The Great Mince Pie Review

[NigellaTufnel]

Having caved in and bought my first lot of mince pies in October I must admit I was disappointed by the Waitrose All Butter selection - too big, too salty, and the the pastry was not short enough.

Now, being a greedy thorough person I will leave no stone unturned in a quest to find the best mince pies. So as we travel through November into December, does anyone have any other reviews?

It's like a book group, but with pies.

M&S GLUTEN FREE ones were so revolting this year I threw them out.

I will send my DH along to this thread - I wouldn't be surprised if he has a spreadsheet for rating mince pies! "Waitrose all butter have too much pastry" he assures me!

Just had a Riverford mince pie, it was delicious. I am not a fan of mince pies and was only going to have a bite, but the pastry was nice and buttery and the sugar on top was lovely so I ate it all. Recommended.

Just to add the Riverford link:

www.riverford.co.uk/wash/shop/christmas/mince_pies_x_6/

The telegraph review said the most delicious ever tasted. I would be interested to know if after trying them you have tasted better.

Haven't read all 80 messages on this thread, but has anyone mentioned Pie Club? Best mince pie reviews around!

My husband swears by Marks and Spencer Classic pies, but then, he swears by a lot of things.

Greggs viennese Blugh! My homemade Mmmmm

bettys are good but very expensive

If anyone has a Costco their mince pies are fab - they are very large and a bit pricey.

I am on the lookout for the icing top mince pies but havent found any this year.

this years Tescos finest ones very good - really shortbready pastry - delicious sweet filling not overwhelmed by any particular flavour but with a nice balance between fruit, booze and zest.

Mr Kips nice, though pastry not as buttery and slightly soft, and filling of a good soid kind - nothing special.

i am [shocked] that anyone would use butter substitutes to make sweet pastry. all butter is so yummy.

lard is just vom. Peopl used to eat the filling out o my grans minces and leave the pastry because of her use of lard.

Waitrose mini mince pies are different to the others, they are yummy

But the best.....the very best.... are to be obtained in a bakers shop, normally around the East midlands (i grew up in Derby) called Birds the Bakers.

I don't live near a Birds anymore and I still mourn for the mince pies. They are the most gorgeous mince pies i've ever tasted, all shortbreaddy and lush. It's around 15 years since I've eaten one, so they may be different now, but DH thinks I'm mad coz every year around this time I threaten to take a train to Derby JUST to buy some Birds Mince Pies.

Anyone living near a Birds please tell me if they still make them.....

Ahem. Appear to have killed the thread!
Mince pie anyone??

my mince pie recipe

pastry

150 g flour
75g butter
50g sugar
dash salt

filling - enhanced mincemeat

red wine ( i used some that had been left out all night and would otherwise have been wasted. then there was the year i used sloe gin by mistake..)
apple (probably 2, something sweet like gala, but it matters not..)
mixed dried fruit (lots)
molasses sugar
zest & juice one orange
walnuts
spices
1 jar bog standard mincemeat

finely chop apple& fruit &nuts, put on heat with red wine & sugar.

leave on simmer until appley bits are nice and red, and soft though not mushy. Add spices, orange.

add mincemeat, stir through.

if you hate suet like i do, heat until all sign of suet vanishes.

then taste, and if it doesn't taste boozey enough, add more booze.

i just had one. they are bloody lovely.