Pound pastry mince pies

[Louisa]

Once again I see these things in the supermarkets and they genuinely make my blood boil. What's wrong with a normal mince bloody pie? Sainsburys if you're reading this, you are one of the biggest culprits locally. Why do you do it?

Louisa.

[Otta]

WTF is a pound pastry mince pie?

[Louisa]

Sorry I've had a drink. I meant puff pastry.

Louisa.

[Otta]

Ah, yes I agree, I'm old skool with my mince pies.

[maxxi]

I remember lots of puff pastry mince pies around in the 70s - the age of the vol-au-vent - along with those weird things full of lemon curd - delicious.

[Louisa]

Whilst I am tempted by the less bulky nature of a puff pastry version, the crumbs and poor quality mince filling are a big put off. Also, if they've been lurking about in the cheap plastic packaging in the cupboard for more than a day they often go slightly soggy and flavourless. I admire the shortcrust variety for its longevity in the face of christmas adversity (in the food world). The odds are against the humble shortcrust mince pie, always on offer (usually two for a quid), and competing against more exciting christmas snack/treat alternatives both savoury and sweet. They not only survive the season often intact, but they brighten up an otherwise full January. We've all been there, you come across a box of Mr Kipling long after Christmas, crack the box open and discover they're as fresh and tasty as the day they were baked.

Louisa.

[DulwichFox]

Funny.. I read the title as Round pastry mince pies and then got confused... (not difficult) lol

I do like mince pies but being someone who has apparently reversed type-2 diabetes I still

have to be careful even though I now eat almost everything. and have normal blood sugar.

I prefer savoury foods.

Used to have a really sweet tooth.. 4 sugars in my tea. Doughnuts. Portuguese custard tarts.. mmmhh.

Foxy

[Jeremy]

I prefer puff pastry every time.

I also prefer Portuguese style (puff) custard tarts to the dull domestic variety!

[SLad]

Best thing about shortcrust pastry mince pies is making the leftover ones into mince pie ice cream = the Christmas gift that keeps on giving.

[red devil]

Anyone got any recs for non-Mr Kipling lovingly crafted by artisans mince pies?...

[Louisa]

red devil Wrote:

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> Anyone got any recs for non-Mr Kipling lovingly

> crafted by artisans mince pies?...

Greggs.

Louisa.

[Mustard]

The Blackbird Bakery ones are usually good, but saw some last week and they look very titchy for 60 pence each. And, if you buy them in a box you get charged even more!

The ones from Konditor and Cook are good, but not inexpensive.

[alice]

Ayres are a Christmas eve ritual - never have enough

[maxxi]

A slightly different take on the currants and flaky pastry combo are the Eccles cakes in Hirst Bakery - delicious.

[Loz]

Jeremy Wrote:

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> I also prefer Portuguese style (puff) custard tarts to the dull domestic variety!

Pasteis de Nata. Oh, yes. Mmmmmm.

[Louisa]

On the topic of an Eccles cake, can any of our northern chums please inform the difference between a puff pastry mince pie and an Eccles?

Louisa.

[maxxi]

No suet or sultanas or apples in an Eccles filling - just dead flies.

[Sue]

Louisa Wrote:

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> On the topic of an Eccles cake, can any of our

> northern chums please inform the difference

> between a puff pastry mince pie and an Eccles?

>

> Louisa.

I'm not Northern, but we had Eccles cakes a lot when I was a kid.

They're round and flat and have a few slits in the top, no? So a different shape to most mince pies.

I too prefer puff pastry for mince pies, but then I'm not very fond of mince pies. Or shortcrust pastry.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/eccles_cakes_72475

[Jeremy]

And don't forget the Eccles cake's shortcrust cousin, the Chorley cake...