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Welcome to SUE'S KITCHEN.Accessible recipes,
useful information & tips on cooking for blind & visually
impaired people, by Sue Pallett. Last
Updated 2007! |
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Pies & Pastries Recipes Page. |
Spicy Sardine & Cottage Cheese Slice
Cornish
Pasties
Cheesy Courgette
& Onion Tart (New!)
Choux Pastry (New!)
Easy Chicken Onion &
Mushroom Pie (New!)
Hot Water Crust
Pastry (New!)
Plain Shortcrust Pastry
(New!)
Savoury Cheese Loaf (New!)
Savoury
Cheese Muffins (New!)
Savoury Cheese
Scones (New!)
Suet Pastry or Dumpling Mix (New!)
Traditional Chicken &
Mushroom Pie (New!)
Traditional
Steak & Kidney Pudding (New!)
AUDIO RECIPE - Click
here to hear an Audio Recipe for Rhubarb Crumble, in MP3 format!
Rhubarb
Crumble recipe in written format
Homemade Apple Pie
Traditional Egg Custard Tart
Individual Egg Custard Tarts
Sweet, rich, dessert, Shortcrust Pastry
Scone Mix (New!)
Zesty
Lemon Tart (New!)
Click
here to find out about the Sues Kitchen limited edition Teapot Keyrings
TAFN
(The Accessible Friends Network) links
To make 4 pasties, you will need.
Eight ounces, 225 g, or two standard
measuring cups of plain or all purpose flour.
a pinch of salt.
four ounces 110 g, one stick of lard,
or other hard, block vegetable cooking fat,
or alternatively,
two ounces, 50 g, half a
stick of lard or other hard white block cooking fat, and two ounces 50 g, half
a stick of margarine.
Six to eight tablespoons of cold water
to mix.
A little extra margarine to grease the
tin.
a little milk to glaze.
One medium sized onion.
one medium sized potato.
one small carrot.
eight ounces, 225 g, minced or ground
beef
one small egg,.
salt and pepper
a pinch of mixed herbs
one beef oxo, stock or bullion cube.
Start by pre-heating the oven to hot, 425 f, gas mark 7, 225 c, 200 fan.
Grease a large flat baking sheet.
Sift the flour into a large bowl and add a pinch of salt.
Take your fat straight from the fridge, then cut or break it into small pieces, drop it into the centre of the flour and, keeping your hands as cool as possible, rub it into the flour, until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Do this by picking up a little of the mixture between the fingers and thumbs of both hands, rubbing your thumbs across your fingertips, then letting the mixture trickle back into the bowl.
Lift your hands up slightly as you repeat the process to add air which will help make the pastry nice and light.
Don't be tempted to over work the mix because if it becomes too warm it will begin to stick together again and the pastry will be too (short), making it crumbly when you come to roll it out. When you can’t feel any more little pieces of cool sticky fat in the mixture, add the water a tablespoon at a time mixing it in with a flat bladed knife, until the pastry starts to come together. You will feel that its gradually getting harder to mix and you’ll find it beginning to form a ball in the bottom of the bowl. When this starts to happen, just use your hands to bring the mixture together . It should be soft and there shouldn't be any dry bits left in the bowl.
Knead the dough very lightly and put it into a polythene bag and then into the fridge to keep it cool while you prepare the filling.
(please see my glossary of preparation techniques on making and rolling out pastry), for more helpful details.
Peel the onion, potato and carrot.
Finely chop the onion, and finely dice the potato and carrot.
Beat the egg in a small bowl.
Put the minced or ground beef into a large bowl, add the diced vegetables, beaten egg, mixed herbs, the crumbled oxo, stock or bullion cube and a shake of salt and pepper. combine everything together well using a fork.
Lightly flour a pastry board or clean surface, take the pastry from the fridge and, keeping your hands cool, roll it out using a floured rolling pin, giving it a quarter turn regularly so that it stays a nice round shape. Don't roll it out too thinly because it needs to support the filling, but if you take a small saucepan lid and use this to measure and cut out circles, there should be enough pastry to make four rounds.
However, You will probably need to re-flour your board and rolling pin and re-roll the pastry out a second time to make the last round. After you have cut out the circles, put a quarter of the meat mixture into the centre of each one.
Using your fingers or a small pastry brush, dampen right round the edges of each circle with cold water. If you have no sight, It is easier to do this by putting a little cold water into a teacup, hold it in one hand and dip two or three fingers from your other hand in and quickly run them round the edges.
Now, lift the pastry from the left and right, up in to the centre to form a ridge above the filling, press the damp edges together and pinch and crimp the pastry all the way along the top and down each side to seal each pasty well.
They will feel like long fat sausage shapes with ridged tops and flat bottoms where they have been standing on the board or surface.
Prick each pasty with a fork in two or three places to release the steam during cooking and brush with a little milk to glaze.
Put them on to the greased baking tin and cook near the top of the oven for fifteen minutes, then turn down the temperature to warm, 325 f, gas mark 3, 170 c, 150 fan. and continue baking for a further 50 to 60 minutes depending on the size of your pasties and the temperature of your own oven.
You are cooking the pastry more slowly now so that it doesn't burn and to make sure that the filling is properly cooked through.
Your Cornish pasties should now be firm to the touch, and golden brown, You may be able to hear the filling sizzling slightly too.
