Anchovy and Black olive Palmiers
1 pack Puff pastry, defrosted if frozen
4 Cloves garlic, crushed
10 Anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained and chopped
15 Pitted black olives, drained and chopped
1 tsp Thyme, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 180oC, lightly grease 4 baking trays, if you don't have four you can cook the palmiers in batches.
2. In a pestle and mortar or in a bowl with the end of a rolling pin mash the anchovies, garlic, thyme and olives in to a smooth paste. Season with pepper but no salt the anchovies and olives are already quite salty.
3. Flour the work surface well and roll out the puff pastry into a rectangle roughly 30cm by 50 cm. Cut down the centre to give two 15 by 50 cm strips.
4. Spread half of the paste over each strip, covering as easily as possible. Mark the centre of the strip along the longest part with the blunt edge of a knife just mark does not cut, and then mark out the centre of each half. This will help with the folding. Fold the outside edges into the centre line so that they meet in the middle, and then fold in half again* .You should now have a long flat sausage, slice this into strips ½ cm wide. Place on a greased baking sheet, they will spread and open up into heart shapes, so be sure to leave enough space between them.
5. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove to a cooling rack and store in an air tight box. If stored correctly they can keep for up to a week, but they really are best within a few days.
* If you are preparing these to freeze, at this stage dust with flour and place in a freezer bag, will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When you want to use them remove from the bag and defrost, then continue with slicing and cooking as above.
These savoury nibbles work well with any strongly flavoured filling.
Try Parma ham and parmesan cheese or pesto and parmesan.
If you're in a hurry you could use a store brought tapnade try black olive or sun dried tomato.
If you use poppy or sesame seeds you can use the palmiers as an accompaniment to your cheese board.
You can also make sweet versions, with cinnamon and raisin or chocolate and hazelnut.
Palmiers are just about the most versatile party nibble you can make.
Sausage rolls
For the pastry
300g Butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
450g Plain flour
1 tsp salt
200-250ml Cold water
For the filling
900g Sausage meat
2 Onions, finely chopped
Zest 1 lemon, finely grated
1 tsp Sage, chopped
1 tsp Thyme, chopped
½ tsp Freshly ground pepper
1 egg, beaten for sealing and glazing
1. Sieve the flour and the salt into a large bowl, Add the butter and gently work in but do not completely break down, the little lumps of fat will make the pastry puff up. Add the water until you have a pliable dough.
2. Flour work surface well and roll out the pastry, fold in half and roll out again repeat this 4 or 5 times. Allow the pastry to rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
3. Mix together the sausage meat, onion, pepper and herbs. Place in the refrigerator while the pastry is rolled out.
4. Roll out your pastry on a floured work surface until quite thin, cut into six long strips approximately 10cm wide.
5. Divide the sausage meat into 6, make each sixth into a long sausage and place on a pastry strip. Fold the pastry over the filling and seal the edge with beaten egg*. Roll over the long sausage roll so that the sealed side is down and cut into 5cm long sausage rolls.
6. Place on the greased baking sheets and brush with a little beaten egg. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the tray for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Once completely cool store in an air tight box. If stored correctly they can keep for up to a week, but they really are best within a few days.
* If you are preparing these to freeze, at this stage dust with flour and place in a freezer bag, they will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you want to use them remove from the bag and defrost, then continue with slicing and cooking as above.
Cheese and onion rolls
For the pastry
300g Butter, chilled
450g Plain flour
1 tsp salt
200-250ml Cold water
For the filling
350g Strong cheddar cheese, grated
2 Onions, finely chopped
pinch Cayenne pepper
1 tsp Worcester sauce
1. Sieve the flour and the salt into a large bowl, Add the butter and gently work in but do not completely break down, the little lumps of fat will make the pastry puff up. Add the water until you have a pliable dough.
2. Flour work surface well and roll out the pastry, fold in half and roll out again repeat this 4 or 5 times. Allow the pastry to rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
3. Mix together the Cheese, onion and cayenne pepper.
4. Roll out your pastry on a floured work surface until quite thin, cut into six long strips approximately 10cm wide.
5. Divide the cheese mixture between the strips, making a sausage shape on one half of each strip. Fold the pastry over the filling and seal the edge with beaten egg*. Roll over the long sausage roll so that the sealed side is down and cut into 5cm long sausage rolls.
6. Place on the greased baking sheets and brush with a little beaten egg. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the tray for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Once completely cool store in an air tight box.
pudding
110g Raisins
110g Sultanas
275g Currants
50g Mixed peel
75ml Irish stout
75ml Barley wine
75ml Rum
225g Dark brown sugar
50g Blanched almonds, chopped
110g Fresh white breadcrumbs
45g plain flour
1/2 lemon, zest and juice
1/2 orange, zest and juice
2 eggs, beaten
110g suet
50g Self raising flour
1 tsp Ground mixed spice
1 Small cooking apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
1. In a very large mixing bowl mix the suet, flour, breadcrumbs, spices and sugar together. Gradually mix in the dried fruit, peel, nuts, apple and zests.
2. In a wide jug mix together the eggs, lemon and orange juices, stout, barley wine and rum. Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Cover the bowl and leave overnight.
3. Spoon the mixture into a 900g/ 2lb/ 2 pint pudding bowl, cover tightly with greaseproof paper and then aluminium foil secured with string, and steam over simmering water for 8 hours. Remember to keep topping up with boiling water or your pan will boil dry.
4. Let the pudding cool completely before removing the foil and paper and replacing with new greaseproof paper and foil. Sore in a cool dry place until you're ready, steam for 1 hour on the big day.
The pudding will keep for a year if kept cool and dry, but I prefer the slightly fresher taste of a younger pudding.
Mini Chocolate Eclairs
Pastry
1 cup water
1 stick margarine or butter
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
4 eggs
Filling
3 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
Icing
2 (1-ounce) squares chocolate
2 cups sugar
1 cup whipping cream
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat water and margarine or butter to boiling point. Add flour and stir constantly until mixture is smooth and forms a ball when tested in cold water. Remove from heat and let cool. Beat in 4 eggs, one at a time. Drop dough from teaspoon to form small eclairs onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until light brown. Set aside to cool. Prepare filling by combining milk, sugar, salt and flour; cook slowly until thickens. Add 3 beaten eggs and continue to cook until mixture is even thicker. Remove from heat, cool and add vanilla.
With a serrated knife, slice pastry puffs lengthwise, but not all the way through. Pipe custard mixture into the center. Melt chocolate for icing, add sugar and cream. Cook over medium heat until soft ball stage. Let cool and beat until smooth. Ice tops of the eclairs.