M&S Mince Pies awful this year - any alternatives?

Supercell

I am/was a huge fan of the M&S buttery mince pies and was looking forward to indulging again this Christmas as well as stocking some in the freezer for a midsummer treat as usual.

The packaging is different this year which was a warning something changed (going for appearance over taste this year it seems):

These are the ones from before which were delish:

When I tried to take the pie out of the tin it just fell apart. Tried another more gently and was mostly successful. As usual I put it into the microwave for 20 seconds but the pastry just totally fell apart, i needed a spoon to eat the resultant mush.

Soo disappointed, they clearly changed the recipe on these. The filling wasn't as rich tasting either as i remember it, though the pastry mush might be affecting my overall impressions.

Has anyone any other recommendations?, don't like nutty ones which rules out a lot i know.

Day Lewin

The shortcrust pastry is too crumbly; probably it was made with soft cake flour -- very low gluten, but cheaper.

My own view is that flaky pastry is much more suited for mince-pies - it is firmer, being handled and layered more; also it goes browner.

Mincemeat is almost by definition a fairly cheap filling; to cut corners on this is just stingy.

Final recommendation; make your own!

fatbhoy

Yeah last year's M&S ones were absolutely delicious. Dunnes Store's ones this year might be worth a try; they've really upped their game in recent years regarding food.

thebiglad

Haven't tried them yet but Lidl Deluxe are getting good reviews -cheap enough to risk a box...

Chris_5339762

Aldis cheapest ones are very good for the price, and don't fall apart.

odyssey06

@Supercell might be worth checking M&S again, I thought I saw the red boxed ones in M&S Omni earlier this week.

LIDL Deluxe ones is getting good reviews - On C4's Secrets of Supermarket Own Brands.

I like the ALDI rum ones.

https://groceries.aldi.ie/en-GB/ALDIIE/p-all-butter-jamaican-rum-mince-tarts-290g-6-pack-specially-selected/4088600543390

Ezeoul

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121460844#Comment_121460844

Someone was saying on another thread that the Aldi ones were horrible this year too! :(

Supercell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121461226#Comment_121461226

I was in the one in Blackrock and looked all over for those, you've given me hope! I'll try another one

Ezeoul

M&S shortbread in the tin with the robin on it, also very poor (imo).

HeidiHeidi

Sliding slightly off topic here, but I got a big tin of shortbread last year in Aldi (blue with a stag on the lid), and it was absolutely gorgeous! I see them back in this year, but have managed to resist so far.....

Back on topic, I could cry for the days of the Gallic Kitchen and their mince pies, which cost a bomb but were huge and absolutely gorgeous so worth every penny. Nicest I think I've ever eaten.

I am disappointed to hear that M&S ones are bad, they were always a handy cheap(ish) option - but in recent years I'm more inclined to spend more on less in local bakeries that do these things right.

Supercell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121460841#Comment_121460841

We do our weekly shop there, will pick up a box to try this weekend so!

Ezeoul

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121461570#Comment_121461570

Please come back and review!

Black Sheep

The All Butter Jamaican Rum mince tarts from Aldi are really good. Part of the Specially Selected range, and they have a few different iterations this year.

Surprised to hear that the M&S pies have nosedived, they're usually very good every year. I'll probably still try a box, this all can get a little subjective.

miamee

I usually enjoy the red box M&S puff pastry ones, I haven't had any of those yet though.

BruteStock

Crazy prices in M&S these days. You'd get a takeaway for what you'd spend on a microwave meal

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121462956#Comment_121462956

You'd buy a microwave for the price of an M&S dinner these days.

Flinty997

Got a decent mince pie in the Dunnes cafe. Went in to wait for someone and they had them on the counter.

forumdedum

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121462526#Comment_121462526

I love those

miamee

Whoever recommended the Lidl Deluxe mince pies, you influenced me to buy a box of them with my shopping this evening. I'll report back when I've had one 😁

Supercell

So I was in Dunnes this morning and bought one of these:

I didn't get the posh Dunnes ones as at €4.99 for 6 they can feck right off.

So these were ok, pastry was actually quite nice and didn't fall apart into mush like the M&S ones. Top was a little to thick for my liking and the filling was Ok, a little bit too acidic but overall a step up from M&S, next up is Lidl ones tomorrow. Kids are loving these food trials!

the beer revolu

It's not fair to judge any pastry product after it's been microwaved.

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121470159#Comment_121470159

Mince pies are a little different.

Some of them are meant for microwave:

https://www.tesco.ie/groceries/en-IE/products/274308085

Marty Bird

OP have you tried the SuperValu mince pies (Redbox) not the signature ones, best mince pies around IMO.

left_hander

Have you ever tried making them? They are fairly easy to make. Just getting the joint between the 2 pieces of pastry is the only difficult part.

miamee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121464768#Comment_121464768

Tried these yesterday, not great. I tried to pop it out of the tinfoil and the lid came off in my hand 😂 I thought the pastry was a bit harder and thicker than expected but I have another 5 left to make sure, lol.

the beer revolu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121470172#Comment_121470172

Not buying that!

Not so long ago I bought a sausage roll from a cafe that specialises in pastries and pies (Dunlea's Cork). Although they have a microwave combo type oven, the sausage roll came out limp, flaccid, lava-hot and horrible. And this is from the people that make them. I considered stopping the server from heating it but trusted their system to not ruin their own product.

No pastry should ever see the inside of a microwave, in my experience.

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121470260#Comment_121470260

Well granted - it's not the best way to treat pastry, but if what you are looking for is a hot mess of mince pie pastry and cream or custard then the microwave can do a job.

the beer revolu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121470357#Comment_121470357

I know it's not efficient but I'll turn the oven on if I want to heat any pastry. Doesn't take long.

I'd imagine an air fryer would be great too but I've never used one.

Flinty997

Had a mince pie in the M&S cafe. It was a hard glossed pastry not the shortbread one. Meh.

Loving this thread btw. ☃️

sekond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121462487#Comment_121462487

The almond mince tarts from that Aldi Specially Selected Range are also delicious. I bought a pack to try, thinking the might be a nice change, and cut through the very sickly sweetness you can sometimes get from shop bought mince pies. My first one was absolutely delicious, and when I went back to confirm my opinion, the rest of the family had demolished the entire packet. Even Mr "I don't really like mince pies" had eaten at least two.

the beer revolu

Nothing like your mother's mince pies. My mother made sublime sweet pastry. She usually just used shop bought mince but the pastry made them shine. (perhaps she cut the mince with grated apple?)

Thankfully, two of my sisters have carried on the tradition of making really great pastry and mince pies.