These pastry delights were traditionally taken to work by farmers and Cornish tin miners and eaten in the hand just as they are. The recipe can vary, for example, change the meat to ground lamb if you wish or leave the meat out altogether, and add a few peas, diced turnip or swede.
Enjoy them.
Happy cooking,
Sue.
Cornish Pasties - TAFN member Dave Kent successfully made these Cornish pasties using this recipe. Here is a picture of Dave, holding up one of the successful pasties!
This tart is made using the “baking blind” cooking method, if it is made like this there is less chance of it having a soggy bottom!
(Please see my glossary section on baking blind for more detailed information).
To serve 4 people,
You will need,
a 450 g, pack of ready rolled short-crust pastry sheets, jus-rol,
1 tbsp
olive oil,
1 large onion,
2 cloves of garlic,
2 tsps of dried basil,
A
little Salt and freshly ground black pepper,
3 medium sized courgettes,
150 ml, a quarter of a pint, of double cream,
1 egg,
110 g,
4 oz, cheddar cheese.
Pre-heat the oven to gas 6, 400 f, 200 c, 180 fan,
You will need a loose bottomed round flan or cake tin measuring approx. 20 to 23 cm, 8 or 9 inches in diameter, by 10 cm, 4 inches deep.
Preparation.
First of all you are going to line the tin with the pastry sheets, overlapping the edges slightly if you need to join them.
Trim away any excess pastry that’s hanging over the top edge of the rim of the tin with a small pointed knife. Keep the point down and the flat side of the blade pressed right up against the rim of the tin, turn the tin a little as you slide the knife round.
Now, put the tin into the fridge for 30 minutes to chill the pastry.
While the pastry is resting, prepare the filling.
Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic.
Wash, top and tail, then thinly slice the courgettes,
Grate the cheese onto a large plate using the coarse side of a grater.
Break the egg into a small jug, add the cream, and half the grated cheese, a teaspoon of basil, a shake of salt and a good grind of freshly ground black pepper.
Stir well.
Now you are going to bake the pastry case “blind”.
Remove the pastry from the fridge.
Line the pastry case with a sheet of greaseproof paper.
Cover the paper lining with a good layer of either ceramic baking beans or dried peas.
Bake “blind” for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven until the pastry case feels firm to the touch and is lightly golden brown.
While your pastry is baking, cook the filling.
Put the olive oil in a medium sized saucepan and add the onion and garlic.
Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent them from sticking.
Now add the courgettes and one teaspoon of basil, cook for a further 5 minutes until slightly soft, stirring occasionally to prevent them from sticking.
Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.
When your pastry is cooked, remove the tin from the oven and take out the paper and beans.
Turn down the oven slightly to gas 4, 350 f, 180 c, 160 fan.
Put the tin containing the pastry case onto a baking sheet with shallow sides so that it will be easier to lift into the oven, lessening any chance of spillage after you add the filling.
Now, Spoon the courgette mixture evenly over the base of the pastry case, then carefully Pour in the contents of the jug. This should fill the pastry case almost to the rim.
Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese evenly over the top.
Carefully lift the tart into the oven and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the filling feels firm but pliable when lightly pressed with your finger, then the mixture will be set and the top should look golden and you will hear it bubbling.
This tart is best eaten straight away and is nice either hot or cold.
Serve it with crusty bread and a mixed green leaf and tomato salad.
Happy cooking,
Sue.
This is a light soft dough, made in a completely different way to other types of pastry. Its also known as choux paste, and its created by beating plain flour into boiling water and melted butter. Then well beaten eggs are gradually beaten into the mixture to form a smooth, glossy pastry. The pastry is then spooned or piped into shapes, usually rounds or fingers, and during cooking they rise to produce light, crisp well-risen and hollow shapes.
When cooked, while still hot, the pastry shells are pierced with a sharp knife to allow any excess steam to escape. The cold choux buns or fingers are then filled with a creamy sweet or savoury filling. Choux pastry is most commonly used for sweet or savoury choux buns, éclairs, profiteroles, cream buns or gougère (a savoury choux pastry ring where the uncooked mixture is distributed evenly around the edge of a tin or ovenproof dish and the savoury filling put in the centre. As it bakes, the choux pastry rises into peaks and joins to form a light pastry crust or ring around the outside of the filling.
Choux Pastry
This will make 9 oz, or 250 g.
A quarter of a pint, 150 ml, 5 fl.oz water.
2 and a half oz, 65 g, of
plain flour,
2 oz, 50 g, of butter,
2 medium sized eggs,
A small pinch
of salt.
Sieve the flour and salt together into a large jug.
Break the eggs separately into a small clean bowl to make sure they are fresh before beating them together well in a small jug.
Place the butter and water into a deep sided, medium sized saucepan and heat slowly as the butter melts, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture becomes liquid and reaches boiling point. You’ll be able to feel the butter disappearing beneath the spoon as you stir. As boiling point is reached, you will hear the mixture sizzle slightly, and a little steam may rise up to meet your hand. This shouldn’t take more than a minute or so.
Remove the pan from the heat onto your worktop and tip in the flour, then return the pan to a low heat again and, still using your wooden spoon, briskly stir until all the flour has been incorporated. the mixture will quickly thicken to form a ball of dough in your pan. This should only take a couple of minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat again and allow the mixture to cool slightly.
