Best shop bought mince pies?

[Flame]

Don't tell me to cook the bloody things, as I know I won't get round to it.

So far the best I have had (excluding the one in caffe nero) was an asda bakery extra special one - really nice pastry.

Tell me your best ones so I can compile a list and try them (I appear to have developed a mince pie habit this year )

no no no

waitrose all butter

co op

these are the best and my giant christmas belly will testify

Greggs deffo better than waitrose all butter! I had two of each over the weekend, so I am an expert!

Are the Duchy ones as good as the Christmas puddings? they seem fiendishly expensve but if they are as good as the puds then I must try them.

The Greggs ones are tasty but the best ones round here are from a little bakery chain called Martins. They're soo good, and not pricey either.

I used to hate mince pies in my youth, couldn't see the point of them but now I can't get enough of them.

Waitrose mini star topped ones

Co-op

The Greggs ones are fab, really home-made-y. Yum.

Iceland, £2 for 18 or Lidl, £1.89 for 12.

Have just tried M&S classic mince pies and they are not a patch on the Morrisons ones.

I'm sure that I still manage the other 5 in the box though...

@ladida - offer some tasting notes please

pastry_ soft or bard? buttery? salty?

filling - boozy? appley/ sweet or spicy?

appearance?

level of fill?

maybe eat another with these things in mind?

Ok, I've managed another one...

Pastry is too hard and the whole pie just disintegrates in the hand.

Filling is a bit bland and not at all boozy.

Doesn't look festive enough somehow.

Last year Sainsbury's had gorgeous mini ones that tasted devine, buttery pastry and really tangy mincemeat, alas can't find them this year.

My boss made some this week and she had topped them with sponge and almonds like a bakewell tart, they were great!

For the best shop bought mince pie take a look at www.pieclub.org.uk
It has reviews for this year, as well as past years. Top of this years league table is M & S Connoisseur

Merry Christmas,
Roberta

I have done extensive research to the expense of my diet over the last few weeks . Waitrose mini mince pies definitely the best.

However, I grew up in Derby, and there used to be this baker there called Birds. They had the BEST mince pies I have ever had, and even though it's about 20 years since I had one, I can still remember the taste - heaven.

I live nowhere near Derby now, but have, in a craving moment, considered getting on a train someday near Christmas, and going up there just to get these mince pies. When I mooted the idea to DH he looked at me like I had gone mad. And he's more of a mince pie addict than me. Sigh, will just have to comfort myself with the Waitrose ones.

Agree with Birds bakers in Derby and am also a long way away from there. For those in Herts/Cambs area Bury Farm Bakery does excellent though rather expensive mince pies.

Funnily enough i bought two packets of mince pies from Waitrose tonight to compare them. The all butter ones were absolutely delicious and i don't normally really like mince pies! Then i tried one of the standard ones (red box) and they were gorgeous too!!! So much nicer than the Tescos ones my mum gave me the other day!
I will also be making a few trays of them, i make them with dd each year.....but they are not very nice

oh the caffee nero ones are soooo good!

They are cranberry ones, don't really taste like mince pies at all, though it must have some of the same things in.

I'd love the find the recipe. Anyone got any ideas?

oops, this thread came up on google for me and I didn't realise it was from last year!!

Never mind. THIS year's caffe nero ones are gorgeous, and my question still stands... how to make them?!

Head in the clouds, Cloudsaway?