Karen Wright: A slice of pastry week with Bake Off’s best

As each new season airs, we plan a class each week to mirror the latest episode. I was allocated episode six this year which was pastry week.

Of course, there are a few different types of pastry that could be used: shortcrust, rough puff, full puff, hot water crust, choux or filo. This year the two challenges we could choose from were rough puff or hot water crust. The signature challenge was a sausage plait using rough puff and the technical challenge was a Gala pie using hot water crust.

I really love my savoury bakes, so both were right up my street. I plumped for the plait and set to work creating my recipe. The pastry was simply 250g of strong white flour, salt, a splash of lemon juice, 250g of butter and water to bind. Once all these ingredients were mixed to form a rough dough, I rolled it out to a rectangle, folded and turned it three times to create some lamination in the cooked pastry. The filling was simply 500g sausages taken out of skins and mixed with dried herbs, marmite, apricot chutney (which I made), onion and some chia seeds. The chia seeds worked well as they soaked up lots of the liquid that normally oozes out of sausages.

The plait was assembled by cutting strips of pastry either side of the filling and folding them over from side to side. After a quick brush with egg wash, off it went into a very hot oven to bake. In addition to the apricot chutney, I also made a piccalilli whilst the plait was baking. The American bakers who had joined the class didn't all fancy trying this very British pickle and opted out and just watched me in action, I told them they were missing a treat!

My finished bake has been carefully wrapped and placed in the freezer as I think it will perfect to enjoy during the Christmas holidays! Christmas will be here soon enough, and I have already made my cakes. They are maturing well and enjoying a nip of brandy each week, perhaps I will share my recipe with you in the column next week.