Pudding
Selfridges
Christmas Pudding
900g, £14.99
A very good, well rounded pudding. It isn't too sweet and fruit and dough are balanced.
★★★★
Riverford
Christmas Pudding
450g, £9.99
This looks and smells like carrot cake! Wholesome, with lots of orange zest.
★★★
The Co-operative
Truly Irresistible Christmas Pudding
454g, £6
Rich, crumbly and really boozy. I like the alcoholic kick. It could be a bit more aromatic for me.
★★★
Harrods
Archive Collection Christmas Pudding
700g, £29.95
Chewy and quite acrid. The whole almonds add an element of luxury but generally it's a bit weird.
★
Mince pies
Gail's
Mince Pies
£1.20 each or 6 for £6
These have a nice rustic touch and look homemade. Some of the best filling I've ever eaten, but the pastry is a little too sweet.
★★★★
The Co-operative
Truly Irresistible Buttercrust Mince Pies
£2.50 for 6
Extremely thick pastry that's slightly underbaked on the bottom. The filling has nice acidity and a citrus flavour. A decent, average mince pie.
★★★
Sainsbury's
Taste the Difference Brandy Rich Mince Pies
£2.50 for 6
The pastry is way too thick – it tastes of shortbread. Filling is a bit dense and dull-looking with flecks of suet.
★★
Morrisons
All Butter Deep Filled Mini Mince Pies
£2 for 6
Mean on filling with tough, flavourless pastry. Seems almost damp.
★
Panettone
Ottolenghi
Panettone Classico
750g, £21.50
An indulgent, well-crafted panettone. It has a mellow, custardy flavour, the fruit is beautifully plump and generous, and the sponge is soft. Gorgeous.
★★★★★
Natoora
Panettone Le Cose Buone
1kg, £19.90
Also generous with fruit, moist and with a good eggy aroma. Could have a bit more depth of flavour.
★★★
Tesco
Finest* Classic Panettone
750g, £6.40
Slightly burnt on the crust and smells artificial. It is missing the custard aroma I look for and tastes a bit empty.
★★
Lidl
Favorina Panettone
1kg, £3.99
Hard crust and dry crumb, but might be improved with heating. Bit mean on the fruit and tastes mass produced.
★
Stollen
Waitrose
Heston from Waitrose Earl Grey Stollen
545g, £7 each
This is what stollen should be, with some of the best marzipan I've had for a while. Great almond flavour, but slightly too dry.
★★★★
Sainsbury's
Seasonal Stollen Cake
400g, £5.75
More confection than stollen. Tastes of booze but a bit short of marzipan.
★★★
Harrods
Marzipan Stollen in a Box
750g, £19.95
Tough texture and smells like panettone. Very good distribution of fruit but the dough is too dry. I'd pop it in the oven to try to salvage it.
★★★
Wholefoods
Rolle Muhie Stollen
500g, £9.99
This has a really strong marzipan hit. Not bad but very sweet. My teeth are singing with sugar!
★★
Yule log
Waitrose
Acorn Branch Yule Log
£15 each
Soft crumb and not too sweet. There's a lovely richness to the buttercream. For an industrial product it's balanced and pleasant.
★★★
Marks and Spencer
Collection Chocolate Bûche de Noel
620g, £10
Not chocolatey enough – it's like a sugar sponge with a hint of cocoa.
★★
Tesco
Finest* Chocolate Yule Log
475g, £4
Very delicate and awkward to slice. It has a soft crumb but tastes mass produced – it's all sugar. Very cloying.
★
Sainsbury's
Chocolate Yule Log Pile
385g, £5
Gosh, this is so terrible. Grainy chocolate, looks artificial, texture like sandpaper and tastes industrial.
No stars
Brandy butter
Marks and Spencer
Collection Brandy Butter
425g, £5.39
What I look for in a brandy butter. Beautiful caramel colour, an even consistency and rich in brandy.
★★★★
Wholefoods
Cole's Brandy Butter
220g, £2.99
A traditional brandy butter. Sweet but not overpoweringly so and with a nice hint of salt. It has an almost mousse-like consistency.
★★★
Morrisons
M Signature Brandy Butter with Remy Martin
200g, £2.50
You really taste the alcohol which is good but it's a bit flat. Simply too bland.
★★
Selfridges
Brandy Butter
140g, £4.99
Slightly rancid to taste and looks like it's been whipped. I'm not getting much alcohol either. The very pale colour is a giveaway.
★
