Vegan "Sausage" Rolls

Last Friday at work we had a charity bake sale in aid of Hand in Hand for Syria and the British Red Cross Typhoon Haiyan Appeal. I sit on the charity committee and am starting to get a bit of a name for myself with my baking. I just missed our on the Star Baker award at our Christmas do last year, but have got it in my sights this year. At any rate, it had been requested that there are more vegan and gluten free offerings made at bake sales, so I did my best to comply.

All credit for this recipe goes to my friend Joy, who bought these "sausage" rolls to Cake'n'Bake a few months back. They are super simple, and I wouldn't have guessed that the ingredients were vegan friendly, but they are! I'm not sure if all brands would be equally vegan friendly, so just check the labels to be sure.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 18-20 minutes
Makes 24 sausage rolls

Ingredients
200g sage and onion stuffing mix
Boiling water (as needed)
1 packet of ready-to-roll puff pastry
1 tbsp soy milk, to glaze

1. Pre-heat the oven to 160, and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper
2. Tip the stuffing mix into a bowl and stir in boiling water. Check the packet of stuffing mix to get the quantity of water, as I believe this varies brand to brand. I used around 350mls. Pop the stuffing to one side to cool.
3. Unroll the packet of pastry and cut into 24 evenly sized rectangles.
4. When the stuffing is cool enough to handle, roll into 24 balls. Pop each ball onto the centre of each rectangle of pastry, and warp the pastry around the stuffing, making sure to tuck in the edges of the pastry as you go.
5. Brush the sausage rolls with a little soy milk to glaze, the pop in the oven for 18-20 minutes, until golden brown.
6. Can be enjoyed hot or cold!

Until next time,

Happy thoughts x

Chicken, Bacon and Leek Pie

Just after I moved house and finished unpacking I had a real hankering for pie, so whipped up this tasty treat. I don't usually post savoury recipes to the blog, but this IS a bake so I thought it would be good to share.

This pie is fairly quick and very simple, and have I mentioned yet that it's really tasty? It's really tasty. The photos really don't do this justice! I cheated and used ready-to-roll pastry, but you guys already know that pastry is my baking weakness, right!? One day I will have a go at making my own puff pastry, and you'll be the first to know when I do, but for now, ready-to-roll works perfectly.

Ingredients: 
1 large chicken breast
2 rashers of bacon
half a leek
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tsps cornflour
150ml chicken stock
Pinch of black pepper
1/2 packet of ready to roll puff pastry

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 2

1. Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 5 (approx 190 degrees) and take your pastry out of the fridge.
2. Chop the chicken and bacon into chunks, and finely slice the leek.
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan and stir fry the chicken until slightly golden, add the bacon and leek to the frying pan, stirring until the bacon is cooked and the leek has softened. Add the cornflour to the pan and stir well to coat all of the pieces. Slowly stir in the chicken stock, then allow the mixture to simmer for 5 minute until it reduces and thickens. Season with the pepper then pour this into a pie dish.
4. Roll out the pastry to around 6mm thick, then lay this over the top of the pie filling, tucking in the edges to seal. Cut two slits in the top to allow the steam to escape, then brush with a little milk.
5. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown and crispy on top. All the pie to cool for a few minutes before serving (I had mine with mash, roast carrots and parsnips, and minted green beans. It was gooood!)

Happy Thoughts
x

Cake'n'Bake Wednesday: Lamb and Apple Pie

April 2012 was Easter themed for Cake'n'Bake Club, and I wanted to have a bash at something savoury.  I've always been a bit rubbish at pastry, so thought I'd take the opportunity to get in some practise with a yummy pie. The recipe is based on The Hairy Bikers' Gloucester Squab Pie

Ingredients:

For the filling:

450g diced lamb
2tbsp plain flour
1-2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion
650ml hot lamb stock
1/2 tsp mixed spice
salt and pepper to taste
2 sprigs of fresh mint
2 bramley apples

For the pastry:

300g plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
pinch of salt
75g vegetable shortening, cut into cubes
75g butter, cut into cubes
1 medium sized egg
1 tbsp cold water

