked at the dockyard in Plymouth for a while. Every meeting in December started with mincepie. Etiquette was to remove lid, add teaspoon of clotted cream, replace lid. Wallow in the warm glow of high sugar / high saturated fat festiveness.
The one thing I miss at christmas here in Sweden. Would any kind soul send me some? i can send a can of rotten fish in exchange?
I believe Asda won the blind tasting somewhere this year.
I make my own.
I'm normally happy with the Aldi deep filled ones. Haven't tried them yet this year though. And, as mentioed above, their salted caramel ones are lovely.
In the not-strictly-pie mincemeat related product catagory, I have just finished (over a couple of days) a pack of Sainsbury mince pie flavoured cookies. They were lovely too. I love this time of year but do tend to put on quite a few pounds each year.
I usually get the Tesco finest ones, they never top the taste tests but win for me. Have tried their spiced rum ones so far this year and they're not as good, will be giving the Aldi ones a go new time I go there.
Asda Extra Special come top of Which tests. Followed by Lidl Deluxe and Iceland Luxury (out of the oven tests, rather than eaten cold)
Lidl Deluxe or very good but I believe Morrirons also won a tase test.
Lidl 12 for £1.59 are excellent. Even better if you put them in the microwave one at a time for exactly ten secs.
Tried some Aldi sloe mince tarts this week. Could have more filling but what is there is pretty good and nice light pastry. Worth adding to your mince pie platters this Christmas and will be excellent covered in warm brandy cream...
Am I the only person in existence that doesn't really like mince pies?
A few years ago now I was sitting on the sofa watching Get me outta here or somethin' and the fair Mrs R bought me a mince pie.
Now this bad boy pretty much took up the whole of the desert bowl and if I'm honest I was a little put off. I wasn't sure I could plough through all that pastry.
So imagine my surprise when taking my first bite i found the lid of the pie to be made of sponge !! A lovely light and tasty sponge.
Get yourself to Costco a tray of a dozen is something silly like a fiver.
Good luck
We have the luxury / benefit of a Walkers shortbread shop on our High Street.
While it sells standard tartan shortbread tins by the barrowload, it also acts as the factory seconds outlet -- mince pies, Dundee Cake (eh), all manner of shortbread and fired biscuits -- ones that are over-cooked, under-weight and all the rest - including a bit bashed - get flogged off at pretty insane ticket price.
As above, I wait all year for Costco to release theirs.
We buy loads and freeze them
Am I the only person in existence that doesn’t really like mince pies?
Nope, some other utter wrong'un outed himself above.
However, I broadly support his views on minced animal pies.
I can't get out of my head the time my mum served up mince pies in custard. She'd mis-read / assumed the wrong kind of mince pies when taking them out the freezer. Yuk.
It did act as a suitable counter when she would ask me - every month - if I "still didn't like baked beans.." This was a bit rich since there's only about 5 foods I really can't stomach (marmalade, tea of most varieties, baked beans, and bananas, as well as the usual liver/offal foodstuffs) and her off-limits menu was a whole folder-full..
I don't like mince pies with crunchy bits in the filling, I don't like mince pies with a puff pastry (or any non-short-crust pastry lid really), I've never had a mince pie I've liked from a bakery (haven't tried many though) and always preferred supermarket ones over my gran's homemade ones (she'd turn over in her grave if she heard that :p )
A mate adds a mince pie to his porridge every morning during December. Looks vile, tastes really nice. (The pie n porridge, not my mate)
M&S won our Mince Pie tear down at work last year, the M&S Lattice topped ones in particular. Almost impossible to get afterwards. Special mention to the Heston ones from Waitrose. But they were £3.50 a box
Running it again in a few weeks.
Not started my testing yet, but saw this;
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/nov/15/asda-beats-waitrose-harrods-which-mince-pie-taste-test
Usually I will buy the Waitrose luxury mince in jars, then buy pastry separately and put together. Can fill then right up, and the Waitrose luxury mincemeat filling is lovely stuff!
Sainburys ecclefechan tarts, far superior to mince pies.
Morrisons The Best Black Forest Mince Pie Crumbles.
