In 2002, Tristan Hogg and Jon Simon teamed up to start their pie business, inspired by quality native Australian pies and disappointed with the quality of the UK equivalent, they say. Chef Tristan used to feed hungry rock stars, while Jon was working in a London bar. The pair combined their talents to launch the first Pieminister in Bristol, branching out to open their Borough Market pie stall in 2004.

The method of making savoury snacks by folding the corners of a square of puff pastry over towards the centre of the filling is well-liked by the smaller baker. Two bakers have reported that the filling for a tomato tart sells well with this, is cheap and easy to make and produces good profits.

Mini quiches are versatile and delicious snack products, which can be good enough to serve as a course at a dinner party.

Ingredients

This apple flan, flavoured with lemon zest and cinnamon, makes a spectacular autumnal dessert. Although very simple, if care is taken with the presentation, it has great visual appeal and can command a premium price.

This is a light flan made from a pastry case and filled with a diplomat cream, flavoured with rum and topped with fresh fruit. It is easy and quick to make, has great visual appeal and sells very well in the summer months. It is the perfect light dessert to accompany a barbecue.

This recipe from the 1800s was found in a thin notebook of hand-written recipes. The author calls them ‘Lemon cheesecakes’. They are a cross between a custard tart and a lemon curd tart.

The name is fantastic, but the original recipe is rather vague about the method and shape of these buns. It comes from Cakes and Confectionery à la Mode by Mrs Harriet De Salis, 1889.

When customers have that craving for bacon, nothing else will satisfy. But being French, when I was an apprentice in the bakery my cravings would be for a croque monsieur, made with lardons (our equivalent of bacon) and béchamel sauce.