The best picnic traybakes are simple and delicious crowd-pleasers. These recipes deliver just that, making them perfect for sharing while soaking up the sun.

Savoury picnic snacks 

Braaibroodjie Scrolls

Serves 8 

With their cheesy, tangy, and smokey flavour in every mouthful, these Braaibroodjie scrolls will bring the taste of a traditional South African braai to your picnic. 

Ingredients 

2 Tbsp (30ml) butter
1 onion, coarsely chopped
Flour, for dusting
1kg store-bought bread dough
½ cup (125ml) chutney (optional)
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1½ cup (375ml) grated matured Cheddar
1 cup (250ml) grated Gruberg
180g sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
1 egg, beaten
Salt and milled pepper

Method 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Spray a 20x30cm baking tray with non-stick spray. 
2. Heat a pan on a medium heat and melt the butter, sauté the onions for about  15 minutes and season. Set aside to cool.  
3. Dust the work surface with flour. 
4. Roll out the bread dough to about 0.5cm thick and ina rectangular shape of about 50x35cm. 
5. Spread the chutney on the bread dough and top with caramelised onions, garlic, cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. Season. 
6. Gently press on the filling to secure before rolling. 
7. Roll the bread dough lengthwise into a tight roll. 
8. Cut into 5cm pieces, rotating the roll after each slice to maintain round shape. Pack tightly into the prepared baking tray. Brush tops with egg wash.  
9. Bake in the oven for about 40-45 minutes or until cooked and golden. 
10. Cool in tin before storing in an airtight container, or eat warm. 

Cheesy garlic shortbread 

Makes about 18 

For a light summer snack, these cheesy shortbread bites go well with your favourite cheese and dips. 

Ingredients 

1½ cups (375ml) flour
50g Parmesan, grated
50g Gruyère, grated
1 clove garlic, finely grated
3-4 sprigs thyme, picked
Salt and milled pepper
½ cup butter, softened
1 egg yolk

Method 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 
2. Line a shallow baking tray with baking paper and
   spray with non-stick spray. 
3. Combine the flour, cheese, garlic and thyme in a large mixing bowl. Season. 
4. Add the butter and use your fingertips to rub the butter in until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. 
5. Add the egg yolk and mix through, but don’t overmix. The mixture should hold together when compressed. 
6. Lightly dust the work surface with flour and roll the pastry to about 0.5cm thick. Use a 5cm cookie cutter and cut out rounds. Repeat until all the dough is used. Place the biscuits on the prepared baking tray. 
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes. 
8. Serve shortbread with your favourite cheese and dips.  

Thai chicken sausage rolls  

Makes about 16  

These delicious homemade Thai chicken sausage rolls are flaky, crispy and packed with flavour. 

Ingredients 

700g chicken sausages
1 shallot or small red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3cm knob ginger, peeled
3 Tbsp lemongrass paste (optional)
1 small Thai chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped
20g coriander, finely chopped
Salt and milled pepper
400g puff pastry, defrosted
1 egg, whisked
2 Tbsp (30ml) black sesame seeds
Coriander, for serving
1/4 cup (60ml) sweet chilli sauce, for serving

Method  

1. Remove sausage casings and place chicken mince in a bowl.  
2. Add the shallot (or onion), garlic, ginger, lemongrass, chilli, coriander and season. Mix well, cover and chill until cold. 
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 
4. Dust the work surface with flour and lay the pastry flat on the counter. 
5. Cut the pastry into 12x30cm strips. 
6. Add 2-3 Tbsp of the filling down the middle of each puff pastry strip. 
7. Brush end of the pastry with egg wash, then fold over the pastry to close the sausage roll. 
8. Crimp the ends of the pastry with a fork. 
9. Cut the long roll into smaller individual sausage rolls, about 5cm big. 
10. Place on a baking tray, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.  
11. Bake for 25 minutes or until cooked and golden. 
12. Garnish with coriander. Serve with sweet chilli sauce. 

Also read: 5 yummy recipes for your next picnic

Sweet picnic snacks

Strawberry white chocolate rice crispy bars 

Makes about 24  

These scrumptious rice crispy bars are the perfect sweet and spiced picnic treat. 

Ingredients 

300g white chocolate, chopped
1/5 cup (50g) butter
3 packets (450g) white marshmallows
230g puffed rice cereal
2 tsp (10ml) vanilla essence
Pinch salt
1 packet (100g) shelled pistachios, chopped (or use nuts of choice)
2 tsp (10ml) ground cardamom
20g freeze-dried strawberries, crushed
50g white chocolate, for decorating

Method  

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 
2. Line a baking tray with baking paper, scatter the chocolate on the baking tray and bake for about 10-15 minutes until melted and golden brown. 
3. While the chocolate is caramelising, line another 20cmx20cm deep baking tray with baking paper and spray with non-stick spray – this is for the rice crispy treats to set in. 
4. In a large pot on a low-medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted, add the marshmallows. Stir until the marshmallows are melted. Remove from the heat. 
5. Add the caramelised white chocolate to the marshmallow mixture and mix to combine. 
6. Add the puffed rice, vanilla, salt, 50g pistachios and cardamom to the marshmallow mixture and mix to coat all the puffed rice.  
7. Flatten the mixture gently with your fingertips or back of a large metal spoon in the prepared baking tray. 
8. Allow to set for about 1-2 hours. 
9. Cut the rice crispy treats into bars or squares of your choice. 
10. Drizzle with melted chocolate and garnish with freeze-dried strawberries and remaining pistachios. 

Cook’s note
Work fast when the puffed rice is being combined with the marshmallow mixture as it cools down and sets quickly! 

Fudgy biscoff hedgehogs 

Makes 18-20  

These fudgy biscoff hedgehogs are the perfect picnic snack; they’re rich, fudgy, and packed with crunchy biscuit bits and finished with a swirl of delicious  Biscoff. Easy to make and transport, these decadent treats are sure to be the talk of any outdoor event. 

Ingredients 

80ml (75g) butter
200g white chocolate
1/4 cup (60ml) golden syrup
150g Lotus biscoff biscuits
100g Marie biscuits
½ cup (125ml) Biscoff spread
1 tsp (5ml) vanilla essence

For the topping

¼ cup (60ml) Biscoff spread, melted
4-5 Lotus biscoff biscuits, crushed

Method 

1. Line a 20cm round or square tray with cling wrap and spray with non-stick spray. 
2. Combine the butter, chocolate and syrup in a small pot on medium heat. Stir until melted, then set aside to cool slightly. 
3. Crush the biscoff and Marie biscuits – it should be coarsely crushed, not a powder. 
4. Combine the chocolate mixture with the biscuits, biscoff spread and vanilla and mix to combine. 
5. Press the mixture into the prepared tray and allow to set in the fridge for about 2 hours. 
6. Cut into squares, drizzle with Biscoff spread and sprinkle with crushed biscuits. 

Recipes and styling: Lichelle May
Photographs: Zhann Solomons  

Also read: 4 delicious light meals to pack in your picnic basket

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