Strictly speaking, not actually a proper mince pie……
Morello cherry mincemeat and a cherry and Kirsch filling, in a butter-enriched chocolate pastry case, topped with all-butter chocolate chip crumble, finished with a sweet glittery dusting.
Delicious
waitrose do something similar with Heston’s name on them. Substitute vodka for the kirsch. £3 for six, delicious if somewhat crunchy
If you are anywhere near Derby, Croots Farm Shops own mince pies.
It's like the festive equivalent of having your dream bike delivered by your dream date. Naked. And up for it.
My search ended when I walked into eat near Hanover Square and tried one of their mince pies. https://eat.co.uk/our-menu/christmas-menu/christmas-treats/the-mince-pie_10001902.html
Even better if you put them in the microwave one at a time for exactly ten secs.
And put a gert dollop of clotted cream on top afterwards.
A mate adds a mince pie to his porridge every morning during December.
I am definitely going to try this.
What, no one makes their own? Robertson's filling, add winter ale, port, whiskey, Brandy, whatever floats yer boat, pastry, bake. Bit of icing sugar on top. Takes 20 minutes. The smell while they are in oven is killer. First one burns the tongue. If I make 24, it's a good day if 12 of the little buggers live long enough to get cool.
Aldi don't seem to be doing the magical almond-topped ones with a blob of marzipan in 'em
The silver lining is that this may actually be the cure of my T2 diabetes
I support your no mincers before December stance. To answer a question I'm surprised you needed to ask - Kipling obviously.
Special mention to the Heston ones from Waitrose. But they were £3.50 a box
I wasn't impressed by those didn't seem any better especially for the price.
Greggs.
Do any have chunchyish pastry like homemade ones? Or are they all that shit soft butter pastry or whatever it is?
Because I can murder about 20 homemade mince pies a day - but feel sick at the thought of eating more than one shop bought one.
Aldi don’t seem to be doing the magical almond-topped ones with a blob of marzipan in ’em
WHAT, the ones in the light blue box, not here this year?
Local fancy-pants-bakery ones then for me (Hobbs House), but sadly in US until 3rd Dec so will be 2 days behind in my quota (2min per day) so will have to catch up
Sainburys ecclefechan tarts, far superior to mince pies.
Holy sheeeit! He's right you know!. Grabbed a box last night, bloody crack cocaine those things, need to go back for more later on today....
If you’re a mince hater then Tesco finest rhubarb and stem ginger pies are a delight.
What, no one makes their own? Robertson’s filling, add winter ale, port, whiskey, Brandy, whatever floats yer boat, pastry, bake. Bit of icing sugar on top. Takes 20 minutes. The smell while they are in oven is killer. First one burns the tongue. If I make 24, it’s a good day if 12 of the little buggers live long enough to get cool.
I made my mincemeat last week, as per Delia Smith, just need to start assembling them into pies. Got about 2 kilos I think, should make a few tasty morsels 🙂
I actually had a tiny bit left over after filling my jars, and had it on a toasted bagel, was most delicious!
I made my mincemeat last week
Respect!
Where did you find shredded suet? (and other things you never thought you'd see on a bike website) All I can find is the stuff that is ground into almost powder.
In the baking aisle of Sainsburies, there was a choice of veg or beef.
This was my baking effort tonight - filo parcels. Aubergine and mushroom on the left, mince on the right. I was only using up the remainder of the pastry from my savoury course, and ultimately it's time consuming and not as nice as normal pastry IMHO, but I managed to polish off most of them 🙂
Or are they all that shit soft butter pastry or whatever it is?
As much as I don't approve of all that shit soft butter pastry stuff with 5ml of filling I still polish them off while dreaming of the superior ones I'm sure were how they were made when I were a wee lad.
Apparently I didn't manage to actually include the photo I talked about, 2nd attempt here 🙂
Not sure if they've already been mentioned or not but Tesco's Rhubarb and Stem Ginger pies are awesome.
Heston has ruined Christmas before with his weird take on mince pies.
Heston, no! I admire and respect your ability to create a dish that looks like the cats been sick from eating too much grass and be able to charge a weeks rent for it but stay the hell away from my Christmas staples. The wife can't resist the packaging and just end up throwing them at guests.
