Coles Bundaberg Rum Mince Pies

Our first international review!

The Facts

I'll start with this: Bundaberg rum is mostly disgusting, and I have only ever drunk it sucked through a TimTam (it was on a yacht… don’t ask). But for the sake of this review I am willing to risk it. You never know, it might be quite pleasant when cooked.

231 calories, 7.2g fat and 20.4g sugar (that sounds like quite a lot of sugar to me), 48% filling, 52% pastry.

Looking further at the ingredients of the filling shows a whopping FIVE different kinds of sweetener (glycerine, inverted sugar syrup, brown sugar, sugar, and sorbitol). I actually had to Google what some of this was, so I knew I was getting le facts. There is also apple puree, which I assume will also add sweetness.

There is both unsalted butter AND margarine listed as ingredients, so we will see how that turns out.

These were one of about 5 different mince pie options in my local Coles, and given the very un-Christmassy climate of Australia at this time of year, there tends not to be an overabundance of mince pies. It’s more of a formality really, like having Pervy Great Uncle Geoff round for Christmas lunch – no one’s quite sure how to behave, but it would be impolite not to invite him.

First Impressions

It looks pretty decent. Nice and full from the looks of things. Pastry looks well cooked, and I like the simplicity of the fork prick in the middle. It seems to be a decent size. Enough for a Christmassy snack, but not so much that you couldn’t eat your turkey.

I only hope it’s not a total let-down.

The Bite

It’s not actually too bad. There’s plenty of vine fruits to mix the texture up a bit, although I think there’s too much sugar, not enough spice.

The alcohol is just right, and I can taste it subtly underneath all the flavour sugar.

Now I’m a few bites in, I realise the filling is saccharin sweet, and the taste of fruit is completely overpowered with sweetness. Eurgh. 

The pastry takes away some of the tang, which basically just leaves a sweet taste. The pastry is ok, although I cannot taste any butter at all, it’s far too sweet and it was a little bit soggy. Oh dear, now I have a sugar headache and it’s 10am in the sodding morning.

The pie was reasonably warm, although forgive me for not overdoing it on this front, we are still in summer here!

Overall

I was pleasantly surprised when I first bit into this pie; it was nice and sweet, and a little bit boozy. But now I’ve finished, I realise that in actual fact, that was my first mince pie of the season; it wasn’t that nice, and I have a headache from too much sugar.

If you’re desperate for a mince pie this season, don’t choose this one. Find one at your local grocer’s or something. This thing makes my teeth feel funny from all the sugar.

I’m off for a lie-down sugar-induced coma.