Mrs Simkins

Using Dorset Pastry with Mrs Simkins Dorset based cookery writer, Mrs Simkins, is a huge fan of Dorset Pastry. "I pride myself on the flavour and texture of my shortcrust pastries. Usually, although not always, I start shortcrust off in the food processor: it’s quick and simple and gives excellent results. As for puff pastry, I always buy Dorset Pastry; I don’t think I could ever make puff pastry to the same standard as Dorset Pastry. Even if I were to train as a pastry chef, I still don’t think I could make anything that would even come close to Dorset Pasty’s feather-light, buttery, flaky creations! If you don’t want to make your own shortcrust pastry and prefer to buy it, Dorset Pastry also makes the best shortcrust (in plain and sweet versions) by far: it is absolutely delicious with a gorgeous buttery, crumbly taste and texture. And, as with any Dorset Pastry product, you know it contains only pure and natural ingredients." Dorset Pastry contains no unnecessary additives – no hydrogenated fats, no artificial colouring, preservatives or relaxants and it is made with best British butter.
Deep Mini-Jam Tarts Eccles Cakes Simple Custard Slices Quick and Easy Apple Slices Steak and Potato Pie Steak and Mushroom Pie or Individual Pie Crusts Very Easy Chicken and Mushroom Pie (or Individual Pie Crusts) Easy Sausage Rolls Useful Puff Pastry Box for Sweet or Savoury Fillings
Deep Mini-Jam Tarts Instead of using a standard tart tin for these, cut the tarts out with a regular tart tin-size cutter, but bake them in a mini muffin tin instead. You then get dinky little deep jam tarts that could have come straight from a high class patisserie counter. You can use either plain or sweet shortcrust Dorset Pastry for these. Both are beautifully easy to roll and you can spend a lovely half hour or so making simple little jam tarts with children. Strawberry jam is popular for jam tarts but you can also use raspberry, apricot or blackcurrant. Lemon curd is also good and it’s nice to fill half the tarts with lemon curd and half with jam so you can make up a mixed plate. You will need 1 or 2 x 12 cup mini-muffin tins and a 6 cm (2½ inch) fluted or plain cutter You will get 2 blocks of pastry in your pack of shortcrust: each block will roll out to make approximately 16 tarts. (You don’t have to use it all at once: you can slip one block out of the packaging, reseal, and leave the other in the freezer for another time.) Defrost your pastry, in the fridge until pliable. Preheat your oven to 180C (fan ovens) or equivalent. Grease your tins, and roll out the pastry on a lightly floured board, using a lightly floured rolling pin, to a thickness of a little less than ½ centimetre. Cut out your rounds and press lightly into the mini-muffin tin. Put a small teaspoonful of jam – not too much, or it will boil over and out of the tarts – into each tart case and bake for around 14 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Keep the tin level as you remove it from the oven as the jam will be liquid at this stage and will spill out if you are not careful. Leave the tarts until they are cool before you try to remove them from the tin – a small palette knife is useful. Dorset Pastry is so beautifully rich and crumbly; the tarts will break if you try to move them whilst they are hot! If you do make these with children, you will be very lucky if many tarts actually make it to the tea table! A word of warning: don’t try to eat these fresh from the oven: the jam will be boiling hot! Never stretch any kind of pastry to fit the baking dish or tin – it will ping back down the sides during baking like over-stretched elastic!	