Custard Cream and Crumb Topped Pies

• unsalted butter↗125g g

  cold from refrigerator

• all-purpose flour↗185g g

  plus extra for dusting

• golden caster sugar↗3 tbsp tbsp
• large egg1
• meat filling180g g
• custard cream120g g

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 200 °C/180 °C with convection/gas 6. Place a baking tray in the oven on the middle rack.

2. 2

   Cut the butter into small cubes. Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl and add a pinch of salt.

3. 3

   Add the butter to the flour and rub together with your fingers until the mixture resembles crumbs.

4. 4

   Add 2 tbsp of sugar and mix. Spoon a generous half cup (85 g) of crumbs into a smaller bowl and set aside.

5. 5

   Prepare two small bowls. Crack the egg into one bowl, then carefully split the shell in half, allowing the yolk to remain in one half. Pour the white into one bowl and the yolk into the other.

6. 6

   Beat the yolk with a fork, then add it to the large bowl with butter and flour. Using a table knife, mix the yolk with the crumbs.

7. 7

   Place your hand in the bowl and bring the crumbs together into a ball. Knead the dough several times until smooth.

8. 8

   Dust the work surface with a little flour. Add a bit more flour to the dough and roll it out to the thickness of two £1 coins.

9. 9

   Cut the dough using an 8 cm cutter, re-roll the leftovers to obtain 12 circles.

10. 10

    Gently press the dough circles into a bun tin. On each bun place a generous teaspoon of custard cream, then top with the meat filling.

11. 11

    Add the remaining 1 tbsp of sugar to the smaller bowl of crumbs. Gather them into larger clumps and scatter over the meat filling.

12. 12

    Place the bun tin on a tray and bake for 15 minutes until golden, until the custard cream and meat filling start to bubble.

13. 13

    Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then carefully transfer the pies to a rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.