Instructions: Preheat the oven to 400F degrees. Peel and roughly chop the mushroom, including the stems. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the onion and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the mushrooms and cook until soft.

Sprinkle with the flour and stir for 1 minute.

Stir in the stock and thyme and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Cool before processing in batches. Return the soup to the pan, stir in the sherry and add cream, then pour into 4 ovenproof bowls (use small deep bowls rather than the wide shallow ones, or the pastry may sag into the soup).

Cut the rounds of pastry slightly larger than the bowl tops and cover each bowl with pastry. Seal the pastry edges and brush with the egg. Place the bowls on a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden and puffed.

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