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2 years ago
These London bakeries are killing it on the mince pie game
Mince pies are only around for a few weeks each year, so when December hits, it’s all-go for fans of the baked good. But all mince pie connoisseurs know not all are made equal: the pastry needs to be perfectly buttery, the filling rich and blended with the optimum amount of spices. Bakeries across London have spent years perfecting their recipes: adding secret ingredients, fermenting their mincemeat and creating extravagant versions: from doughnut hybrids to big sharing versions. So where to find the capital’s best? Here’s where to find the best mince pies in London.
You can always count on GAIL’s to create delectable pastries, and its mince pies do not disappoint. The secret? Balancing the tangy taste of Bramley apples taste with the sweet richness of its homemade mincemeat, encased in the perfect crumbly, spiced pastry and sprinkled with Demerara sugar.
£2.90 for one or £15 for a box of six, available across all bakeries. gailsbread.co.uk
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Once again, cult bakery Pophams is adding a bit of boozy fun into the mix, partnering with The King’s Ginger to create its famous mince pies. For two months prior to the festive season, the team feed the mincemeat every day with The King’s Ginger liqueur, which blends with the rich spices, candied peel and citrus. The pastry, meanwhile, is laminated with a whopping 18 layers of Normandy butter before being filled with Cornish clotted cream and mixed with a final dose of liqueur for the ultimate Christmas snack.
£20 for a box of six, available at the bakery or online. pophams.slerp.com
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Fortitude founder Dee Rettali is ahead of the game. She has been fermenting her mincemeat for two years, using miso to ferment the mix and then adding a secret ingredient of Guinness – alongside all the usual suspects like currants and apples. Fancy taking it one step further? The bakery is also serving mince pie galettes: puff pastries of almond frangipane topped with mincemeat and custard.
£3.25 for one, available at the bakery. fortitudebakehouse.com
St. JOHN’s mince pies are legendary – dedicated fans look forward to them each year, and they sell out every day during silly season. Get down there early to enjoy a classic pie with a thick, textured filling and the perfect buttery pastry.
£3 for one, available at the bakery. stjohnrestaurant.com
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Traditionalists, look away. North London favourite Melrose and Morgan (which has outposts in Primrose Hill and Hampstead) has created a new Christmas special: a mince pie and doughnut hybrid. This sees a freshly baked doughnut filled with aromatic mincemeat infused with cinnamon and nutmeg, topped with a spiced topping sauce.
Available at both bakeries. melroseandmorgan.com
German bakery Konditor’s mince pies are renowned. The expert team of pastry makers create traditional mince pies with melt-in-the-mouth butter pastry, filled with the perfect amount of vegan-friendly mincemeat. You can pick up a box at one of the four outposts dotted around London in places like Waterloo and Chancery Lane, or order some online.
£20 for a box of 12, available across all bakeries and online. konditor.co.uk
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Toklas Bakery is known to sell out of its mince pies, so if you want one this year get in there quick. Here quinces are thrown into the mix, slowly roasted before being mixed with Bramley and Braeburn apples, then dosed in a healthy splash of brandy and spices and placed inside deliciously flaky shortcrust pastry.
£3.20 for one to takeaway, £3.90 for one to eat in, available at the bakery. toklaslondon.com
The best part about Christmas is gathering with friends and family over delicious food – hence why Ole & Steen has created a sharing mince pie. Treat your gang to the Mince Pie Social: braided sweet dough made with Christmas spices and vanilla custard, topped with cinnamon and nutmeg icing. A whole serves seven or half serves four – or, if you simply do not want to share your mince pie (fair enough), it can be ordered by the slice.
Available across all bakeries. oleandsteen.co.uk
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