Chicken and sausagemeat pie

 Would use puff pastry next time as my pies looked a little flat

Bought Pastry

For the filling:

• 1-2 chicken breasts dependent on size
• 1 onion, chopped
• 400g pack skin free sausages (no point in using fancy ones, but reduced-fat are good for this)
• about 45g sage and onion stuffing mix
• optional cranberry sauce
• salt
• beaten egg for glazing

Put the chicken breasts and onion in a pan with water and a pinch of salt, and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer on a very low heat for about 20 mins. Take out the chicken and put it on a plate to cool. Drain the liquid into a measuring jug and reserve 100ml . Put the onion into a bowl to cool.

Bring the reserved liquid back up to the boil in the pan, then switch off the heat and add the stuffing mix. Let it stand for a minute, then add to the onion. Let it cool down for a bit while you slice the chicken breasts into pieces. Once the stuffing mix has cooled a bit, chop the sausages and mix them in thoroughly.

Preheat the oven to 200C, Gas Mark 6, and line an 8″ sandwich tin with foil or baking paper. (Or use a springform cake tin if you have one – it shouldn’t need lining or greasing.) Place a flat baking tray in the oven to pre-heat, big enough to take your sandwich tin.

Roll out a bit more than half of the pastry to a circle and use it to line the tin. Put half of the sausage mix in the bottom, then top with a layer of chicken strips, then the rest of the sausage mix. Top with cranberry if using.

Roll out the rest of the pastry and top the pie, sealing the edges with a little water. Trim, make a couple of holes to let out steam, and glaze with the beaten egg.

 Bake the pie for 20 mins, then reduce the heat to 180C, Gas Mark 4 for a further 30 mins. Cool in the tin on a cooling rack, then chill if you’re going to serve it cold.

Paradise Slice

Nice fruity cake I made for a Coffee & Cake afternoon. 

I did add a little milk as my mix was quite stiff.

Bought Shortcrust Pastry, enough to fill a swiss roll tin 9x13

• 100g raspberry jam (5 tbsp)

Top Layer

• 200g butter (1 cup)
• 200g caster sugar (1 cup)
• 100g ground almonds
• 100g plain flour
• 3 large eggs
• 120g currants (just under 1 cup) or sultanas
• 100g glace cherries (1/2 cup)
• Extra caster sugar for dusting the top after baking

Instructions

Pastry

1. Preheat the oven to 200C or 400F.
2. Grease tin with butter or line it with baking paper to make it easier to lift the slice out after baking.
3. Take the pastry from the fridge and roll it out on a floured surface until it fits your tin.
4. Prick the pastry with a fork, place baking paper over it and blind baking beans or uncooked rice if you don’t have any.
5. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden brown.
6. Set aside and allow to cool. 

Top Layers

1. Meanwhile, cream the butter and sugar together. 
2. Add the eggs and mix in thoroughly.
3. Add the fruit and almond flour and mix in. 
4. Spread jam over the top of the pastry.
5. Spoon the top layer mixture over the jam and smooth down with a large spoon.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and sprinkle over a few tablespoons of caster sugar.
8. Allow to cool, slice, and enjoy!