Caramelised Apple and Pork Sausage Rolls
These Caramelised Apple and Pork Sausage Rolls are a fancy version of a quintessential Aussie favourite. Sweet apples, moist pork covered in flakey pastry, perfect for entertaining and also just great for a yummy snack.
In Australia, sausage rolls are a staple for kids birthday parties, weekend stops at the bakery and probably one of the first things you cook with your mum other than cookie. They freeze so well that you can prepare ahead of time, bake in under 20 minutes and you have fresh sausage rolls ready to serve.
Why this recipe is amazing
Flavour & texture: Similar flavours to nice roast pork. Tender ground pork mince that maintains its juicy interior by using panko breadcrumbs that are soaked in milk. Juicy sweet apples and fennel give a mild anise or liquorice flavour.
Difficulty & Time: Super simple and under 45 minutes!
Wait, what is a sausage roll?
It’s an Aussie staple that MUST be on your radar. You may be familiar with ‘pigs in a blanket’. Well, this is kinda similar but SOOO much better. It most often ground meat mince (pork, beef, chicken, lamb – whatever!) but also can be Vego like spinach & ricotta, seasoned and wrapped in puff pastry. It is baked to until it has a golden brown, buttery crust and served on its own or with tomato sauce/ ketchup. It’s so much better than any pigs in a blanket and there are so many flavour combinations possible! This is my first rendition but keep checking back to the site as I have MANY more recipes to come.
What main ingredients are needed
Ground pork mince: No store-bought ground sausage mince that is bulked up with fillers and unknown ingredients. This recipe is versatile, meaning you can use chicken and turkey if you like but beware, they wont be as moist because they are leaner than pork.
Granny Smith Apples: The crisp, slightly sour flavour works great as they tend to hold their shape as they cook. In a pinch, nearly any apple will work though.
Brown sugar: The secret to a rich caramelly flavour that goes so well with the apples. It If you do not have access to brown sugar, use more white sugar and 1 tbsp molasses.
Apple cider vinegar: An acidic ingredient is needed to add a vibrant flavour and balance to cut the sweetness of the apples and sugar.
Thyme leaves: An earthy, minty, citrus flavour that is both savoury and sweet.
Chilli flakes: A little spice never hurt no body!
Fennel seeds: A mild anise or liquorice flavour that works so great together.
Japanese Panko breadcrumbs + Milk: MOIST, that’s how we want our meat. Breadcrumbs and milk help retain the juices and moisture within the meat mixture, it also helps bind everything together.
Puff Pastry sheets: Store-bought frozen puff pastry. Make sure you thaw it at room temperature while you’re preparing the sausage meat so it becomes soft and more pliable.
How to make Caramelised Apple and Pork Sausage Rolls
Step 1:
Place a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and melt butter. Add the onions and sugar before sautéing until the onions become translucent and lightly golden.
Step 2:
Add rest of the apple ingredients and cook for another 5-10 minutes.
Step 3:
Cook until the sauce has thickened and the apples caramelise. Set aside to cool slightly.
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Line a baking tray with baking paper and set aside.
Step 4:
In a bowl, place the pork, breadcrumbs, milk, and then add the cooled apple along with the rest of the ingredients except the pastry. Mix until everything is well combined. Divide the mix into four portions.
Step 5:
Place one puff pastry sheet on your bench and using a knife, cut it in half, creating two rectangles. Place a meat portion along one long edge of the puff pastry rectangle. Brush both long edges with some egg wash, and roll up the pastry sheet with the sausage filling, until the edges overlap by about 1 cm. Pinch the two ends together to create a seal.
Step 6:
Place it seam side down before cutting the roll into 4 equal pieces. Transfer to the baking tray, separating slightly to allow them to rise as they bake. Continue with the rest of the mixture.
Step 7:
Brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with salt and sesame seeds.
Bake in the oven for around 30 minutes or until they are golden brown.
