Mince pies are a Christmas staple, but one Halstead bakery has been making them since August.
Staff at Leggs Bakery in Halstead have made 124,000 mince pies in the last two months alone and have been producing about 4,000 a week in the run up to Christmas.
Leggs, based on the Broton Industrial Estate in Halstead, recently took on two new staff to fulfil a large contract to supply the festive treats to more than 100 East of England Co-op stores and has invested in a new pastry room.
To make a batch of 250 pies, eight eggs, 1.5kg of sugar, 4.2kg of margarine and 6kg of flour go into an industrial size mixer.
After creaming, everything else is done by hand - the pastry is kneaded, rolled out, cut into rounds, and the mincemeat is piped in before being topped and put in the oven.
Once the Christmas period is over, the bakers will be straight onto a new line of jam tarts.
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