So it was Victorian week on the bake off (otherwise known as gelatine week) and although we were very tempted by an attempt at a Charlotte Russe, we couldn’t resist making some little mini pies.
This week Tamal, our baby boy, got star baker which we feel has been a long time coming but finally his fab flavours got the recognition they deserve. However it wasn’t all joy and laughter, although we agree with the judges decision, we were very sad to see Mat go but its getting down to the last few bakers now (quarter final next week?!?!?!). For our version of the signature bake, we decided upon a chicken and chorizo flavour combination because, quite simply, we love it. And then we added some red wine… because we love it (and we were drinking the rest of the bottle).
We used a hot water crust pastry, so they are similar to a pork pie, and made a red wine chorizo jelly to pour in after to keep them moist and add more of the red wine and chorizo flavours. In keeping with the Victorians, we decorated our pies to show how sophisticated and affluent we are… (erm?).
- For the filling
- 150g chorizo
- 500g chicken (we used thigh meat)
- 1/2 onion finely chopped
- 75ml red wine
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 sachet gelatine powder
- 1 chicken stock cube
- 300ml boiling water
- 1 tsp paprika
- 25ml red wine
- 1 egg for glazing
- 1 portion of hot water crust pastry (below)
- Place the onion in a pan with a little drizzle of oil on a medium heat and allow to soften for 2/3 mins.
- Chop the chorizo into little pieces and add to the pan and cook for a 3/4 mins, then add 50ml of the wine and cook for a few more minutes. Then allow to cool.
- Cut up your chicken into small pieces and place in a bowl with the paprika, flour, salt and pepper and a splash of red wine and mix with your hands so all the chicken is coated.
- Make the pastry.
- Roll the pastry out to about 3mm thick and cut 6 circles to fit your tin and 6 smaller circles to make the pie lids, the sizes will depend on how big your tin is.
- You can use any left over pastry for decoration.
- Cut 1cm circles out the middle of the lids.
- Push the larger circles into the tin, making sure there is some pastry extending up past the lip.
- Put the filling into the pastry cases, we layered ours chicken mix then chorizo then the same repeated.
- Don’t wash up your chorizo pan!!
- Brush some egg wash around the tops of the pastry cases and then place the lids on top.
- Squeeze the case and lids together, crimping the edges.
- Brush egg wash over the tops and put on your decoration, we went for leaves and roses, then a little more egg wash over these.
- Bake at 200°C for 45mins until golden brown on top and the filling is fully cooked.
- Towards the end of the cooking time, make the jelly in the same pan the chorizo was cooked in.
- In a jug dissolve the chicken stock cube in the water
- In the pan used for the chorizo, pour in the stock and mix into all the juices left in the pan.
- Add in the wine, paprika and gelatine and mix well.
- After the pies have been taken out the oven, pour the jelly into the holes in the tops of the pies.
- Pour it in a little at a time, allowing it to sink in, till you can see it at the top through the hole.
- Allow to cool for an hour or so, then put in the fridge for a few hours or until you want to serve them!
- You can chill the pastry after its cut out and put in the tins, before you add the filling, this can help keep the pastry cases sturdy whilst filling. And also means you can prepare the pastry in advance if you want to.
- 265g plain flour
- 55g strong white bread flour
- 55g unsalted butter, cubed
- 65g lard
- 1 tsp salt
- 135ml boiling water
- Place the flours in a bowl with the butter and rub together with your fingers.
- Melt the lard in a pan
- Measure out the boiling water in a jug and dissolve the salt in it, then pour in the melted lard.
- Pour the liquid mixture into the flour and stir with a spoon until cool enough to touch, then bring the dough together into a ball with your hands.
- If there are any lumps just work it with your hands for a minute or 2 longer.