Now, very gradually add the eggs to the saucepan, a little at a time, beating the mixture well between additions, until you have a smooth dough, which will form soft peaks when lifted with a fork. If you dip the prongs into the top surface and scoop up a small amount of the dough, lift it slightly and put a couple of fingers below the fork, you will feel the peaks of dough sticking up.
Either use the dough immediately or, leave it covered in the saucepan, to prevent the choux pastry from drying out.
To serve 4 people,
You will need.
2 sheets of chilled, ready rolled puff pastry, try Jus-roll pack of 2 puff
pastry sheets weight approx. 425-450 g,
1 medium onion,
4 oz, 110 g,
mushrooms,
1 400 g, can of chicken in a white sauce.
A small handful of
frozen peas or sweetcorn (optional),
A little milk to glaze,
2 tbsps of
bazil infused olive oil.
A little salt and freshly ground black pepper.
You will need to grease a medium sized 7 to 8 inch, (18 to 20 cm), diameter flan tin or cake tin that is 3 or 4 inches, 7.5 to 10 cm deep, which has a flat rim.
Begin by pre-heating your oven to gas 7, 425 f, 225 c, 200 fan.
Peel and coarsely chop the onion,
Wipe and break the mushrooms into small pieces,
Put the mushroom, onion, peas or sweetcorn, into a small saucepan with the olive oil and a shake of salt and grind of black pepper then fry on a gentle heat for 4 to 5 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally.
Add the contents of the tin of chicken in white sauce to the pan, stir well to combine the ingredients.
Turn off the heat and leave it on one side.
Take your pastry from the fridge and separate the two sheets.
Line the base and sides of your greased tin with one of the pastry sheets, laying it in neatly without stretching it, then trim away any unwanted pastry from the top rim with a pointed kitchen knife held vertically and run around the outside edge of the tin.
Spoon the chicken pie filling into the prepared tin, spreading it out evenly to cover the pastry base.
dampen the pastry rim on the tin with a little cold water.
Lay on the other sheet of pastry to form the pie lid, pressing the edge onto the dampened rim of the tin to seal the edges together. Trim away any excess pastry if necessary as before.
Brush all over with a little milk to glaze.
Prick the top with a fork in two or three places to let out the steam as the pie cooks.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown, crispy and firm to the touch.
Serve with microwave new potatoes in herb butter and some ready prepared mixed vegetables that just need to be cooked in their bag in the microwave for a few minutes. (please see packet instructions for details as cooking times will vary according to weight.
Happy cooking,
Sue.
This pastry is used to make pork pies and many other savoury pies that require a hard crust, but because of its texture and flavour it does not keep well.
You will need,
6 oz, 175 g, plain flour,
just over a quarter of a pint, 170 ml, (6 fl.oz
of cold water,
3 oz, 75 g, of lard,
A small pinch of Salt.
Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl.
pour the water into a medium sized saucepan and add the lard. Heat it gently, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the lard has melted.
Turn up the heat a little and, still stirring, bring the saucepan to the boil. This will only take a very short time.
Now, remove the pan from the heat and Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour the contents in.
Working very quickly while its still warm, beat with a wooden spoon until the flour has been incorporated and the mixture forms a dough, Then knead the pastry with your hands until the dough becomes smooth.
This pastry must be used while its still warm, otherwise it will crack and become brittle when you try to roll it out. You won’t be able to mould it into shape and it will be impossible to work with.
This recipe will give you enough plain shortcrust pastry to line an 8 inch, (20 cm), round pie plate or dish and make a pastry lid. or to line a deep 8 inch, (20 cm, flan tin.
Use this pastry for meat pies, pasties, vegetable pies, or flans or any other main course recipes that require an unsweetened pastry.
You will need.
8 oz, 225 g, of plain flour,
a small pinch of salt,
2 oz, 50 g, of
lard or other hard cooking fat.
2 oz, 50 g, of margarine.
Several tablespoons
of cold water to mix.
For best results use your fat and margarine straight from the fridge.
Begin by sifting your flour and salt into a large mixing bowl.
Break your lard-fat and margarine into small pieces and drop it into the flour.
Now, use your fingers and thumbs of both hands to pick up a little bit of the mixture each time to rub the fat into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Rub your thumbs against your fingers, letting the mixture trickle back into the bowl each time.
Repeat the process until you can’t feel any more little sticky pieces of fat left in the flour mixture. Giving the bowl a gentle shake will bring them to the top so that you can find them easily.
Don’t be tempted to overwork the mixture though or it will begin to stick together again.
It would help if you could keep your hands as cool as possible while you make the pastry. .
Now, gradually add enough cold water to bring the mixture into a ball in your bowl.
Use a flat bladed knife to stir it until the mix begins to come together, then your hands to bring it into a ball, but if any bits of dry mixture are still in the bottom of your bowl, just drop your pastry back in, add another tablespoon of cold water, and mix it again until you have a nice pliable dough.
(please see my Glossary section on making and rolling out pastry for more detailed information).
You will need,
8 oz, 225 g, self-raising flour,
4 oz, 110 g, of butter
or margarine,
4 oz, 110 g, mature cheddar cheese,
3 oz, 175 g,
of caster sugar,
1level tsp salt
1 heaped tsp of dried mustard
2
eggs,
a quarter of a pint, 150 ml, of milk.
