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Overall Rating: 8/10

“How!?”, I hear you cry. “How can the standard Tesco pie score the same as the Finest?” You’re angry, it’s understandable. Calm down and read on mince pie lover…

I don’t take this ‘job’ lightly, nor do I ignore the costs or hierarchy that have become so entrenched in the UK mince pie market (surely the world’s most mature?) A ‘Finest’ or ‘Extra Special’ pie is judged more harshly than a standard pie. Simple. I expect more from them.

Back to the task at hand. This is a great little mince pie. Very slightly smaller than its Finest cousin, but the taste from the pastry is great. A definite buttery after taste. Probably not enough sugar on top and the star isn’t as fancy as the design on the Finest range. But that’s nit picking.

The mincemeat is almost indistinguishable from the Finest mince pie – which makes me wonder if only the pastry and size differ here?

The whole pie tastes great and I can see many families sitting round the TV demolishing multiple packs post Turkey et al. Nice work Tesco – a pie for the people in my book.

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Overall Rating: 8.5/10

This is a big one. Heston. Equal parts inventive and bat shit crazy.

Heston turns his attention to the mince pie for Waitrose once again. This year’s offering has a ‘lemon twist’. What he’s actually done is mix a mince pie with a lemony Sussex pond pudding (no, I’ve never heard of that either).

The result is…extremely tasty and lemony. The crumble on top and the base are both exceptionally well made and perfectly crumbly, flavoursome, spiced and sweet. The filling, or least the lemon part, is perfect too – super lemony as described on the box, but what this means is that the humble mincemeat is a little lost. In fact you could serve this to someone at any point in the year without telling them it was a ‘mince pie’ and they might not guess it contained any mincemeat at all.

That’s not a bad thing. Other than the fact this is meant to be a mince pie. There’s no doubt the Heston offering is amazing – the ingredients appear top notch and it’s really unusual and rich – but as a mince pie it falls short. Not too far short, and it should certainly be something you consider purchasing to serve alongside a traditional mince pie.

Thanks Heston.

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Overall Rating: 7/10

Greggs mince pies have been suggested multiple times since I started on this currant-filled journey last month. Finally I found some and I’m pleasantly surprised.

Whilst the pastry is maybe very slightly on the drier side, the moist vine fruits, apple and flavours inside the mincemeat bring it all together nicely.

For me the mincemeat is tipping more towards tart than sweet (as advertised) but they’re still a really nice pie. A wide and flat ‘form factor’ gives them a nice point of difference and makes them feel bigger too.

If you want to avoid the supermarket pies the Greggs option is completely sound.

 

Overall Rating: 8.5/10

This is a big one. Heston. Equal parts inventive and bat shit crazy.

Heston turns his attention to the mince pie for Waitrose once again. This year’s offering has a ‘lemon twist’. What he’s actually done is mix a mince pie with a lemony Sussex pond pudding (no, I’ve never heard of that either).

The result is…extremely tasty and lemony. The crumble on top and the base are both exceptionally well made and perfectly crumbly, flavoursome, spiced and sweet. The filling, or least the lemon part, is perfect too – super lemony as described on the box, but what this means is that the humble mincemeat is a little lost. In fact you could serve this to someone at any point in the year without telling them it was a ‘mince pie’ and they might not guess it contained any mincemeat at all.

That’s not a bad thing. Other than the fact this is meant to be a mince pie. There’s no doubt the Heston offering is amazing – the ingredients appear top notch and it’s really unusual and rich – but as a mince pie it falls short. Not too far short, and it should certainly be something you consider purchasing to serve alongside a traditional mince pie.

Thanks Heston.

 

Overall Rating: 7/10

Greggs mince pies have been suggested multiple times since I started on this currant-filled journey last month. Finally I found some and I’m pleasantly surprised.

Whilst the pastry is maybe very slightly on the drier side, the moist vine fruits, apple and flavours inside the mincemeat bring it all together nicely.

For me the mincemeat is tipping more towards tart than sweet (as advertised) but they’re still a really nice pie. A wide and flat ‘form factor’ gives them a nice point of difference and makes them feel bigger too.

If you want to avoid the supermarket pies the Greggs option is completely sound.

 

Overall Score: 6/10

Such promise from the festive green box, the lovely photos and promise of ‘vostizza’ currants! It’s a shame that the contents of said festive green box are a disappointment.

I do like a puff pastry mince pie – the Co-op did a particularly good one last year – but this offering from M&S has multiple issues.

The pastry is too dry – puff pastry is crumbly and dry by its very nature – but this is too much. There’s also too much of it and not enough filling – which compounds the dryness.

The filling isn’t as good as it sounds on the box either – those ‘vostizza’ currants don’t seem to make any impact, apart from on the price I imagine. Save your money and buy a traditional mince pie or the Co-op version (not yet tested but comes from good stock).

 

Overall Rating: 6/10

A fairly forgettable mince pie. The pastry is grainy and a bit too crumbly with an unpleasant aftertaste. The mincemeat lacks flavour and sweetness.

Sorry Morrison’s. Not wasting any more time on this one. Avoid.

 

Overall Rating: 8/10

The mighty M&S strides into battle. This isn’t their ‘extra special’ pie – it’s a standard pie, but expectations are still high…

The mincemeat is the star here, just sweet enough with some lovely plump fruit too. Just how a mince pie should taste in my opinion.

The pastry is nice and buttery but I think just a little too soft. The soft fruity mincemeat seems to be the culprit here, which is a shame.

I’m being harsh because it’s M&S, but this is still a very good choice. I’d still rather have the Aldi or Lidl pie though…

 

Overall Rating: 9/10

I missed out on the Lidl mince pie last year, something that makes me wince having just tasted the class of 2017.

What they’ve produced is a a really well filled pie, with a lovely pastry – just crumbly & sweet enough – and a superb sprinkle of fine sugar on top.

The mincemeat is tasty, sweet and contains plenty of full fruit – not a blended paste like some this year.

Considering the price (£1.59 for 12) and that these are a ‘standard’ pie – not Specially Selected or Extra Special – this is a triumph.

It’s official, the ‘budget’ supermarkets rule the mince pie roost in 2017.

 

Overall rating: 5/10

When you consider the quality, taste and texture of the Aldi Cognac-steeped mince pie I reviewed a week or so ago, I was expecting similar levels of greatness from their standard range. I was wrong.

Overall the mince pie is too dry, mainly thanks to a disappointing shortcrust. The mincemeat itself has very little defining taste, in fact I cannot remember what it really tasted of – despite finishing it only moments ago. A lack of a sugar sprinkle or tinge of warming alcohol tops off a thoroughly mediocre mince pie. Pay the extra and get the others.

Not unpleasant, just underwhelming. Sorry Aldi.