Preheat your oven to 180C / 350F / Gas4
Mince
Place a heavy bottomed casserole dish on the hob, add the minced beef, garlic ,onion and fry off for 5 minutes until the mince starts to brown
Next add the grated carrots, mushrooms, stock cubes & black pepper and fry for a final 5 minutes, stirring occasionally
Then add the water and stir Pop in the oven for 1 hour - with NO LID - stir after 30 minutes
After 1 hour remove mince from oven and stir in quickly the gravy granules
Leave to cool whilst your potatoes continue to cook
Potatoes
Once your mince has been in the oven for 30 minutes, using a knife carefully pierce your potatoes once
Pop your potatoes in the oven with your mince and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove your mince from the oven (as above)
Turn up the oven to 200C/400F/ Gas6 and continue to bake your potatoes for a further 45 minutes (approx 75minutes in total)
Check your potatoes are baked and the skins are crispy, remove from the oven
Construction
Slice the baked potatoes in half, longways, it might help to hold them in a tea towel and they are hot
Using a teaspoon scoop out the potato filling and place in a bowl. Do this to all 16 halves
Mash the potatoes, do not use butter or milk, just season with salt & pepper if desired
Next take a dessert spoon full of the cooled mince and pop it into each half (do not fill them full). Do this to all 16 halves
Then using a teaspoon top each half with mash potato. Be careful to fill all the gaps and fill the potato skin (you don't want any gaps, else the gravy will escape on baking)
Carry on until all your 16 half potatoes are full If you are eating them all immediately then sprinkle with grated cheddar and bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes until piping hot and golden
Serve as desired
If you are freezing some, freeze unbaked open on a tray, after an hour or so in the freezer bag up and pop back in the freezer for another day Defrost fully before baking
Bake
Preheat Oven to 200C / 400F /Gas 6
Pop in an ovenproof dish and bake 30 minutes top shelf of the oven, until piping hot and golden brown