Serve them warm on their own or with tomato sauce/ketchup!
FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions
- Don’t Skip the Egg Wash – This is essential for that golden flaky pastry exterior. It also acts as great glue if you want to top your sausage rolls with sesame or poppy seeds.
- Slicing – Take a large sharp chef or bread knife and slice the sausage rolls before you bake them. Be gentle not to squeeze while slicing or you’ll push the filling out.
- How do I know when they’re cooked? When cooked at 180°C/350°F for the full cooking time in the recipe, they are golden brown and steaming, they are done. You can always cut one open, if the interior is hot, firm and opaque then they are cooked.
- How do I reheat sausage rolls? Its best to bake again at baking at 180°C/350°F until pastry is crisp and meat is warmed through. You can microwave but it wont give the pastry the crispy texture.
- Can you freeze Sausage Rolls?: Once baked, store them in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for around 3 months. They can also be frozen unbaked. Defrost at room temperature before baking at 180°C/350°F until pastry is crisp and meat is cooked through.
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Caramelised Apple and Pork Sausage Rolls
Equipment
- 2 lined baking trays
Ingredients
Caramelised apple
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 granny smith apples finely diced
- 1 brown/yellow onion finely diced
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
Sausage rolls
- 500 g (1 lb) ground pork mince
- caramelised apple mixture see above
- 3 cloves (2 cloves) garlic minced
- 2 tsp ground fennel seeds
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp milk
- ½ tsp salt & pepper
- 2-3 puff pastry sheets
Extras
- egg wash
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- Place a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and add oil. Add the onions and sugar before sautéing until the onions become translucent and lightly golden.
- Add rest of the apple ingredients and cook for another 5-10 minutes until sauce has thickened and the apples caramelise. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Line a baking tray with baking paper and set aside.
- In a bowl, place the pork, breadcrumbs, milk, and then add the cooled apple along with the rest of the ingredients except the pastry. Mix until everything is well combined. Divide the mix into four portions.
- Place one puff pastry sheet on your bench and using a knife, cut it in half, creating two rectangles. Place a meat portion along one long edge of the puff pastry rectangle. Brush both long edges with some egg wash, and roll up the pastry sheet with the sausage filling, until the edges overlap by about 1 cm.
- Pinch the two ends together to create a seal. Place it seam side down before cutting the roll into 4 equal pieces. Transfer to the baking tray, separating slightly to allow them to rise as they bake. Continue with the rest of the mixture.
- Brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with salt and sesame seeds.
- Bake in the oven for around 25 minutes or until they are golden brown.Serve them warm on their own or with tomato sauce/ketchup!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe?
Please let us know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @missmollymakes on Instagram and hashtag it #missmollymakes.
Hey, we are Molly & Exceede
Former operating room Nurse and self-taught home cook + IT Engineer passionate about Approachable, No-Nonsense recipes to help you level up in the kitchen. We create simplified dishes for busy people with easy-to-find ingredients!
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I’ve made these soooo many times and they are delicious. This is now our go-to sausage roll recipe, it’s even replaced our family sausage roll recipe we’ve been making for over 10 years! My partner rated these 9/10 on the sausage roll scale (he said perfection doesn’t exist, otherwise I’m sure they’d be 10/10).
Oh wow Alice! This is a huge compliment, thankyou! I’m so so thrilled you all love the recipe and its now a family staple. Thanks for the review 🙂 xx Molly
These were incredible! The recipe was very easy to follow. I’m not a huge fan of chili flakes or sesame seeds, so I left those off. I loved them with ketchup as well. I am very curious to try with tomato sauce next time! My partner, who isn’t much of a fan of pork, said these were good and he would have them again. For him when it comes to pork, that’s a huge compliment. Thank you Molly!!
Your amazing, thanks for the review! Seems as though they were a hit and that makes me so happy. Thankyou for taking the time out to review and leave a comment xx