Pre-heat your oven to gas 4, 350 f, 180 c, 150 fan.
Grease then line a 2 lb, 900 g, loaf tin with greaseproof or silicone parchment paper, then grease this with a little extra butter or margarine.
Grate the cheese onto a plate, using the coarse side of a grater, or alternatively, save time and by ready grated cheese from a super market.
Sieve the flour into a large mixing bowl and rub in the butter or margarine.
Stir in the cheese, sugar, salt and mustard powder.
Break the eggs into a jug and beat them together well.
Add the milk to the jug and mix to combine.
Next, pour the contents of the jug into the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl and stir them together Thoroughly, but don't beat.
The mixture will be of a soft “dropping” consistency. It will fall from the spoon easily when shaken.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin, level the top with a flat bladed knife, and bake just above the centre of the pre-heated oven for approximately one hour, by which time the loaf will have risen well, be firm to the touch and golden brown, don’t worry if it has cracked slightly on top, this is quite normal for a cake made by the “rubbing in” method. . If you are using a fan assisted oven where the temperature is constant, and the position of the tin isn’t important, you may need to lessen the cooking time by about 10 minutes.
Leave it in the tin to cool slightly before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool.
This cake will keep for several days and is absolutely irresistible when sliced and spread with a little butter or margarine.
You really will enjoy it,
Happy cooking,
Sue.
To make 12 muffins,
You will need,
9 oz, 250 g, of plain flour
3 level teaspoons of baking powder
Half
a level teaspoon of salt
3 level tablespoons of sugar, either caster
or granulated,
4 oz, 110 g, mature cheddar cheese (the stronger
the better)
1 heaped teaspoon of mustard powder,
1 large egg,
8
fluid oz, between half and three-quarters of a pint, of cold milk
3
fluid oz, 5 tablespoons, of vegetable oil
Pre-heat your oven to gas 6, 400 f, 200 c, 180 fan.
You will need to lightly grease 1 12 cup muffin tin.
Put the flour, baking powder, salt, caster sugar, mustard powder and cheese into a large mixing bowl and stir them together well.
Next, break the egg into a large jug and beat thoroughly.
Add the milk and vegetable oil to the jug and stir well.
Now, pour the contents of the jug into the dry ingredients in the bowl and mix everything together.
The mixture should now be of a soft, “dropping” consistency, in other words like a cake mix that falls from the spoon easily when shaken gently.
Put a tablespoon of the mixture into each cup of your lightly greased muffin tin.
Using a flat bladed knife, level the top surface of each one, keep the blade flat and gently skim it across.
You might think that there isn’t much muffin mix in each cup, but just you wait and see what happens during cooking.
Bake them, in your pre-heated oven, for 20 to 25 minutes or until the muffins are risen, golden and firm to the touch.
Allow them to cool slightly in the tin then transfer them to a wire rack to cool a bit more.
Slice, butter and eat them while they’re still crispy and warm.
Well, I have to admit that you are right Katie, they are just one of the most amazing things I’ve ever made!! Not only do they rise up like magic during cooking, but the light, slightly sweet yet cheesy flavour simply leaves you wanting more!!
If you do just happen to have any left over, they can be eaten either cold or warmed through in your oven for a few minutes the next day.
Happy cooking,
Sue.
To make 8 scones,
You will need,
6 oz, 175 g, of self-raising flour,
1 oz, 25 g, of butter or margarine,
3
oz, 175 g, of strong cheddar cheese,
Half a teaspoon of salt,
Half a teaspoon
of mustard powder,
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper,
1 medium sized egg,
3
tablespoons of milk
A little extra milk to glaze.
Pre-heat your oven to gas 7, 425 f, 220 c, 200 fan.
You will need to grease a large baking sheet with a slightly raised edge.
Great the cheese on to a plate using the large holes on a grater.
Break the egg into a small bowl and beat it well.
Add the milk to the beaten egg.
Sift the flour, mustard powder, cayenne pepper and salt into a large mixing bowl.
Break the butter or margarine into small pieces, drop it into the dry ingredients. Rub the fat in until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. This will only take a minute as you have a small amount of fat. (Please see my glossary section on making pastry for more detailed information).
Now, Stir in the cheese.
Pour in the egg and milk, then using a flat-bladed knife, stir everything together until the mixture begins to form a ball in your bowl. If any dry bits remain in the bottom of your bowl, add another tablespoon of milk and mix a little more.
Using floured hands or a floured rolling pin, pat or lightly roll out the dough until its about 3-quarters of an inch, 2 cm, thick, then using a 2 inch, 4.5 cm, large pastry cutter, cut out the scones, pushing the cutter straight down through the dough without twisting it.
Gather together the surplus dough, roll it out again and cut out more scones if necessary.
Place them on your greased baking sheet a little way apart, brush with a little milk to glaze, and bake in the pre-heated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden and firm to the touch.
Transfer them on to a wire rack to cool.
Slice, butter and eat while still warm.
If you have any left over, they can be warmed through and eaten the next day.
Happy cooking,
Sue.
This suet pastry can be used to make dumplings, a small suet pudding or the pastry crust for a small meat pie.
You will need.
4 oz, 110 g, of self-raising flour.
2 oz, 50 g, of vegetable suet.
A
tiny pinch of salt.
