British Pie Week

It's British Pie Week this week.
You can find more info on the JUS-ROL website along with lots of pie ideas.
At Skylark we have "pie of the day" on our menu so this week we are embracing British Pie Week with lots of different flavoured pies.
We began our week with CHICKEN, MUSHROOM, WHITE WINE AND STILTON pie, followed by BEEF IN RED WINE pie.
Today i chose something a little different from "THE HAIRY BIKERS PERFECT PIES book that i got for christmas. This is a brilliant book and i would definately recommend it. HAM AND LEEK POTATO TOPPED PIE.

All you need is shortcrust pastry, potatoes,leeks,ham, double cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg

Roll out your pastry and line your pie tin.

Peel and slice the potatoes then arrange a layer on the base of the pie case.

Top the potatoes with some chopped ham and cooked leeks. Add another layer of sliced potatoes.

Season your cream with salt, pepper and nutmeg and pour into your pie.

Place on a baking tray.
Bake in the oven 180 deg/160 deg fan oven/gas mark 5
for approx 45 mins until golden brown and cooked through.

Leave to stand for 10 mins to allow the cream to set more.

ENJOY!!

Whoopie Pies

Today i am writing this post as an entry for a brilliant Monday Blog Hop for crafters called HANDMADE MONDAY which is organised weekly by Wendy of 1stunique gifts. This hop is now in week 41 and is a good way of directing traffic to your blog and also to see what other crafters get up to each week.
This is my first entry as Chef At Skylark but some of you visiting may know me from my other sewing blog Dreamstar Diary which, unfortunately, i am needing to take a short break from at present whilst preparing for my new job in the farm cafe. More details about my job can be found at http://chefatskylarkfarmhousecafe.blogspot.com/2011/10/welcome-to-skylark-farm.html

So for now let's talk about WHOOPIE PIES
When Sam (my boss) asked me to make Whoopie Pies my reply was "what on earth are whoopie pies?" She replied that they were the new craze. Two round cake-like biscuits sandwiched together by a creamy marshmallow filling.
So home to the computer i went to do some research. First i searched recipes and found this one
http://www.recipes4us.co.uk/Cakes%20and%20Baked%20Fayre/Whoopie%20Pies.htm
My first attempt came out lovely but i hadnt made the filling stiff enough so as you bit into them the marshmallow oozed out the sides with nothing left once you reached the center.




So next attempt i whisked the filling for longer and then scoured Flickr photo sharing site to see how other peoples attempts turned out! It's a great site for inspiration it really is.
I made them smaller this time and split the mixture into 3 and coloured it red and yellow and in the yellow ones i added some fresh lemon juice.
And here they are drizzled with melted chocolate and dusted with icing sugar.



And just as finished all my research i saw an advert for a new Betty Crocker packet mix for Whoopie Pies!
Thanks for popping by and maybe i will see you at Handmade Monday again x