Eccles Cakes Some people put spices into Eccles Cakes but there is really no need: it’s a shame to detract from the flavour of the currants. Currants have a naturally light citrussy flavour and it’s nice to enhance that a bit more with a little finely grated lemon zest, but leave it out if you prefer. Have one of these with a strong cup of tea tucked up in front of the fire on a wintry afternoon; or take one with you ‘to keep the cold out’ on a bracing winter walk. Makes 8 1 sheet of Dorset Pastry puff pastry, defrosted in the fridge until pliable 8 dessertspoons currants 25g (1oz) soft brown sugar 25g (1 oz) butter 1 tablespoon water Very finely grated zest of half a lemon 1 egg, beaten Caster sugar to finish Preheat oven to 200C (fan oven) or equivalent Put the currants, with the sugar, butter, water and lemon zest, into a pan and cook gently until the butter has melted, the sugar has lost its grittiness, and the currants are plumping up nicely. Turn off the heat and put a lid on the pan. Leave to cool. Working on an average size of about 230mm x 400ml for your sheet of pastry, put it on a lightly floured board and cut into 8 equal squares with straight, decisive movements, using a sharp, non-serrated knife. Take a square at a time and brush round the edges with beaten egg. Put a dessertspoonful of the currant mixture in the middle. Starting with the corners, draw them into the middle and press them down. Use kitchen scissors to snip away any excess overhang – so the bottom doesn’t become too ‘wodgy’ with too many layers of overlapping pastry that might not cook through properly. Use another dab of beaten egg to stick it down where necessary. You should now have an approximately round shape. Flip it over so the sealed part is underneath, and smooth the sides with the flat of your hands, keeping your hands vertical to the board, and turning the cake round, as you do so. Pat the top gently with your middle three fingers. You should now have a neat round cake. If the pastry has become a little warm during handling, put the shaped cakes in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before the next stage. Add a drop of water to the beaten egg and use it to brush over the cakes. Sprinkle with caster sugar and make several holes with a skewer or the prongs of a carving fork. Lay the cakes on the prepared baking tray and bake for 12-15 minutes or so until they are crisp and golden. There may be a little ‘seepage’ from the currants on the baking tray, when you take them out of the oven, but this is quite normal. Lift them off the tray with a fish slice and transfer to a cooling rack. Eat slightly warm or cold – but not boiling hot as the currants retain the heat for quite a while after they come out of the oven. Once cold, store in an airtight container.
Simple Custard Slices These are a ‘light as a whisper’ version of the old favourite from the baker’s shop. All you need is a roll of all-butter ready rolled Dorset Puff Pastry, some crème patisserie – see earlier recipe, and a little icing sugar to finish. They are very easy as you bake the individual pastries separately, then split and fill them. Makes 8 You will need half a roll of Dorset Pastry puff pastry defrosted in the fridge until pliable Make up a quantity of Crème Patisserie, upping the quantity of cornflour very slightly from 2 level tablespoons to 2 gently rounded tablespoons. Confectioners’ Custard or Crème Patisserie 1 egg yolk 1 egg ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 40g (1½oz) unrefined caster sugar 150ml (¼ pint) milk 150ml (¼ pint) double cream 2 level tablespoons cornflour – use 2 rounded tablespoons for Custard Slices A coiled bed spring-type whisk works well for this recipe Whisk the egg and egg yolk and pass through a sieve. Put the sieved egg into a roomy bowl with the vanilla and sugar and whisk together. Mix the cornflour to a smooth paste with 3-4 tablespoons of cold milk taken from the measured amount. Warm the milk and cream in a smallish heavy bottomed saucepan until it is almost, but not quite, boiling. Pour it into the cornflour paste, whisking gently all the time. Now whisk the milk and cream and cornflour mixture gently into the eggs, sugar and vanilla. Wash out the saucepan and put the mixture back. Return to the heat and cook gently, stirring constantly, but lightly, with a wooden spoon to start with, and then change to the whisk as the mixture starts to thicken. Once the mixture is thickening, turn off the heat sand whisk until smooth and creamy. Don’t worry if the mixture seems to turn alarmingly gloopy: keep whisking and it will soon