4 or 5 tablespoons of cold water.
Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl.
Stir in the suet, then add the cold water to make a soft dough. If any dry mix is still left in the bowl, add a couple more tablespoons of cold water and try mixing it again. (Please see my glossary section on making pastry for more detailed information).
Knead the dough lightly on a floured surface before either breaking it into small balls for dumplings, or rolling it out to line your pudding basin or to make a pastry lid for your meat pie.
Alternatively, you can always buy a packet of ready-made dumpling mix, then all you need to do is add the water to make the dough.
You can buy ready-made frozen dumplings too!!.
This pie will serve 4 people.
For the pastry,
You can cheat a bit and use A 2 lb, or 900 g, packet of ready rolled puff pastry sheets, thawed.
Or alternatively use my plain, unsweetened, shortcrust pastry.
For the filling,
You will need,
2 large, skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces.
8
oz, 250 g, mushrooms wiped with damp kitchen paper to clean them, then broken
into small pieces.
6 oz, 175 g, frozen peas, thawed,
4 tbsps of white
wine (optional).
A 150 ml or a quarter of a pint, carton of fresh double
cream.
For the stock,
150 ml, or a quarter of a pint of boiling water,
half a chicken oxo cube.
1
tbsp of olive oil for frying,
A few leaves of fresh tarragon, chopped,
A
small bunch of freshly chopped parsley.
A little milk to glaze.
You will need a medium sized, deep, 1 litre, or 2 pint capacity oven-proof pie or casserole dish.
Begin by pre-heating your oven to gas 6, 400 f, 200 c, 180 fan.
Wipe the mushrooms with dampened kitchen paper to clean them then break them into small pieces.
Crumble half a chicken oxo cube into a small jug and add the boiling water. Stir well and leave on one side.
Fry the bite-sized chicken pieces in the olive oil in a large saucepan or frying pan for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent them from sticking. By this time they will be firm to the touch and lightly brown.
Remove the chicken onto a large plate with a slotted spoon.
Add the mushrooms to the pan. Cook for a couple of minutes until slightly soft, stirring well.
Put the chicken back into the pan with the mushrooms, add the stock and wine and boil for 1 minute.
Now, add the Peas, cream, chopped tarragon and parsley to the pan, season with a little salt and black pepper, and cook gently, but do not boil or the cream will curdle, stirring well, for about 2 minutes.
Preparation.
Make my plain, shortcrust pastry and roll it out on a floured worktop.
Alternatively, Lay your puff pastry sheets out on a lightly floured worktop.
Turn your pie or casserole dish upside down on top of the pastry to check that you can feel about 3-quarters of an inch or 2 cm or so of pastry all around the outside. If you need to join the pastry sheets so that you have enough, dampen the edges with a little cold water and press them together well.
Now, Spoon the prepared filling into the pie or casserole dish.
Dampen the rim with cold water and lay over your pastry or pastry sheets to form a lid, pressing it firmly against the top edge of the dish and trimming away any unwanted pastry with a small sharp knife.
Make several holes in the top of the pie with the point of the knife to let out the steam during cooking.
Brush all over with a little milk to glaze.
Bake in your pre-heated oven for between 25 to 35 minutes, the puff pastry will take a little longer than the shortcrust, or until the pastry crust is risen and firm to the touch.
Serve immediately with your chosen green leafy vegetables and creamy mashed potato.
Happy cooking,
Sue.
To serve 4.
For the Suet Crust.
You will need,
8 oz, 250 g, self-raising flour.
4 oz, 110 g, vegetable suet.
Half
a tsp of salt.
Several tablespoons of Cold water to mix.
You will need.
1 lb 4 oz, 550 g, of diced. Lean stewing steak,
12 oz, 350 g, ox
kidney, cored and cut into small cubes. The easiest way to remove the
core from the kidney is to snip it out with a pair of kitchen scissors. If
you don’t feel confident enough to do this yourself, just ask your butcher to
prepare it for you.
1 large onion,
You will need,
1 oz, 25 g, of plain flour,
half a tsp of salt,
a good grind of black
pepper,
half a tsp of dried thyme.
You will need,
250 ml, 8 fl.oz, between a quarter and half a pint, of boiling water
1
beef oxo cube.
A good shake of Worcestershire sauce.
You will need to grease a large, 1.2 litre, 2 pint, deep pudding bowl.
You will also need a circle of double thickness, greased, greaseproof paper, some string or a large elastic band.
You will need either a large saucepan with a lid, but preferably a graduated steamer with a lid that will stand securely on top of your unlidded saucepan.
Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the suet and salt.
Now gradually add several tablespoons of cold water until your mixture comes together to form a soft but pliable dough. If you stir with a flat-bladed knife and mix well between additions, you will notice the mix, gradually forming a ball in your bowl.
Turn your dough out onto a lightly floured worktop, and knead it slightly so that it forms a ball.
Put the dough into a clean plastic bag and then into the fridge.
Peel and coarsely chop the onion.
Put the diced steak and kidney into a large bowl.
Mix the ingredients for the seasoning together in a small bowl and add them to the meat, turning it over until everything is well coated.
Now add the onion to the seasoned meat and mix together well.
Crumble the oxo cube into a small jug, add the boiling water and stir well.
Take your suet pastry from the fridge.
