Wear it Pink Day 2017

This year's Wear it Pink Day at Sharmans also featured a Charity Bake-off.

To the left is a picture of the staff and Partners of Sharmans donning pink in support of this campaign. Money was raised by way of donations in respect of the pink attire and of course; the Bake-off!

There were 7 contestants this year. Each one doing their best in friendly competition. This year's theme for the Bake-off is "Pork & Pastry" allowing contestants to show off their savory baking skills. The contestants brought with them a variety of bakes outlined below:

• Sausage rolls
• Bedfordshire Clanger
• Cheese & Bacon Quiche
• Pigs in Blankets
• Sausage Plait

But the star of the show was Kiren's "Sharmans Roll". Sharing the name of the firm; the Sharmans Roll proved to score higher than the other competitors in both flavor and presentation. Having won the Bake-off, this bake has now been dubbed the official pastry of Sharmans. If you would like to bake your very own Sharmans Roll; our Star Baker has outlined his simple recipe below:

• Flaky puff pastry
• 400g sausage meat
• 3 teaspoons of oregano
• 2 teaspoons of English mustard
• 1 Gala apple
• Lemon/Lime juice
• Salt and Pepper
• A few sprigs of thyme
• 16 Rashers of pancetta
• 3 teaspoons Fruit Chutney – any fruit chutney will do
• 2 eggs
• Small knob of butter

1. Place sausage meat into mixing bowl. Strip thyme leaves from sprigs, and mix with the sausage meat, adding plenty of pepper and a few twists of salt.
2. Add 2 level teaspoons of English mustard to the mix, and mix thoroughly.
3. Peel apple, and grate finely and place in a separate bowl. Add a splash of lemon/lime juice, to stop the apple turning brown.
4. Using kitchen towel and a tea towel, wring the grated apple of as much of the apple juice as possible.
5. Place the dry, grated apple into the sausage meat mixture.
6. NOW - (Turn your oven onto heat – 200 degrees or 180 if fan assisted)
7. Lay out your pastry, and ensure it’s about ½ cm thick (or as it comes if shop bought!)
8. Lay the rashers of pancetta side by side, slightly overlapping each rasher, leaving a cm around all the edgesof the pastry. NB you may need to fold over the pancetta slightly.
9. Now, place the sausage meat onto the pastry, (not in the middle, but more to one side) and ensure it is spread out evenly along the length of the pastry.
10. Now, spread the 3 teaspoons of chutney onto the pancetta, next to the sausage meat.
11. Apply egg wash to all edges of the pastry, before rolling the pastry and sausage meat into a roll.
12. Apply egg wash liberally to the outside of the sausage roll.
13. Place the sausage roll onto a baking tray, lined with greaseproof paper.
14. Chill the sausage roll in the fridge for 15 minutes.
15. Take your sausage roll out of the fridge, apply a second egg wash.
16. Score the sausage roll lightly, across the top.
17. 16. Bake in the oven for 45 – 55 minutes.