As a true Brit, I love baked goods, especially hearty savoury pastries like sausage rolls, chicken pies, or Cornish pasties. However, being from London, it’s quite difficult to enjoy a well-made pastry, with us often relying on Greggs or, god forbid…a supermarket.
I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with supermarket pastries, especially with Cornish pasties. If you get the wrong brand, you’ll find yourself munching on mushy meat, small bits of potato, and some random carrots. I’ve visited the South West before, but it’s only ever been a quick visit, so when visiting Plymouth for the second time, I made it my mission to try an authentic Cornish pasty—but it wasn’t what I was expecting.
A local resident and a friend of mine told me to avoid a particular popular Cornish pasty chain due to its “terrible pasties.” So, to avoid any confusion, I headed straight to the food establishment named “Cornish Bakery.” You can’t go wrong there, right?
I was quite apprehensive at first about its authenticity as it looked quite modern, not like the other several modest bakeries around, which had an old farmers’ feel, but the workers reassured me that their pasties came straight in from Cornwall.
I ordered a classic Cornish pasty, a hot chocolate (with oat milk, of course, I’m from London) and a pain au chocolat. I took my first sip of the hot chocolate, and it was absolutely divine. It was creamy, rich with chocolate yet not too sweet – perfection in a cup.
I took a bite of my pain au chocolat as my Cornish pasty was cooling down. It was beautifully flaky and dense with the right amount of chocolate pieces throughout. After a few minutes, my Cornish pasty was ready to taste.
The pastry was a stunning golden colour and was deliciously thick but not hard. The meat was thick chunks of beef that perfectly blended with large chunks of potatoes, instead of a mushy mess like the ones at home. But it lacked any vegetables inside.
According to the Cornish Pasty Association, Cornish pasties are made with yellow-fleshed swede (also known as white turnip) inside. As I’m used to finding random veg in my pasties, it did feel like something was missing.
I would also make the inside a tad juicier; the meat was tender, but compared to the thick pastry, it was a bit dry. The Cornish Pasty Association also calls for you to season to taste, and I felt it was just a bit bland, but I should have asked for salt and pepper.
There’s no doubt that the Cornish pasties in Plymouth are delicious, I’m just on the hunt to discover my perfect one.
How to make an authentic Cornish pasty
The Cornish Pasty Association has detailed how to make your own baked goods with pro tips and a simple guide.
Ingredients
For the shortcrust pastry
- 500g strong bread flour
- 120g lard or white shortening
- 125g Cornish butter
- One tsp salt
- 175ml cold water
For the filling
- 400g good-quality beef skirt, cut into cubes
- 300g potato, peeled and diced
- 150g yellow-fleshed swede (also known as white turnip), peeled and diced
- 150g onion, peeled and sliced
- Salt & pepper to taste (2:1 ratio)
- Beaten egg or milk to glaze
Method
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Then add both types of fat and gently rub them into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Gradually add water and mix until a dough forms. Knead until the pastry becomes elastic—this will take longer than standard pastry, but it’s essential for strength and structure.
Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for 3 hours. Once rested, roll out the pastry and cut into circles about 20cm in diameter. Layer the vegetables and meat onto the pastry circles, seasoning each layer generously.
Fold the pastry over the filling and crimp the edges to seal. Brush the tops with beaten egg or a mixture of egg and milk for a golden finish. Bake in a fan oven at 165°C for 50–55 minutes, or until golden brown.