The secrets behind a Lake District bakery’s award-winning mince pies will be revealed in a special Christmas episode of a hit TV documentary.
A Lake District Farm Shop, the Channel 4 series about Tebay Services and its suppliers, which attracted millions of viewers over the summer, returns for a festive episode this weekend.
The crew has been back to More? The Artisan Bakery at Staveley near Kendal, to re-visit bakery founder Patrick Moore and his team.
Filming started in September with the harvesting of Lyth Valley damsons, which is the start of the four-month artisan process behind the mince pies.
Patrick said that the top quality ingredients and the attention to detail that goes into the mince pies put them in a different league to mass produced versions.
“Think about the best mincemeat you can have and that’s what we’re putting into these pies,” he said. “We use plenty of damson gin and fruit and we make sure there’s the correct amount in each one.
“The lovely, crisp pastry cases are filled with that mincemeat and topped with the jewel in the crown, which is a gin-soaked damson. On top we add a layer of hazelnut frangipane, made with finely ground hazelnuts, Winter Tarn Dairy butter from Cumbria and icing sugar.
“The level of love and tender loving care that goes into this product isn’t something you can rush. No manufacturer would take it on because it’s too labour intensive.”
Patrick and the team will make around 8,000 mince pies this Christmas, with production naturally limited by damson supplies.
The mince pies, which hold a three-star Great Taste award, are sold exclusively from the bakery at Staveley Mill Yard and from Tebay Services.
The damsons are combined with Hawkshead Brewery Barrel Aged Gin to create a damson-infused spirit which adds a kick to the mincemeat filling.
The mincemeat recipe uses vegetarian suet and includes vine fruits, candied peel, freshly grated lemon and orange zest and juice, Bramley apples, flaked almonds, dark sugar and mixed spice, nutmeg and cinnamon.
The pastry cases are made with Winter Tarn Dairy butter and Carr’s biscuit flour for added crunch – both from Cumbria – and Arlington White eggs. Each pie’s mincemeat filling is topped with a single gin-infused damson before a layer of hazelnut frangipane is added.
Patrick said it was good to have the film crew back: “We’ve had a great response to the documentary, which showed the high quality of what’s produced in Cumbria and the fantastic relationship we have with the team at Tebay Services. We hope viewers enjoy learning the secrets of our mince pies.”
A Lake District Farm Shop at Christmas is a new hour-long special episode.
Featuring new faces alongside familiar characters from the original series, A Lake District Farmshop at Christmas follows staff at the family-owned motorway service station as they work with local suppliers to put everything in place to welcome travellers during the holiday season.
The festive episode catches up with Tebay’s head of butchery Dave Morland as he competes with his team members to see who can make the most pigs in blankets and head of lifestyle Tracey Clowes works with third-generation family furniture business Peter Hall & Son to bring unique hand-turned tree ornaments into the Farmshop’s Christmas displays.
Meanwhile, new food development chef Jim Metcalfe hopes to impress customers queueing for Tebay’s famous Christmas roast with his vegan-friendly seasonal centrepiece.
As cleaners and sisters Tina and Jayne pull on their Christmas jumpers, and carol singers from Tebay Primary School serenade shoppers browsing for stocking fillers, the scene is set for an uplifting celebration of the joys of driving home for Christmas.
A Lake District Farm Shop at Christmas will be broadcast on Channel 4 on Saturday, December 18 at 6pm.