Break off a quarter of it and roll it out on your lightly floured work top until it is the same size as the top of your bowl. You can check this by placing the bowl on top of the circle. Leave it on one side.
Roll out the remainder until its about 3-quarters of an inch or 2 cm, larger than the top of the bowl. You can check this by laying the bowl, upside down on the pastry. Now, lift the pastry into the bowl and it should completely line it.
Add the meat and onion filling and carefully pour in the stock. The gravy only needs to come about 2-thirds of the way up the inside of the bowl, if you insert your finger into the filling you will be able to monitor the amount as you add it.
Dampen the pastry rim with a little cold water by dipping your fingers in and running them around the pastry edge.
Now lay your other pastry circle over the top of the filling, fold in any excess pastry from around the edge and press the edges together well to seal the top.
Holding your double thickness of greasproof paper greased side down, make a small pleat in the centre between finger and thumb and lay it over the top of the pastry.
The crease in the paper will allow the pudding to rise during cooking.
Cover with a layer of kitchen foil, then secure it all the way around the edge of the bowl just below the rim with the string or elastic band.
Stand the bowl inside the large saucepan with enough warm water to come half way up the outside of the bowl and cover the pan with a lid. Or, alternatively, fill your saucepan three-quarters full with warm water, stand your pudding bowl in the steamer, then put this on top of the saucepan.
Cover the steamer with a lid.
Bring the pan to the boil, turn down the heat to simmer or until you can just hear the pudding hissing. If you lift the lid of the pan or steamer, a little steam should be rising up to meet your hand.
Cook gently for 1 and a half hours.
Add more hot water to the saucepan from a small jug if necessary.
When the pudding is cooked, allow it to cool slightly before carefully removing the bowl from the steamer or pan onto a clear, heat resistant worktop. Remove the covering from the top of the pudding, and turn the bowl upside down onto a large serving plate, the bowl should lift off fairly easily. Divide the pudding with a sharp knife and serve with A little mashed potato, sliced carrots, green beans and peas.
If you don’t like kidney, just replace it with extra steak.
Happy cooking,
Sue.
To serve 3 to 4 people.
You will need,
1 lb 2 oz, 500 g, of either young, tender stemmed early season rhubarb, or forced, out of season rhubarb, which is pink in colour and sweeter in flavour.
3 oz, 75 g, 3 level tbsps of caster or fine grade sugar,
3 oz, 75 g, 3 rounded tbsps of plain or all purpose flour.
2 oz, 50 g, or 2 heaped tbsps of jumbo oats.
1 level tsp of ground or powdered ginger.
2 oz, 50 g, half a stick of low fat butter or margarine.
2 oz, 50 g, or 2 level tbsps of Demerara or coarse granulated sugar.
Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6, 400 f, 200c, 180 fan.
Grease a deep sided, 1.1 litre or 2 pint, ovenproof dish.
You'll also need a fairly large, deep sided roasting pan.
Wash the sticks of rhubarb, then discard a small piece from each end of every stick, in other words, top and tail it.
Cut the sticks into 1 inch, 2.5 cm pieces and spread it out in a single layer, over the base of the roasting tin.
Sprinkle over the caster or fine grade sugar and pour in about 4 tbsps of cold water.
Place the tin just above the centre of the pre-heated oven and cook the rhubarb for between 20 and 25 minutes or until the fruit is just tender when tested with a fork, the prongs should go into the rhubarb quite easily, but it shouldn't feel soft and mushy.
While the fruit is cooking, measure the flour, oats and ginger into a large mixing bowl.
Break the butter or margarine into small pieces and add them to the centre of the mixture and begin to rub the fat in until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Do this by picking up a little of the mix between the fingers and thumbs of both your hands, rub both your thumbs across your fingers, letting the mixture trickle through them, back into the bowl again. Repeat this process until you can't feel any more cool, sticky pieces of fat, remember though that the mixture won't become very fine as you are using coarse oatmeal, so don't be tempted to overwork the crumble at this stage or it will begin to stick together again.
Next stir in the Demerara sugar or coarse granulated sugar and leave the bowl on one side until the rhubarb is cooked.
Transfer the tin of rhubarb onto a clear place on your heat resistant worktop or draining board to cool slightly, but don't turn off the oven.
After allowing a few minutes for the rhubarb to cool a little, so that there is no risk of the juice splashing or being too hot to transfer, carefully spoon it into the greased ovenproof dish and make sure that all the juice is added too as it will now contain all the flavour and goodness from the fruit. You may find a large ladle useful for doing this.
Level the fruit out in the dish with a round bladed knife and then spoon or pour over the crumble mixture, so that all the fruit is covered. Do not stir the crumble into the fruit.
Now level the top of your mix with your round bladed knife and bake in the centre of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the crumble is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling. The crumble won't be very firm to the touch in the way that you would expect a pie to be, it will, as its name suggests, still be crumbly to touch.
For an alternative, why not try peeling, coring and slicing some cooking apples and partly cooking them through in a saucepan with the sugar and water instead of the rhubarb.
Crumble is one of my all time favourite puddings. Serve it with a generous helping of hot custard or, even better in my opinion, a large scoop of vanilla ice-cream.
Happy cooking.
Sue.
This recipe will make one six to seven inch, 15 to 17 cm, tart.