Prep Time: 45-60 minutes
Cook time: 120-150 minutes
Makes 8-10 slices

1. The filling is cooked for at least an hour and a half before the pastry lid is added, so best to start with that. Preheat the oven to gas mark 5. 
2. Coat the diced lamb with the plain flour. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and stir fry the lamb until just golden, then place the lamb to one side in a casserole dish.
3. Peel and chop the onion, then return the pan to the heat and fry the onions until they start to turn translucent. Add the onions, lamb stock, mixed spice, salt and pepper to the lamb in the casserole dish, then roughly tear the mint leaves and add these. Stir well, cover, then place in the oven for 1.5-2 hours, stirring occasionally,  until the meat has cooked and the sauce has thickened. (Don't add the apples at this stage - we will come back to them!)
4. Whilst the casserole is cooking, prepare your pastry. Tip the flour and salt into a large bowl, then rub in the shortening and butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre.
5. Lightly whisk the egg and water, then pour most of this into the well made in the flour and fat mixture - you'll want to reserve a little bit of this to use as a glaze. Stir the mixture until it comes together to form a dough, then knead the dough for a few minutes on a lightly floured surface. Shape the dough into a round, wrap in clingfilm and place in the fridge until ready to use (make sure this is at least 30 minutes so the pastry is nicely chilled!)
6. Once the casserole is cooked, remove from the oven and leave to cool whilst you peel, core and slice the apples. Carefully pour half of the casserole into a large pie dish, then layer the slice apples on top of this. Pour the remaining casserole on top of the apple layer and set to one side whilst you roll out you pastry. Increase the heat of the oven to gas mark 6.
7. Unwrap the pastry and roll out to around 3 inches large than the dish you are using. Cut a 1 inch circle from the edge of this, and place the around the rim of your pie dish to use as a support. Cover this in egg wash, then place the pastry over the whole dish. Trim and flute the edges, then glaze the top of the pie with the remaining egg mixture. Cut a small cross in the middle of the pastry to allow the steam to escape, then bake in the centre of the oven for 25 - 30 minutes until golden brown all over.

Happy Thoughts
x

Rat-Patootie

Disney Pixar # 8 - Ratatouille

Ratatouille, along with the next film, Wall-E, were the two Disney Pixar films that I really, really struggled to come up with ideas for. They also ended up being my two favourite ideas of this series! For Ratatouille, I really couldn't come up with anything better than to make some little fondant chef hats and veggies to decorate the top of the cupcakes, but then one day I had a random thought: what if I bake ratatouille (of the roasted vegetable variety) INTO the cupcakes...?

I suppose this idea is a little crazy creative!

It actually worked out really, really well! I started with this recipe for ratatouille, and thought about how I could incorporate the ingredients for ratatouille into my cupcakes. In the end I left out the onion and garlic, as I thought they would be too overpowering, and also left out the aubergine as I couldn't figure out how to include it. I also used half olive oil (as per the ratatouille recipe) and half sunflower oil, as again I thought the olive oil may be too overpowering. All in all, I think it was a worthwhile attempt at ratatouille, and they tasted great! (especially when still a little warm!!)

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20-25 minutes
Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:
250g self raising flour
50g soft light brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
pinch of black pepper
120ml milk
2 medium eggs
45ml olive oil
45ml sunflower oil
1 medium sized courgette (around 200g whole)
3 pepperdew peppers from a jar
4 sun-dried tomatoes from a jar
1 sprig fresh basil (around 6-7 leaves)

1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 4 and line a bun tray with cases.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and pepper into a large bowl and place to one side.
3. Whisk the milk and eggs together, then stir in both kinds of oil.
4. Peel and grate the courgette and pour into the wet mixture. Chop the peppers, tomatoes and basil into small pieces then stir into the wet mixture.
5. Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture a little at a time until all the ingredients have combined. Fill the  cupcake cases 3/4 of the way up with better, then bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown on top, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
6. Leave to cool slightly in the pan before removing from the cupcake cases. Best served still warm!

Ratatouille Cupcakes

Next time it's Wall-E, and I'll be making cupcakes as they might appear in 2805!

Happy Thoughts
x