Our luxury mince pie taste test 2017 sorts through the best gourmet offerings on the market

It wouldn’t be Christmas without almost every favourite festive food getting a ‘premium’ makeover, and mince pies are no exception.

These posh pies all put a gourmet spin on the classic Christmas snack – but which one delivered the goods?

MARKS & SPENCER

★★★☆☆

These citrusy circles topped with pastry stars are so packed with juicy currents, they could be one of your five a day (but probably aren’t). Zesty orange flavours spice up an otherwise traditional, thick crust pie that won’t upset your nan.

£2.50 for six

TOM’S KITCHEN

★★★★★

Served at Tom’s Kitchen delis in Canary Wharf, St Katharine Docks and aboard HMS Belfast, these are worth being buried at sea for. The crunchy pastry, delicately dusted with icing sugar, caves into a boozy mincemeat ooze. Strikes the perfect balance of flavours and textures.

£2 per pie

Benugo

★★☆☆☆

Our least favourite of the bunch, this dusty slab is an unappealing combination of bakewell slice, fruit crumble and mincemeat filling. Oddly oaty, this too dry dessert doesn’t know who it is or what it’s doing here.

£3.20

KONDITOR & COOK

★★★☆☆

A favourite of years gone by, these glossy beauties still have an artisan, handmade quality but seem to have succumbed to austerity like the rest of us. The flaky, yet buttery pastry couldn’t quite make up for the scant filling. On the plus side, you could definitely pass these off as your own at parties.

£10 for six

FORTNUM & MASON

★★★☆☆

So hefty were these, we worried we wouldn’t fit them into our mouths. Once inside, we found an indulgent, sticky wonder pud that came alive with top notes of cinnamon and cloves and lingered like a fine mulled wine.

£10.95 for six