Greggs-style Sausage Rolls to make at home

As lockdown continues, there will be plenty of things that people will be missing. Yet The Big Bakes, the UK’s first and only live baking competition, is proving that Brits needs not be deprived of their favourite things during self-isolation. The award-winning baking events brand has unveiled its top secret, mouth-watering sausage roll recipe, to help Brits recreate the iconic savoury snack at home.

The news comes in the wake of Greggs making a u-turn on its decision to re-open some of its stores. At the end of April, the bakery chain announced plans to open 20 shops on a trial basis, but less than a week later the company confirmed that the trial will begin in-house, meaning its loyal customers will have to wait a little longer to get hold of their favourite Greggs goodies.

Yet worry not, because Brits will soon be able to make the ultimate sausage roll at home, using The Big Bakes’ secret, tried and tested recipe, which YouTube star LadBaby recreated during a hilarious bake off session last September. The Big Bakes invited the renowned lifestyle blogger to its London tent, for a husband and wife sausage roll off – an event that has been viewed online almost half-a-million times, and for good reason!

Now, in the wake of the disappointing news from Greggs, The Big Bakes has decided to reveal the sausage roll recipe that LadBaby has already mastered, to give the public the opportunity to have a go at home. Keen bakers can cook along to a simple tutorial video, available via The Big Bakes’ social media channels, and will need the following ingredients to take part:

The Big Bakes – Top Secret Mouth Watering Sausage Roll

For the pastry:

• Strong flour – 200g

• Salt – ½ tsp
• Chilled butter – 200g cubed
• Chilled water – 40g

For the filling:

• Pork sausages – 450g

• Green apple – 1 (peeled and grated)
• Fennel – 2 tsp
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1 Beaten egg for brushing and finishing

METHOD: How to make the ultimate sausage roll

• Preheat your oven to 190c. Mix the flour and salt together in a mixing bowl

• Add the butter and rub in using your finger tips, stop when the butter is pea sized. It will not be completely mixed in.
• Add enough chilled water to make a shaggy dough – you may not need all of it.
• Turn the dough out onto your work surface and work the dough with your hands into a ball, flatten slightly and wrap your disc of dough in cling film. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Once chilled, remove the pastry dough from the fridge and dust your work surface with flour.
• Roll the pastry out to a 30 x 15cm rectangle, then take the short ends of the rectangle and fold towards the middle of the dough. Repeat again to form a book.
• Repeat step 6 and rest the dough in the fridge for a further 30 minutes. While the dough is resting make your filling.

METHOD: To make your Filling.

• Remove the sausages from their casings and place in a large mixing bowl.
• Peel and grate the apple and add to the pork along with the fennel, salt and pepper.
• Mix to combine and shape into 2 logs 30cm long and wrap in clingfilm. Rest in the freezer.
• Now split the dough into 2 portions, roll each portion into a rectangle 15 x 30cm.
• Lay half your sausage mixture down each piece of dough, lengthways in a cylinder shape leaving a 1-2cm edge.
• Brush the long edge with beaten egg and tightly fold the pastry over the sausage mixture until the edges meet each other.
• Turn the sausage logs over and cut into 8cm lengths, brush with egg and top with fennel seeds.
• Rest in the freezer for 20 minutes
• Bake on a greased baking tray for  20 minutes.