The ultimate one-pan wonder, traybakes are small on washing up and big on convenience. However, there’s more to making them than grabbing ovenable trays, adding your ingredients and popping them in to cook. You need to ensure they’re packed full of flavour too.
Use these tips to transform your traybakes from bland to brilliant.
Layer the Flavour
Making a great traybake is all about layers. For savoury dishes, use Thai green curry, gochujang or harissa paste mixed with olive oil or spices like cumin, paprika or coriander to create depth and warmth.
If you’re making a dessert, swirl jam or chocolate or caramel sauce through your batter before baking.
For those looking for ovenable trays there is a selection of freezer-friendly products for microwave and conventional ovens available. This makes it easy to whip up traybakes in advance and keep some for future use.
Mix and Match Complementary Flavours
Don’t be scared to split your tray into two to create dishes that pair perfectly together. You can roast gnocchi on one side with pesto and mushrooms and juicy tomatoes, garlic and onions on the other.
Once baked, serve them up together.
For desserts, mix sweet and savoury with chocolate brownies on one half and apple crumble or bread and butter pudding on the other.
Experiment with Texture
A good traybake doesn’t just burst with flavour: it also has wonderful textures. Crunch, creaminess and softness are easy to achieve using nuts, croutons, crumbled feta, sauces or crushed biscuits, depending on the style of dish you’re making.
Sauces are also a great way to add texture, whether it’s salsa verde over roast potatoes or vanilla glaze over an apricot pastry traybake.
Garnish for Extra Goodness
Once you’ve whipped your tray out of the oven, don’t forget to add the final touches. Garnishes of chopped herbs, sprinkles of nuts, seeds, a drizzle of sauce, fresh berries or a citrus glaze all elevate your traybake to give it the perfect finishing touch.
With these tips and a bit of imagination, your traybakes won’t just be exciting – they’ll be unforgettable.