Filo pastry mince pies? What is this sorcery?
Where did you find shredded suet? (and other things you never thought you’d see on a bike website) All I can find is the stuff that is ground into almost powder.
Atora is readily available?
The best mince pies in the world are made in Marple by Claudio's bakery. Worth a trip if you live in this area.
Iceland luxury range are very good. Fruity, crisp pastry and full to the brim (I think they win awards every year).
I miss the Christmas tree/pine scent mince pies Waitrose/Heston did a few years back. Haven’t found anything since that can compete with them 😢
Best mince pie I've ever had , bar my mother's obvs. is here in Muswell Hill....
French stylee no less.
My wife makes mincemeat - properly lush, particularly if it's sat for a couple weeks in a jar.
i`ve been through
Lidls finest
aldi butter ones
tesco finest
sainsburys boggo ones
coop ones also
all were a bit diassapointing to be honest. i mean they were tasty n all but they lasted a few days a pack which says alot.
May daughter made vegan ones (including hte mince itself) which have gone but she needs to work on her pastry.
I may have to bust out my annual shortcrust and use some rum based mince delight soon.
i bought some harveys beer ones last year from a posh organic shop in Brighton and they lasted about 5 minutes. the best £3.50 i spent all year. bloody marvellous
Just had a look through my Bertinet Pastry book and found a recipe for Frangipane Mince Pies. Have not made any mincemeat this year but there may be some at the back of the fridge so will be doing some trials later. I usually slacken mincemeat with a glug of brandy or rum.
I miss the Christmas tree/pine scent mince pies Waitrose/Heston did a few years back.
I’m sure they are lovely but the smell of a Xmas or pine tree has never made me salivate. More likely to make me want to ride my bike over my nearest hill..
Just had a Lidl Deluxe Frangipane mince pie. Don't think Lidl should be allowed to call it a mince pie - there was almost no mincemeat inside. Dissapointing.
Might have another, just to check I didn't have a duff one..
...nope, wouldn't buy again.
Pastry is way too soft and floury too.
Tesco rhubarb and stem ginger pies - served warm would you recommend?
Tesco rhubarb and stem ginger pies – served warm would you recommend?
Yes, very much so.
I now need to venture to a Tesco.
What, no one makes their own?
[smug mode] My team of chefs make mine, and jolly lovely they are too. [/smug mode]
🙂
Yes, very much so.
Thank you Pik n Mix. Cornish clotted cream a given then right?
This was a fraction of my baking from the weekend - had to make sure the adults were kept sustained for my little boy's 3rd birthday party
Open-topped puff pastry
Traditional closed-lid shortcrust with dodgy egg glaze! Some of them were a little over-filled and popped their lid off.
I think I made 55 in total, fortunately there were some left over after the party 🙂
If you can't/won't make your own then Greggs, because they're ruddy nice AND they're vegan, not that you'd know it.
Can't abide mince pies but we've had a bit of a stollen tasting session at work - Aldi, Lidl, Morrisons, Tesco (own brand and one other), Sainsos, Waitrose (but not the Heston one). Mainly slices but also full size versions from Aldi, Lidl & Morrison. Tesco finest and Waitrose own brand (not the choc orange ones) were good but the winner was Sainso's TTD stollen slices. The obvious omission is M&S but they'd run out of slices when I went in so that could be a sign that they're a contender.
Lebkuchen next week!
I've made my own before and even the sweet mince too, tasted lovely but just not worth the effort.
Tesco also do a plum and cinnamon pie. Obviously these had to be compared alongside the rhubarb and ginger ones. Scoffed straight out of the pack I'd say on balance I'd go for the rhubarb ones but both were fab. The plum and cinnamon ones had a more traditional mince pie flavour to it but not as full on. I find mincemeat too full on, flavour wise (yes, I know, I know. I'll excuse myself now).
This was a fraction of my baking from the weekend
Meh, vol au vents have no place in this world and putting mince meat in them doesn't make them anymore acceptable!
I opted for the "posh" Asda ones in the end. I ate all six over the course of a weekend and felt ****ing great.
Back off them again until the 22nd whereupon there shall be no mercy.