[Closed] 2015 Mince Pie Tear-Down...

Pffh..

Waitrose have ruined this Christmas and last by not doing the pine tree sugar puff pastry mince pies.
I like sainsburys casis mince tarts

I had the Waitrose ones last year. They were Ok but not fantastic certainly overrated just because they had his name on them.

The Adli fancy range has been over favourite this year.

Only had Sainsbo's All Butter numbers this year. Can't say I was impressed.

I haven't eaten enough mince pies this year, I know this much.

Good Work! We've had Tesco 'normal' and 'Finest', as well as Sainsbury's posh ones so far.

The Tesco 'normal' ones are a bit too small (ahem, so we tend to have 2 at a time).

No mention of extra thick brandy cream? It's become our default mince pie accessory and improves them no end.

I broadly agree with you analysis however at sainsburys you also have the option of the vastly superior Ecclefechan tarts.

I made 48 mini ones yesterday, will make more tomorrow (I probably ate 15!)

Homemade shortcrust pastry with a dollop of the Aldi brandy mincemeat, which is lovely

They were ace. Reckon my extended families are going to be fairly happy with these!

Have been devouring the Costco mince pie offerings over the weekend which have a decidedly homemade taste to them. Bloomin massive though and could do with a bit more filling.
Impressed with the Aldi one I had the other day.

I trust this was a double blind tasting?

I'll agree with your view on Hestons @ Waitrose, thing is... After 3 boxes scoffed, they become very very sickly..

😳

I like the Sainsbo's organic ones that you shove in the oven for 10 min

- and clotted cream, that you don't have to heat up at all 8)

homemade mincemeat, pastry cut with my lock knife, slow baked in the bread oven by the stove.

I hope you made the suet from beef rib fat.

i did, finally got round to having it out with the dairy bull after he looked at me funny.
waist not want not.

waist not want not.

You buy your mince pies from a shop?……I expect you also buy xmas shortbread as well……….how common 😉

Obviously i make my own from hand reared brandy soaked mincemeat and toasted almond mix with ethically sourced filo pastry, and my vanilla pod shortbread goes extremely well with a decent malt whisky.

#Immorexmasythanyoucommoners

[img] [/img]

[url= http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fruit-recipes/perfect-mince-pies/#UpGEPw64VUYzDXWm.97 ]Jamie Oliver recipe[/url]

After finding a good recipe I can't really face the shop-bought ones. Not a patch on my own (numerous friends and acquaintances agree)

home made ftw.
shop bought ones are too "pastry-y".
odd that the cheap german stores score so highly on a product that germans don't even do.

Wilfs cafe own made mince pies, they give me one every day I deliver the mail!!!Yummmmmmmmie

No test of Co-Op?

Fail - do it again

Jamie Oliver recipe

Get tae f..

My favourite so far have been the Aldi ones with the Courvousier in the mincemeat.....followed by their little frangipan topped ones in the blue and gold box

What the hell is that somafunk?

It's "my lightly modified version" of the jamie oliver recipe above, was good enough to impress the SWRI ladies who scoffed them all at their xmas party last week which was held at my workplace, i even got a round of applause and told to never enter them in their xmas bake off as it would cause a ruction if a man won - high praise indeed!. 😀

Obviously, feel free to courier your hand reared high alpine meadow flower & lesser spotted Dodo claw creations for inclusion.

We've been having a blind taste off at work.

Homemade is winning hands down, but a few others to steer clear of, Greggs - awful! and Mr Kipling, surprisingly bad!!

All mass produced rubbish, I've done extensive testing this year (25 different pies) & the home made pies in lizzies cafe in the NWAlps are the best for buttery pastry & excellent amount of filling with just the right level of alcohol

True about the Kipling - too short pastry and what little filling their was tasted vile.

Tesco are surprisingly good this year, on the third packet so far.
Standard ones in the red and white box.

Aldi and Sainsbury tomorrow then, with a stop off at the Co-Op?
Oh God, there's a Booths down the road as well
🙂

Mrs S is making a few dozen on Christmas Eve - it's a cliché, but the homemade ones are always the best.

Anyone tried putting Scots pine in a jar with some sugar? Been meaning to, but not been near a scots pine in a short while (sigh)

I've just picked up some of the Aldi mince with added brandy might make them tonight and taste them hot

I trust this was a double blind tasting?

Nicely done.

somfunk - Is that deep fried? I can see why that might be popular in Scotland.

Pah!....that's a cheap shot and I claim the STW forum right to be deeply offended at the racial stereotyping of an entire nation.....you'll be hearing from my lawyers once I garner enough support from my online social media campaign against your defamatory slur.

However...............deep frying a suitable batter that could encase a superheated mass of sugary alcohol soaked vine fruits does sound like a possible winner to me so I'll let you off the hook this time 😀

St John bakery. Their Eccles cakes are historic too. They are the only mince pies I like. They are £3 each though

Of the ones I've tried I'd rank them:
Tesco
Sainsburys
Waitrose
Aldi
Lidl

(all the 'special' range versions). I didn't think the Aldi ones were very good...

if you're going to boast about making your own, at least share the recipe.

Mrs made some "mince pies" a couple weeks ago, she used mixed fruit that had been simmered in cider for filling and a pastry that was very shortbready (I've no idea if that is shortcrust or not, i dont bake) best pies I've ever tasted.

[url=

friends best mince pies[/url]

Aldi finest. Tried them once. 1 pie had no pastry in the base. Big fail

No-one has mentioned the best yet which are the cheap ones from Iceland. Can't beat 'em.

No base no buttery biscuit base?

Which Asda ones though OP?
Their smart price, normal, chosen by you or the luxury?
Very, very different animals...

I'm off to Asda shortly so will have to do with what ever they've got... hot with cream and booze of course.

just tried some organic, gluten free ones from wholefoods

meh 😐

organic, gluten free

You expected any other result?

2/3rds of what i made today

[img] [/img]

also made 24 jam tarts 🙂

Nothing will match homemade. It can't. Supermarket ones are usually made in January then frozen.

Mr Kipling shite should not be called 'food', it's synthetic gloop of uncertain origin in a mud+flour casing. Do yourself a favour - don't even try one.

Why would people eat something which contains unidentifiable contents!
Why hasn't the EU band it 🙁

There's an iceland special sat in front of me for Santa, Santa doesn't want it as after all the drinking he's done in the last 9 hours his stomach won't handle pastry this late. Santa might have to take an extra Omeprazole at this rate.

Were the tests conducted hot or cold?

No impressed by the waitrose standard ones.

Got some made by the local bakery from the village shop which look very good but saving them for today. Hope they do not disappoint.

Aldi Specially Selected best so far.

Whatever my mate handed round mid ride the other night were pretty special, if only for the fact that he couldn't eat and continue to rip my legs off at the same time!

Some good looking pies there chaps.
here is the easiest recipe for mince pies i/ve found:
[url= http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2174/unbelievably-easy-mince-pies ]bbc good food link[/url]

I really try and avoid shop bought pies, for me its part of the season to cook ones own

That BBC recipe is the one i use - it is a bit tedious pushing te pastry into the tray compared to rolling and cutting shapes but really does make fabulous crumbly crust (too much kneading is what makes for tough pastry). Splash of rum or brandy in the mincemeat helps too.

I like the Waitrose standard ones. M&S have some with thick icing on very good if you like sugary stuff.