Food writer Kate Young is a big fan of sausage rolls, and these are “made sweet and savory with mango chutney and soy sauce,” she says.
They’re the perfect New Year’s Eve party food, and are actually inspired by many literary holidays.
“Our titular heroine in Jilly Cooper’s Prudence she teams up with Mrs. Braddock to make them for Lucasta’s birthday party. And they’re part of the complicated ‘beige party’ at the Christmas Eve party at Juno Dawson’s stay another dayYoung says.
“In Once, twice, three times per hallway, a list of Mandy’s favorite finger foods has sausage rolls at the top (naturally). Neville takes a sausage roll from a plate during a large party that brings the Cazalets together at Elizabeth Jane Howard’s house. Discarding. Sausage rolls are part of the spread when Adrian Mole and his neighbors celebrate the royal wedding with a block party. They are ubiquitous, they are delicious. They are perfect.”
sausage rolls
Make: about 64 small rolls
Ingredients:
2 brown onions, finely chopped
1 carrot, grated
2 crisp eating apples, grated
500g sausage meat (I squeeze the meat out of a pack of good sausages – the texture and seasoning give your sausage rolls a good start)
500g minced pork, at least 10% fat
125g soft white breadcrumbs
6 tablespoons mango chutney
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Lots of freshly ground black pepper
A large pinch of flaked sea salt
1 egg
4 sheets of puff pastry already rolled
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Method:
1. In a mixing bowl, combine the onions, carrots, apples, meat, breadcrumbs, mango chutney, soy sauce, vinegar, and seasonings. Squid all together with hands.
2. Beat the egg in a small bowl and set aside. Preheat your oven to 200C/400F/gas 6. Lay out a sheet of dough, with the narrower end parallel to the edge of your work surface. Cut in half, again parallel to the edge of the work surface. On each half, place one-eighth of the filling in a line along the longest edge. The fill line should be a generous two centimeters high.
3. Roll the dough tightly over the meat. Brush some of the beaten egg along the top edge of the pastry, then roll the meat over it to seal. Brush the roll with more egg wash, then cut each roll into eight pieces (a bread knife or serrated knife is best to use here) and transfer to a lined baking sheet. They will swell, so give them some space. Sprinkle the tops with sesame seeds. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
4. Bake until deep golden brown; 25-30 minutes should do it. Allow to cool slightly before serving, or serve at room temperature if you prefer.
Kate Young’s ‘The Little Library Parties’ (published by Head of Zeus, £15; photography by Yuki Sugiura), available now.
romkugler
Do you have any cake left over from Christmas? There’s no need to waste it, when you can prepare a tasty treat instead: romkugler.
This sweet was invented by Danish bakers, says Coinneach Macleod, also known as The Hebridean Baker. Instead of throwing away leftover cakes and pastries, they combined them with pantry ingredients, rolled them into balls, and decorated them with chocolate chips.
“Queues of adults and children bought these cheap treats, which quickly became a Danish tradition,” he says.
Make: 12
Ingredients:
500 g of Madeira sponge cake (in fact, any sponge cake will work, better if it is a bit stale)
3 tablespoons raspberry jam
80g icing sugar
100g butter, softened
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 teaspoons rum essence (or for an adult treat, use real rum – you may need to add another teaspoon)
for decoration:
Chocolate noodles, desiccated coconut or cocoa powder
Method:
1. It’s time to get your hands dirty! Crumble the cake into a bowl, add the jam, icing sugar, softened butter, cocoa powder and rum essence and mix with your hands (or wooden spoon or stand mixer) until evenly combined .
2. Depending on the cake you use, you may need to add a little more cocoa or rum. Or you can add rolled oats to give it a bit of texture. Trust your taste buds!
3. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes and then start rolling the dough into balls.
4. Roll each ball in chocolate noodles, desiccated coconut, or cocoa powder. Cool in the fridge and take them out 10 minutes before serving.
‘The Hebridean Baker: My Scottish Island Kitchen’ by Coinneach Macleod (published by Black and White Publishing, £25; photography by Susie Lowe), available now.
irish cream pie
“This dessert is one of the most luxurious no-bake treats you can make,” says Jane Dunn, author of Jane’s Patisserie: Celebrate!
“I serve this every holiday season, as it always goes down well, but you know it would look good on New Year’s Eve or for dinner.”
She recommends making them miniature for your New Year’s party, so they’re even easier to serve to guests.
It serves: 12
Ingredients:
for the base:
300 g of digestive biscuits
35g cocoa powder
150g unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
175g dark chocolate
175g milk chocolate
50 g unsalted butter
Double cream 300ml
150ml Irish cream liqueur (I use Baileys Original)
for coverage:
125ml double cream
25 ml Irish cream liqueur
2 tablespoons of icing sugar
grated milk chocolate
Method:
1. For the base: In a food processor, blend the biscuits and cocoa powder to a fine crumb, add the melted butter and pulse a few times until well combined. Transfer to a 9-inch loose-bottomed tart pan and press firmly into bottom and sides.
2. For the filling: In a large bowl, add the dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and butter. In a small saucepan, add the double cream and Irish cream liqueur and heat to just before boiling. Pour over the chocolate and butter and mix until smooth. Pour the filling into the biscuit base and chill in the fridge for about three hours until set.
3. For the topping: Carefully remove the cookie crust from the tin and transfer to a serving plate. In a large bowl, whisk together the double cream, Irish cream liqueur, and confectioners’ sugar to form soft peaks. Transfer to a pastry bag with a piping nozzle fitted and swirl the piping over the tart. Grate a little chocolate over the dessert before serving.
To drink
Champagne Pol Couronne, Cuvée Millesime 2012
Ring in the New Year with a dazzling vintage champagne from the wonderful Pol Couronne. Buy now
‘Jane’s Patisserie: Celebrate!’ by Jane Dunn (published by Ebury Press, £20; photography by Ellis Parrinder), available now