I have included the American cup measures. Standard measuring cups, used in this recipe, can be bought in England from any good hardware store or kitchenware supplier.
For the pastry,
You will need.
Four ounces, 110 g, or one full cup of plain or all purpose flour.
a small pinch of salt
Use half the amount of fat to flour,
Take your fat straight from the fridge and use either,
Two ounces, 50 g, of lard or other hard white cooking fat,
(or one ounce 25 g each of both lard and margarine.
(American measures, either use, half a stick unflavoured Crisco, or a quarter stick, margarine and a quarter stick unflavoured Crisco )
The type of fat you choose to use will give your pastry a different flavour and texture and is just literally a matter of personal choice.
Several tablespoons of cold water to mix the pastry.
For the filling.
You will need,
Two large eggs
one level tablespoon of granulated sugar
half a pint, 275 ml, 10 fl.oz, of milk,
(American one full cup plus a couple of extra tablespoons,
half a teaspoon of grated, ground, or powdered nutmeg.
Preparation.
Heat the oven to hot, 425 f, 220 c, 200 fan, gas mark 7.
You will need to grease a six to seven inch, 15 to 17 cm, diameter flan tin or solid based cake tin with a flat rim and a depth of 2 to 3 inches, or 5 to 7.5 cm.
Begin by sifting the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl.
Cut or break the fat into small pieces and drop it into the centre of the flour.
Rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Do this by picking up a little of the mixture with the first two fingers and thumbs of both hands, then use your thumbs to rub the mixture against your fingers, lifting your hands a little above the bowl and letting the mix trickle through your fingers, back into the bowl again. Repeat this process until all the fat has been rubbed in. (Please see my section on making and rolling out pastry for more detailed information). .
Don't be tempted to over work the pastry mix at this stage as it will begin to stick together if it becomes too warm.
Start making the dough by adding three to four tablespoons of cold water to the dry mixture, stirring it round with a blunt, flat-bladed knife, which will help to begin to bring the dough together.
Add more water if necessary until the knife feels more resistant as you mix. You will notice that the pastry is beginning to come together in a ball.
Don't be tempted to use your hands until you have reached this stage. Now, use one hand to bring the mixture into a firm dough. If it won't form a ball easily and bits of dry mixture keep falling into the bowl, drop it back in and add a little more cold water, mix it, and try making it into a ball again.
Knead the pastry on a floured work surface or counter top for a few seconds to form a nice round shape.
Roll out the pastry in to a circle that is one inch, 2.5 cm, larger than your tin. You can check the size by placing the tin upside down on top of your pastry, an inch, 2.5 cm, should then be protruding all the way round. The pastry shouldn't be too thin, as it has got to support the runny egg mixture.
Next, line the tin with the pastry. Make sure that it is sitting nice and flat, pressed right up against the base and sides of the tin, without feeling stretched.
Now, using a pastry brush or your fingers, dampen the edge of the pastry that is resting on the rim of the tin. I usually do this by putting a little cold water into a teacup, then, holding the cup in one hand, dip the fingers of my other hand into the water and run them round the pastry edge.
Next, lift up the pastry that is below the rim of the plate and lay this along your dampened edge. All you are doing is folding it over, forming a double thickness of pastry to prevent the rim of the tart from burning when it goes into the hot oven.
Chill the pastry case in the fridge while you make the custard.
To make the custard.
Break the eggs separately into a small bowl to make sure that they are fresh, then pour them into a jug.
Whisk them lightly with a fork then add the sugar.
Warm the milk either in a jug in the microwave or a small pan on the stove until just warm but don't bring it anywhere near to boiling point. It only needs to be warm so that it isn't cold when it is poured into the pastry case.
Add the milk to the sweetened egg in the jug and give it a stir.
Take your pastry from the fridge, Place your tin onto a baking tray with raised edges to give support when you lift it, and to prevent it from sliding off.
Now pour the custard into the pastry case, but do not fill it right to the top or it will boil over during cooking.
Sprinkle the top with a little nutmeg.
Carefully put the tin into the centre of your pre-heated oven.
Bake for ten to fifteen minutes or until the pastry is set, then reduce the heat to warm, 325 f, 170 c, 150 fan, gas mark 3, and cook for another 25 to 30 minutes or until the custard has set.
Egg custard tart is nice eaten either hot or cold.
Happy cooking,
Sue.
Make the pastry as in my Traditional Egg Custard Tart recipe above. Or alternatively, use half the quantity of my Rich, Sweet, Shortcrust pastry.
Instead of using a flan tin or cake tin, use a tray of 12 patty tins or shells. The kind of tin that you would make little cakes or mince pies in.
Grease each well in your tin.
Set the oven to hot, 425 f, 220 c, 200 fan, gas mark 7.
Roll out the pastry as before, but this time cut it into circles with a pastry cutter of the appropriate size for the sections in your tin.
Line each one with a pastry circle, making sure that they sit in evenly and snugly without being stretched. (Please see my Glossary Section on making and rolling out pastry for more detailed information).
Chill your tin of pastry in the fridge.
Now make the custard as in my recipe for egg custard tart.
Take your pastry from the fridge and stand the tin on a baking sheet with raised edges to prevent it from sliding off as you lift it.
fill each little pastry case almost to the top with the custard. If you feel confident you can pour it in straight from the jug, or alternatively use a tablespoon.
