16 Servings
20 mins
20 mins
40 mins
Set your oven to 180°C and position the rack in the middle.
Use two muffin trays stacked to create 16 holes. This ensures they fit on one oven shelf for even cooking.
Line each muffin hole with a slice of streaky bacon, pressing it gently to form a cup shape. Ensure the bacon covers the bottom and sides, slightly overlapping if needed.
Heat a large frying pan over high heat. Add the pork sausage, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook until it changes from pink to light brown, with some crispy bits (about 5 minutes). Transfer the sausage to a bowl and drain any excess fat.
In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium-high. Melt the butter, then add the chopped onion and celery. Sauté for about 3 minutes until the onion becomes translucent.
Stir in the chopped apple and almonds, cooking for an additional 3 minutes until the apple softens slightly. Remove the pan from heat.
Add the bread cubes to the pan and gently stir to combine with the sausage and vegetable mixture. Pour in the chicken stock, cream, sage, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir well until the bread absorbs the liquid.
Add the beaten egg and gently mix until evenly combined.
Divide the stuffing mixture evenly between the 16 bacon-lined muffin holes, pressing down lightly to ensure they are compact.
Place the trays in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the bacon is crispy.
Remove from the oven and let the stuffing cups rest for 10 minutes before carefully lifting them out of the muffin tins.