I'm tempted to say, right off the bat, that these are the best mince pies in London. If they're not, they're certainly a contender for that title, something I feel somewhat qualified to judge*.
Yeast Bakery's mince pies are beautiful. Every single part of them feels as though it was created with love, care and attention. The details are beautiful and carefully considered as well. When I picked up the box, I was immediately drawn to the paper tags, a lovely, off-white, natural paper with a lovely toot. When I complimented Angela (one of the owners) on the tags, she laughed and told me that she'd made the paper herself. Astonishing.
And then there are the pies themselves:
They're beautifully constructed and perfectly baked. The short crust pastry is surprisingly substantial and gives these pies a wonderful weight – they don't fall apart in your hand like the Duchy Originals. That weight only enhances the experience in that each pie feels more solid and more real than say, the thin crust mince pies from Konditor and Cook. As you'll see below, the pastry maintains its shape and rise even as it's being eaten.
Form aside, they're delicious. The mince filling is rich, moist and perfect. It's a classic mixture of fruit and feels instantly familiar without being tired. It's a perfect example of how if something isn't broken, it shouldn't be fixed (Heston Blumenthal should take note). Frankly, I can't wait to go back this Saturday for more.
Yeast Bakery (map)
Arch 356
Westgate Street
London
E8 3RL
Open to the public Saturdays
* When I worked at Reevoo, a colleague brought in every single brand of mince pie available and we spent a morning tasting and reviewing them. He and I also once tracked the number of mince pies that we consumed in the month of December. It was well over 30 pies each when we called off the tally.