become smooth. Pour into a non-metallic jug or bowl. Allow to cool. A piece of greaseproof paper cut to fit and resting on the surface of the custard will prevent a skin forming. Store covered in the fridge until needed. Pour the crème patisserie into a plastic sandwich box with a lid – the box should be the right size to give the custard a depth of about a centimetre (½ inch) or a fraction more. Once cool store in the fridge, Preheat oven to 200C (fan oven) or equivalent You will need a greased baking tray. Lay your pastry on a lightly floured board and cut into 4 equal squares with straight, decisive movements, using a sharp, non-serrated knife. Cut each square into 2 equal rectangles. Bake for 10 minutes until risen and golden. Transfer to a cooling rack, using a fish slice, and allow to cool. Once cold, cut each rectangle into 2 horizontally, using a sharp knife, and sandwich with a ‘slice’ of custard cut from the box of crème patisserie. Dust the tops with a little icing sugar stirred through a tea strainer before serving. Crème Patisserie – see ‘Tea with Mrs Simkins’ for Emergency Crème Patisserie, very useful if you have no cream and can’t get to the shops.	Quick and Easy Apple Slices These are very quick and easy and extremely delicious: the freshness of the lightly cooked apple and the tart apricot glaze contrast beautifully with the buttery, flaky pastry. You may like to serve them with a little thin cream. Use a ruler to guide you if you aren’t brilliant at straight lines. Makes 8 You will need a roll of Dorset Pastry puff pastry defrosted in the fridge until pliable 1-2 dessert apples, Cox’s are ideal 4 tablespoons apricot conserve and 4 tablespoons water Preheat oven to 200C (fan oven) or equivalent You will need a greased baking tray. Lay your pastry on a lightly floured board and cut into 8 equal squares with straight, decisive movements using a sharp, non-serrated knife. Lightly score a border approximately 1centimetre away from the edge with the point of a sharp knife all the way round each square. Don’t cut all the way through. Prick the inside of each square all over with a fork. Core the apples and slice them very thinly: you can peel them if you like or leave the peel on. Lay the apple slices in an overlapping row over the centre of each square, inside the borders. Bake for 10 minutes until risen and golden. Transfer to a cooling rack, using a fish slice, and allow to cool slightly. Spoon over a little Apricot Glaze. See earlier Fruit Tarts recipe for instructions. Glossy Finish For a glossy, professional finish, you can brush the borders with egg beaten with a teaspoon of water, before they go into the oven.
Steak and Potato Pie This is a great heartening pie for a winter weekend lunch or supper. You will need one of those old fashioned pie funnels to stop the pastry from falling into the filling. Serves 4 For the Filling 450g (1lb) braising steak, or preferably feather steak (ask your local butcher!) 1 fair sized onion 450g (1lb) potatoes 1 tablespoon plain flour 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce 1 teaspoon black treacle Freshly ground black or white pepper ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste Oil for frying 1 pack of Dorset Pastry shortcrust, defrosted in the fridge until pliable You will need a 2 pint pie dish with a flat rim, and a pie funnel Peel the potatoes cut into quarters and boil in unsalted water until just tender. Drain and set aside to cool, but keep the cooking water. Cut the steak into bite sized pieces, and coat in the flour. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onions. Remove from the pan and keep warm, check there is enough oil left in the pan and fry the meat, turning frequently until it is lightly browned. Return the onions to the pan. Put the Worcestershire sauce and black treacle into about 275ml (½ pint) of the cooking water from the potatoes, and add to the pan, season with pepper. Stir it all together and bring to the boil, stirring frequently. Leave it to simmer gently, stirring from time to time, until the meat is tender and the gravy has thickened. Top up with more potato water if necessary. Check for seasoning and add any salt towards the end. Flour your rolling pin and roll it to a thickness of slightly less than half a centimetre. Put your pie dish upside down onto the pastry and use it as a rough guide to cut round: so you have a piece of pastry slightly larger than your dish. Grease the rim of the dish. Using the leftover pastry, cut some strips the right width and press gently all round the rim. Use your rolling pin to firm it gently. Put the filling into the dish with enough gravy to cover. Reserve the rest of the gravy. Put your pie funnel into the centre of the pie filling. Slice your cooked potatoes and arrange in a thick layer over the top. Brush the pastry rim with water. Lift your pastry lid into position on the pie. Ease the pastry down over the funnel so it shows through. Press the edges down gently. Finally, brush the top with beaten egg and bake in a preheated oven at 180C (fan oven) or equivalent for about 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Serve with the rest of the gravy and steamed vegetables.	Steak and Mushroom Pie or Individual Pie Crusts This is a lovely rich beef casserole with a puff pastry lid. It’s a great wintry family meal, special enough for Sunday lunch or when you have guests. Serve with hearty helpings of mashed or boiled potatoes and steamed broccoli, carrots and cauliflower with a little mustard on the side. Don’t worry about the pickled walnuts: they are a bit like anchovies in that they look scary but melt away to nothing, leaving behind a beautiful rich flavour and depth. Serves 4 450g (1lb) braising steak or preferably feather steak (ask your local butcher) 1 large onion, sliced 150g (5oz) mushrooms, closed cap, button or chestnut, sliced or whole if small 1 bay leaf 1-2 pickled walnuts and 2 tablespoons of liquid from the jar 1-2 tablespoons plain flour Approximately 570 ml (1 pint) hot water Freshly ground black pepper Mild oil for frying Approximately half roll of Dorset Puff Pastry, defrosted in the fridge until pliable You will need a 2 pint pie dish with a flat rim and a pie funnel or a greased baking tray Cut the steak into bite size pieces, removing any excess fat, and coat in the flour. Heat the oil in a wide pan and brown the meat on all sides. Fry the onions in hot oil in another pan until soft and golden, add the mushrooms once the onions are nearly cooked. Once the meat is browned, stir in the hot water, and keep stirring for a few moments. Add the onions and mushrooms, the bay leaf and a good grinding of black pepper. Slice the pickled walnut(s) very finely and add to the pan with the liquid from the jar. Stir everything together thoroughly and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for approximately 2 hours, stirring from time to time and adding more water if necessary, until the meat is tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened. Once the meat is nearly cooked, preheat the oven to 200-220C (fan oven) or equivalent. Refer to the pastry manufacturer’s instructions and be guided by them as you assemble and bake the pie. To Make the Pie Cut out the pastry generously to fit over your pie dish, using the upturned dish as a guide. Pour the steak and mushrooms into the dish and settle the pie funnel in the middle. Lightly grease the rim of the dish and pick up the pastry, draping it over your rolling pin. Manoeuvre it over the pie dish and ease into position over the top of the pie funnel so that it pokes through. Firm the edges gently with your finger tips or the back of a fork. To make Individual Pie Crusts Cut out individual circles, squares or triangles for each person and bake on a baking tray, following the manufacturer’s instructions. To serve: spoon the steak and mushrooms on to each serving plate and sit a pastry lid on top. This method is especially useful if you want to double the quantity as it is easier than making two complete pies. You may like to glaze the top with beaten egg for a really glossy professional finish but it looks beautiful without. You’ll have less waste if you cut out squares and triangles rather than circles!
