To have never tried mince pies?

[hillfda]

I've never tried a mince pie and I'm going to try one for the first time this Christmas. What is it about them? Do you eat them alone or with an extra?

Homemade mince pie still warm for the oven, take lid off and dollop on some clotted cream. With a glass of mulled wine.

I used to make my own variation that were delicious
Home made pastry bottom
Good quality shop bought mincemeat but with extra brandy
Marzipan top
Sadly I’m dieting so no more

I had an Asda Extra Special one the other day that was good.

I love mince pies. I can't allow myself to buy them til about a week before Christmas, otherwise I'll get through a pack every 2 days for the whole of December. I eat them warmed up with cream. Yum.

Do you like Christmas pud? That's always a gateway dessert. If you're on the fence I'd recommend getting a good one - local bakery or one that's a bit fruitier than the norm. I prefer then with a fancy topping (streusel ) rather full pastry as I find it super dry.

Also YABU if you have them before December

With hot chocolate. Last year Lidl did Black Forest ones. The crumble topped ones are delicious too. I never used to eat them until about 5 years ago.

I make them and eat them all year round.

YABU because this thread makes me want a mince pie!

Absolutely gorgeous warmed up with a huge dollop of baileys double cream that appears in the shops every Christmas.

Mince pies are blooming gorgeous! Think they have a bit of the Marmite factor (as in, you love them or hate them, not the actual taste!) If you can try some homemade ones I would really recommend it, they always seem to taste so much better than the shop bought ones. Hope you enjoy!

If you buy supermarket ones, go for a premium version. Most of the mass produced ones have claggy, horrible pastry, not enough filling and what there is is too sweet with not enough fruit.

The best are homemade with homemade mincemeat. Warmed in the oven so the pastry doesn't so soggy. Lovely with a tea, coffee or sherry. No embellishment needed but boozy cream is good.

They’re horrible !
I try one every year just to see if my taste buds have “matured” like they did with olives ,wine and gin but nope .. still gross

Shop bought mince pies always disappoint and bear little resemblance to the real thing.

Make your own using homemade mincemeat. A delicious combination of nuts, fruit, Brandy in light pastry topped with marzipan stars or nutty crumble mix. Heavenly warmed with a teaspoon of cream or clotted cream ice cream.

Traditionally served alongside Christmas pudding. They used to be savoury hence the word meat.

I love mince pies. I'm vegan and gluten free and was so excited last year when i found ones I could eat in tesco last year but they were a bit of a disappointment. But this weekend i tried the asda ones...with icing. Oh man, they are were delicious.

I only liked puff pastry as a kid so bought the puff ones but I have realised the error of my ways and love the traditional style ones now.
I have them out of the packet with a cuppa. Barely even make it to a plate.

I love mince pies. I have to hold back so I can still fit in my clothes

Many mixed opinions. I'll have to come back and tell you all what I think of them . I've never had any sort of Christmas pudding or Christmas dessert, just cinnamon buns every year! I don't know anyone that does make them maybe there's a bakery near me that will. I am craving one though so I hope I like them otherwise I'll be devastated haha.

I'll take any mince pies I can get, I'm not a mince pie snob. As they come with a cup of tea suits me just fine! As many as I can squeeze in between November and new year.

I think they take a little bit getting used to before liking them. I do now love those M&S ones and have just ordered a box in my ocado shop.

Last year I also discovered I actually love Christmas pudding. It was a more expensive supermarket one I bought for my parents to try as we were home and no one who could make one was coming. Previous to that one I had only tried a homemade one which in my opinion was not that nice but it could just be that it took me a while to start liking the flavours. Love love love Christmas cake now too.

Some quite extreme reactions here to what is essentially dried fruit having a pastry cuddle.

I like them warmed in the oven but its alot of gas to heat a couple of pies so if I know I am going to eat some and the heating is on I put them on a raddiotor and cover with fiol and a tea towel , it takes a while ( hr or so ) to warm them like that but if you remember to do it before you start cooking your evening meal by the time you have eaten they are nice and warm .
I agree with PP go for the best quality you can find / afford avoid Mr Kipling at all cost theyh are revolting , Tescos finest are good .
I had a local independent baker that made the best ones I have ever had but he retired and shut his shop last year (he was 72 years old so I will forgive him ).

For all them that like the filling but find the pastry to dry , hence the need for a brew / cream warm some mincemeat gently in the microwave and cook some readymade yorkshire puddings in the oven and bung them together, they have to be eaten quickly or they go soggy but go carfull a burnt tounge from the mincemeat hurts for days !

I tired a nibble once. I didn't like it. Hardly surprising, because I'm not a pastry fan, and find mincemeat sticky and sickly. And not a fan of peel.

I made my own last year but with bought pastry and mincemeat! They were much better than shop bought ones!

Home Made for me, or a very good bakery.

I won't waste calories on the boxed supermarket attempts. The pastry is way too soft and sweet.

I make mine with pastry made using lard. Rolled pretty thinly with a large dollop of mincemeat inside. Once baked a sprinkle of icing sugar for sweetness. I make them quite small too so can happily have two per cup of coffee.

Theyre horrible IMO. Tip for you: keep the gaviscon handy for afterwards.