Six summer baking recipes to enjoy during National Picnic Week

Get your baskets and blankets (and umbrellas) ready for a week of eating outdoors, says Keely Doll

Although perfect for a picnic, you’ll want to remake these recipes again and again (Carr’s Flour)

After a year of working and learning remotely, a picnic is a great way to disconnect from your laptop and reconnect with each other (socially distanced and outdoors, of course).

OK so the weather clearly didn’t get the memo about National Picnic Week (19-27 June) but if you can find a dry spot, these recipes from the Easy Peasy Baking Campaign and Carr’s Flour are well worth it – for a picnic and beyond.

So whip these up, pack sunscreen/an umbrella depending on the weather (or, let’s face it, probably bring both), invite your friends and tuck into these deliciously baked goods.

Red pesto and parmesan dough knots

These cheesy bites make for a perfect appetiser (Easy Peasy Baking Campaign)

Makes: 8 knots

Ingredients:

1 packet fast action dried yeast (7g)

220ml warm water

400g strong white bread flour

1 tbsp white sugar

1 tsp salt

½ jar red pesto

170g cheese of choice, we recommend parmesan

Equipment:

Measuring jug

Spoon

Large mixing bowl

Rolling pin

Knife

Baking tray lined with baking paper

Cheese grater

Method

1.    Preheat the oven to 180C (fan).

2.    In the measuring jug, combine the warm water and yeast. Stir and set to one side for 2-3 minutes to activate the yeast.

3.    In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Pour in the yeast and water and stir them together with your hand to form a dough.

4.    Sprinkle your worktop with a little flour and knead the dough until smooth, then return to the large mixing bowl, cover and leave in a warm place for at least 15 minutes to prove (this is where it will start to grow in size).

5.    Using your fist, knock the dough back (this means push the dough back down to its original size) and tip out onto a floured work surface before rolling into a large rectangle shape (about 5mm thickness).

6.    Spread the red pesto on half of the rectangle, grate a thin layer of cheese on top and then fold the over half of the dough over the pesto and parmesan.

7.    Cut the dough into 1-inch wide strips, then, holding each end, twist and knot each one before placing onto a lined baking tray.

8.    Bake for 15-20 mins until risen and evenly browned then remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly, grate more cheese on top and serve.

Recipe from the Easy Peasy Baking campaign, launched by UK Flour Millers. You can find more Easy Peasy Baking recipes and information on the campaign over on the Fab Flour website: https://fabflour.co.uk/easy-peasy-bakes/ or on social: @fab_flour on Instagram or @fabflour on Facebook and Twitter.

A Mediterranean take on the classic French galette (Easy Peasy Baking Campaign)

Mediterranean vegetable and goat’s cheese galette

Tip: Keep your pastry as cool as possible to avoid the butter from melting into the flour, as this will make your pastry greasy. If needed, you can chill your galette for 15 minutes in the fridge before baking to ensure a crumbly pastry

Makes: 10-inch pie

Ingredients:

300g plain flour

150g salted butter, cubed

3 tbsp cold water

1 packet of prepared Mediterranean vegetables (400g) or a mix of fresh – chopped into chunks

150g soft goat’s cheese, cut into slices

1 egg

Salt and pepper

Equipment:

Large mixing bowl

Tablespoon/spoon

Rolling pin

Baking tray lined with baking paper

Pastry brush/finger

Knife

Method

1.    Preheat the oven to 200C (fan).

2.    In the large mixing bowl, rub the flour and butter with your fingers until a crumb consistency is achieved. Add the water and stir together to form a pastry dough.

3.    Tip the dough out onto the lined baking tray and roll out into a large oval/circle shape (2-3mm thickness).

4.    Arrange a layer of goat’s cheese slices in the centre of the pastry, top with the vegetables and then fold in the edges to encase everything. Place a few additional goat’s cheese slices on top of the vegetables.

5.    Beat the egg and use a pastry brush or your finger to egg wash the folded pastry edges before seasoning the whole galette with salt and pepper.

6.    Bake for 30 minutes until the pastry is golden, allow to cool slightly and serve.

Recipe from the Easy Peasy Baking campaign, launched by UK Flour Millers. You can find more Easy Peasy Baking recipes and information on the campaign over on the Fab Flour website: https://fabflour.co.uk/easy-peasy-bakes/ or on social: @fab_flour on Instagram or @fabflour on Facebook and Twitter.

Bakewell tart traybake

This pastry makes for a sweet midday snack, perfect with a pitcher of lemonade (Easy Peasy Baking Campaign)

Makes: 20 x 30 cm traybake – 15 bars

Ingredients:

150g plain flour

150g caster sugar, split into 50g and 100g

200g unsalted butter, softened, split into 2 x 100g

150g ground almonds

1 egg

200g raspberry jam

Handful of flaked almonds

Icing sugar to dust

Equipment:

Large mixing bowl

Spoon

Traybake tin, 9” x 13”, lined with baking paper

Sieve/muslin (for dusting)

Knife

Method

1.    Preheat the oven to 165C (fan).

2.    Put all of the plain flour and 50g of caster sugar in the mixing bowl before rubbing in 100g of unsalted butter with your fingertips. When the mixture resembles crumbs, pour it into the lined traybake tin, spread it evenly and press it down so the crumbs loosely join together. Bake the base for 15 minutes.

3.    While the base is baking, combine the remaining 100g of butter, 100g caster sugar, ground almonds and the egg in the mixing bowl with a spoon to make the frangipane topping.