Put a tiny pinch of nutmeg on the top of each one.
Carefully transfer it to the pre-heated oven.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the custard is set.
Egg custard tart is nice eaten either hot or cold.
Enjoy it,
happy cooking,
Sue.
This mixture will make enough pastry to line a 7 to 8 inch, 18 to 20 cm, flan tin, or make a 6 to 7 inch, 15 to 17 cm, fruit pie, (both to line the pie plate and also make a pastry lid).
You will need,
8 oz, 225 g, Plain flour,
A small pinch of salt
4 oz, 110 g, Butter, taken straight from the fridge,
1 and a half tablespoons of caster sugar,
1 Egg yolk.
Several tablespoons of cold water
Preparation.
Begin by sifting the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl.
Take your butter from the fridge, break it into little pieces and rub it into the flour with your thumbs and the first two fingers of both hands, lifting up a little of the mix at a time, rubbing your thumbs against your fingers, then letting the mixture fall back into the bowl. Repeat the process until the mixture looks and feels like fine breadcrumbs.
Keep your hands as cool as possible and don't be tempted to overwork the pastry at this stage.
(please see my Glossary on making pastry for more detailed information).
Now stir in 1 and a half tablespoons of caster sugar.
Carefully separate the egg, putting the yolk into a small bowl and stirring in 2 tablespoons of cold water. (Please see my section on separating eggs for more detailed information).
Pour this into the rubbed in fat and flour mixture.
Now begin to mix the ingredients into a dough, you may need to gradually add several tablespoons of cold water at this stage. first use a flat-bladed knife to stir it, then when the mixture begins to stick together in your bowl, use your hands to form the pastry into a ball. The dough should be pliable but not too sticky.
Wrap the pastry in a clean plastic bag or cling film, put it into the fridge and chill for at least half an hour before rolling it out to line your pie plate, or flan tin, .
If you chill your pastry it will be more manageable and much easier to work with.
This pastry has a rich, buttery flavour and makes a nice alternative to other sweet shortcrust pastries.
Happy cooking,
Sue.
To make the pastry for a batch of basic sweet scones,
You will need.
Eight ounces, 225 G, two cups of self-raising flour,
Two ounces, 50 G,
half a stick, butter or margarine, taken straight from the fridge,
A quarter
of a pint, 150 ml, 5 fluid ounces or three-quarters of a cup of milk,
One
and a half level tablespoons of caster or fine grade sugar,
A tiny pinch
of salt,
Flour for dusting.
a little extra milk.
A little extra margarine to grease the tin.
(If you want to make a cobbler scone topping for a stew or casserole, simply leave out the sugar).
Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 7, 425 F, 220 C, 200 fan
Grease a shallow, oblong baking sheet, (Swiss roll tin or cookie sheet).
Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl.
Keeping your hands as cool as possible, rub the butter into the flour, using your fingertips, this will not take long with such a small amount of fat. (please see my how do I do that, glossary section on making pastry for more detailed information).
Now stir in the sugar.
Using a round bladed knife, mix in the milk a little at a time and when it has all been added, flour your hands and bring the mixture into a ball in your bowl.
You may need to add a little more milk at this stage and then bring it together again, if you can still feel bits of dry flour in the bottom of your mixing bowl.
Put your dough on a floured board and knead it slightly.
Now, using a floured rolling-pin, lightly pat and roll it out to a thickness of about three-quarters of an inch, 2 cms.
Use a 2 inch, 4.5 cm pastry cutter, to make the scones.
Place them a little way apart on your greased tin and bake according to your recipe instructions.
(Please see my recipe for plain, sweet scones for more detailed information).
To make this tart you will need to make one portion of my Rich, sweet, dessert shortcrust pastry.
You will need,
1 portion of pastry which has been rolled out and used to line a flan or cake tin measuring approx 8 or 9 inches, 20 or 23 cm, in diameter and 3 to 4 inches, 18 to 20 cm, deep.
You are going to bake the pastry case “blind”, so chill the lined tin in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Begin by pre-heating your oven to gas 6, 400 f, 200 c, 180 fan,
4 eggs
5 oz, 150 g, caster sugar
150 ml, a quarter of a
pint of double cream,
The juice of 3 lemons,
The finely grated
zest of two of the lemons,
Sifted icing sugar to decorate.
Line your pastry case with greaseproof paper and a good layer of ceramic baking beans or dried peas and Bake the pastry case "blind" for 15 to 20 minutes or until the pastry feels just firm to the touch and is lightly golden brown.
Turn down your oven to gas 2, 300 f, 150 c, 130 fan.
Remove the greaseproof paper and baking beans and leave the tin containing the pastry on one side while you make the filling.
Break the eggs separately into a small bowl to make sure they are fresh, before tipping them into a clean bowl and beating them together well. Add the caster sugar and continue beating until the mixture is smooth.
Pour in the cream, lemon juice and zest, and mix everything together thoroughly.
Pour the filling into the prepared pastry case and bake for 45 minutes or until tart is just set. If you touch it with the tips of your fingers, it will feel very soft.
As it cools, the filling will harden up quite a bit more.
The tart is ready to eat right now, but you can add a little sweetness and make it look attractive, by sprinkling the top with sifted icing sugar.
This tart is lovely eaten hot or cold, but is best eaten straight away.
Happy cooking,
Sue.
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