Very Easy Chicken and Mushroom Pie (or Individual Pie Crusts) This is another delicious savoury pie to serve with mashed potatoes, or boiled, if you prefer, and a steamed green vegetable. You can use chicken breasts or left over cooked chicken. If using chicken breasts, keep the skins on during cooking to hold in the flavour and prevent them from becoming too dry. Slip the skins off before preparing for the pie. Serves 2-4 2 chicken breasts or leftover chicken 1-2 carrots, thinly sliced (or a handful of frozen baby carrots) 1-2 leeks Approximately 75g (3oz) frozen sweetcorn Approximately 150g (5oz) mushrooms, closed cap, chestnut or a mixture of both 1 415g tin of luxury mushroom soup A little freshly ground black pepper A little oil Approximately half roll of Dorset Puff Pastry, defrosted in the fridge until pliable Fry the chicken breasts turning from time to time, for 20-30 minutes until completely cooked. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, gently fry leeks and mushrooms for a few moments until they are both beginning to soften. Add the carrots and stir in the soup. Stir thoroughly and simmer for about half an hour before you add the chicken. Once the chicken has cooked, remove the skins and slice into generous pieces. Add to the soup mixture and continue to simmer for another half hour or so or until the soup has reduced and thickened and the flavours have amalgamated. Add the sweetcorn for the last twenty minutes or so of cooking time. If you are using leftover chicken, add halfway through the cooking time: bring the soup to boiling point, stir thoroughly and cook for a few moments, then turn the heat to a simmer and continue to cook as before. To Make the Pie Cut out the pastry generously to fit over your pie dish, using the upturned dish as a guide. Pour the chicken and mushrooms into the dish and settle the pie funnel in the middle. Lightly grease the rim of the dish and pick up the pastry, draping it over your rolling pin. Manoeuvre it over the pie dish and ease into position over the top of the pie funnel so that it pokes through. Firm the edges gently with your finger tips or the back of a fork. To make Individual Pie Crusts Cut out individual circles, squares or triangles for each person and bake on a baking tray, following the manufacturer’s instructions. To serve: spoon the chicken and mushrooms on to each serving plate and sit a pastry lid on top. This method is especially useful if you want to double the quantity as it is easier than making two complete pies. You may like to glaze the top with beaten egg for a really glossy professional finish but it looks beautiful without. Christmas Holiday Version: this also works well with leftover turkey. Keep all pastry cool and handle gently! When using flour on your board or pin, keep it to a minimum – you only need the lightest amount.	Easy Sausage Rolls In contrast to some of the ready-made pasty pink sausage and greasy pastry combinations you can buy, homemade sausage rolls, fresh from the oven are delicious and welcoming. Instead of fiddling around with sausage meat, buy good quality butcher’s sausages and ready-made, ready-rolled, all-butter Dorset Puff Pastry. No precise quantities are given – each sausage will make one large sausage roll or four small ones. Quantities to suit of: Good quality butcher’s sausages 1 pack ready rolled frozen puff pastry, defrosted in the fridge until pliable Preheat oven to 200C (fan oven) or equivalent. You will need a large greased baking tray Roll each sausage in a blanket of pastry and cut from the roll with a sharp knife, brush along the cut end with a little water and seal the edge. Lay each sausage roll join-side down on the prepared tray. Make two or three little slits with the point of a sharp knife along the length For delicate little bite sized sausage rolls, cut each pastry-rolled sausage into four with a sharp knife, make a couple of slits in the top. Bake on a greased baking tray for approximately 20 minutes until puffed and golden. If you prefer, you can peel the skin off each sausage first – this sounds like a bit of a faff, but it is actually relatively easy! You may also like to brush the sausage rolls with an egg beaten with a teaspoon of water, before they go into the oven, for a glossy professional finish.
Useful Puff Pastry Box for Sweet or Savoury Fillings This is a useful technique for making an impressive looking pastry really easily! You can use the resulting ‘box’ for sweet or savoury fillings. Vary the size of the box if you prefer. Makes 8 You will need a roll of Dorset Pastry puff pastry defrosted in the fridge until pliable Preheat oven to 200C (fan oven) or equivalent You will need a greased baking tray. Lay your pastry on a lightly floured board and cut into 8 equal squares with straight, decisive movements using a sharp, non-serrated knife. Lightly score a border approximately 1-2 centimetres away from the edge with the point of a sharp knife all the way round each square. Don’t cut all the way through. Bake for 10 minutes until risen and golden. Transfer to a cooling rack, using a fish slice, and allow to cool. Once cool, remove the rectangular ‘lid’ from the middle of each box with the point of a sharp knife and trim away any of the layers or ‘laminations’ of pastry underneath to make a clear space for your filling.

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