4.    When the base has had its 15 minutes, remove it from the oven and add the jam, spreading it with the back of the spoon to make an even layer over the top, followed by all of the frangipane mix (this will be a thicker layer) and a sprinkling of flaked almonds before returning to the oven for a further 30 minutes.

5.    When the traybake is golden on top, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before removing from the tin. Dust the whole thing with icing sugar, slice into bars and top with more flaked almonds. Enjoy!

Recipe from the Easy Peasy Baking campaign, launched by UK Flour Millers. You can find more Easy Peasy Baking recipes and information on the campaign over on the Fab Flour website: https://fabflour.co.uk/easy-peasy-bakes/ or on social: @fab_flour on Instagram or @fabflour on Facebook and Twitter.

Cumberland sausage slippers    

Perfect for a picnic lunch on a warm summer day (Carr’s Flour)

Time: 2 hrs prep and prove, 15 mins bake

Ingredients:

200g Carr’s Strong White Flour

250g Carr’s Malty Seeded Flour

1 tbsp rosemary (finely chopped)

1½ tsp salt

1 tsp caster sugar

1½ tsp fast action dried yeast

2 tbsp olive oil

250ml water

For the filling:

2 Cumberland Sausage Wheels

2 red onions

Olive oil

Crumbly Lancashire cheese

Salt and pepper

To finish:

Olive oil

Red onion

Lancashire cheese

Method

1. Place the flours, rosemary, salt, sugar and yeast into a large bowl. Add the oil and water, using enough water to make a dough.

2. Tip onto a lightly floured surface and knead for approx 5 minutes. Put back into the bowl, cover with cling film and leave until doubled in size. This should take around 1 hour depending on the warmth of your kitchen.

3. Cut the onions into rings and cook slowly with some olive oil until nice and soft. Fry the Cumberland Sausages.

4. Tip the dough back onto the lightly floured surface, knead well then cut into two. Roll or gently pull into an oval shape about 30 x 15cm. Spoon the onions on one side of the oval, leaving a few for the top. Cut the sausages in half, widthwise and place on top of the onions, crumble the cheese on top, then fold the dough in half lengthwise to cover the mixture.

5. Place each loaf onto a greased baking sheet lined with parchment. Sprinkle the top with the remaining onion and cheese and drizzle over a little olive oil. Loosely cover with cling film and leave in a warm place until risen, approx. 30 minutes.

6. Remove cling film, drizzle a little extra olive oil and sprinkle with a few rosemary leaves and sea salt. Bake in a preheated oven at 220C (fan 200C, gas mark 7) for 15 minutes.

7. Serve warm or cold.

Recipe belongs to Carr’s Flour, you can find out more information on their website. The full range is available to order from their online shop.

Savoury Muffins     

These quick muffins can be eaten immediately or frozen and served later (Carr’s Flour)

Makes: 12 muffins

Time: 20 mins prep, 20 mins bake

Ingredients:

150g Carr’s wholemeal flour

100g Carr’s plain flour

1½ tbsp baking powder

2 eggs

300ml milk

4 tsp pesto

80g parmesan (grated)

100g courgette (finely grated)

A good handful pine nuts

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C (fan 180C, gas mark 6). You will need a 12 hole muffin tin and 12 paper cases.

2. Sift the flours together into a large bowl with the baking powder. In a jug, beat the eggs and milk and fold into the flour mix.

3. Stir in the pesto, parmesan, courgette and pine nuts. Stir into the mixture, but be careful not to over mix.

4. Divide the mixture equally into the muffin cases and place in the oven. Bake for approximately 20 mins. To test if ready, push a cocktail stick or cake tester into the centre of a muffin. If it comes out clean without any mixture on, they are ready. If not, place back into the oven for another 5 minutes.

5. Enjoy warm, keep in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze them and use when needed.    

Recipe belongs to Carr’s Flour, you can find out more information on their website. The full range is available to order from their online shop.

Picnic pasties with cheese, apple and red onion filling

The crispness of the apples and onions gives these pasties a terrific crunch (Carr’s Flour)

Makes: 12 small pasties

Time: 1 hr prep, 15 mins bake

Ingredients:

125g Carr’s wholemeal flour

125g Carr’s Strong white flour

6 tbsp vegetable oil

1 egg (beaten, to glaze)

For the filling:

2 red onions

1 clove of garlic (crushed)

2 tbsp butter

2 eating apples (skin on and diced)

125g crumbly Lancashire cheese

1 tsp brown sugar

Balsamic vinegar

Method

1. Sift the flours together, then tip the bran left back into the bowl, add a pinch of salt. Add 5 tbsp of cold water to the oil and mix with the flour to form a dough. Knead lightly, then wrap in cling film and leave to rest whilst preparing the filling.

2. Grease and line two baking sheets.

3. Cut the onions in half and slice, cook slowly in a frying pan with the butter. When the onions are translucent add the sugar, garlic and balsamic vinegar and continue to cook until very soft.

4. Add the apples to the pan and cook for a few minutes until coated in all the juices and softened. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

5. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface until 3mm thick. Using an 11cm pastry cutter cut out approx 12 discs.

6. Add the crumbled cheese to the onion mix and season with salt and pepper to taste.

7. Spoon a tablespoon of mixture in the centre of the pastry disk, brush the edges with beaten egg and fold the pastry over to form a crescent shape. Pinch the pastry together and brush with egg and place on a prepared baking sheet. Leave the pasties to rest for approx 45 minutes before baking in the oven at 180C (fan 160C, gas mark 4) for 15 minutes.

8. Cool before serving, and serve with a little pickle of your choice.

Recipes from the Easy Peasy Baking Campaign, launched by UK Flour Millers, and Carr’s Flour.