PUFF PASTRY CROUTES
Makes: Approx 50
Preparation & Cooking Time: 1/2 hour
Effort Level: Easy
Shelf Life: Use within 2 days, stored in airtight container. Will freeze.

Ingredients:
250g Puff Pastry (Waitrose All Butter is good)
Flour for dredging

Equipment:
Rolling pin
6cm pastry cutter
2 baking sheets
greaseproof paper
Small knife

N.B: The trick here is to lay a 2nd baking sheet or similar on top of the pastry to weigh it down, preventing it from rising. That way you’ll end up with lovely crisp discs – the perfect base for a topping.

Here’s What You Do:
Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC/ Gas 6
Roll the pastry out to a thickness of a £1 coin.
Stamp out rounds with a pastry cutter.
Lay out on a lightly greased and floured baking sheet.
Cover pastry with a sheet of greaseproof paper
Place the 2nd baking sheet on top to weigh the pastry down.
Bake on the top oven shelf for 10 minutes and golden.
Cool and store in airtight container.

SHORTCRUST PASTRY CUPS
Makes: Approx 50
Preparation & Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Effort Level: A little effort
Shelf Life: Use within 2 days stored in airtight container. Will freeze.

Ingredients:
500g shortcrust pastry
Flour for dredging

Equipment:
Rolling pin
6cm pastry cutter
Miniature muffin tray(24)
Small knife
Scissors
Tin foil
Dried pulses – kidney or canellini beans

Here’s What You Do:
Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC/ Gas 6
Roll the pastry out slightly thiner than a £1 coin.
Stamp out rounds with a 6cm pastry cutter.
Press down into a lightly greased muffin tin and prick with fork.
Lay the foil pouches onto the pastry cases to weigh them down.
Bake for 15 minutes on the top oven shelf and golden.
Cool and store in airtight container until needed.

BREAD CUPS
Makes: approx 40 cups
Preparation & Cooking Time: 3/4 hour
Effort Level: A little effort
Shelf Life: 2 weeks in airtight container. 3 months in freezer

Ingredients:
1 loaf fresh white bread
125g butter or sunflower oil

Equipment:
6 cm pastry cutter
Mini muffin tray
Pastry brush
Rolling pin

Here’s What You Do:
Pre- heat the oven to 180ºC/Gas 4.
Cut the crusts off the bread and roll out thinly.
Stamp 2 rounds out of each slice with the cutter.
Make a 1cm incision into each round of bread.
Brush both sides of the bread with oil or melted butter.
Press the bread into the mini muffin tin.
Use the cut part to make for a good fit.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until lightlygolden.
Take out the tin and place upside down onto the baking sheet.
Return to bottom oven shelf for 5 minutes and crisp both sides.
Cool and store in an air tight container.