Pastry

1. Preheat your oven to 350⁰F (180⁰C).
2. Lightly sprinkle a large baking tray with Cornflour so the pastry bottoms don’t stick.
3. Add the 330 g Holsum vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces, to a large mixing bowl.
4. Pour over the 250 ml boiling water and give it a light stir. Leave it for about 10 minutes so the shortening softens properly.
5. Add the 3 1/4 cups of cake flour and 1/2 tsp salt.
6. Mix everything using a knife or palette knife instead of your hands. The dough comes together better this way and stays lighter.
7. If the dough still feels sticky, sprinkle in a little extra flour, 1 tbsp at a time.
8. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead very lightly, just until smooth, or the pastry can turn tough.
9. Divide the dough into 2 pieces and flatten each into a round disc.
10. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes until firm.

Chicken and Mushroom Filling

1. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
2. Add the 1 chopped onion and 2 minced garlic cloves.
3. Sauté for about 5 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
4. Add the 200 g sliced white mushrooms, 2 tbsp butter and 2 squeezes of lemon juice.
5. Season lightly with salt, black pepper and the leaves from 4 sprigs of fresh thyme.
6. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes until the mushrooms soften, and most of the moisture cooks away. This step matters because watery mushrooms can make the pastry soggy later.
7. Add the shredded rotisserie chicken and stir through.
8. Pour in the 1/2 cup of fresh cream and cook for another 2 minutes until everything is combined and lightly creamy.
9. Remove from heat and cool completely before filling the pastry.
10. Warm filling can soften the pastry too much and cause leaking while baking.

Pasties

1. Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface until about 3 mm thick.
2. Cut into circles roughly the size of a side plate. You should get around 8 pastry rounds.
3. Spoon 1 heaped tbsp of cooled chicken and mushroom filling into the centre of each pastry round. Don’t overfill or they’ll burst open in the oven.
4. Fold the pastry over to form a half-moon shape. Press the edges firmly and crimp with your fingers or a fork.
5. Place the Pasties onto the prepared baking tray.
6. Brush with the beaten egg mixture and lightly dust the tops with Cornflour for extra crispness.
7. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the pastry is crisp and lightly golden brown.
8. Leave the Pasties to rest for 5 minutes before serving. The filling stays very hot straight from the oven.

Cheat Gravy

1. Add the 1 1/2 cups of boiling water and 1 beef bouillon cube to a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil.
2. Stir in the 2 tbsp tomato ketchup, 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, white pepper and aromat.
3. Mix the 2 heaped dessertspoons of cornflour with a little water until smooth.
4. Slowly whisk the Cornflour slurry into the simmering gravy. Keep whisking until thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Taste before adding extra salt since the bouillon cube and aromat are already salty.
6. Serve the gravy hot with the Creamy Chicken Mushroom Cornish Pasties and steamed vegetables