Eccles Cakes

                                                      

                                                                Eccles Cakes


Spicy little currant cakes from the North of England.

If you want you can use ready-made pastry and follow the recipe from step 4. onwards, but as i have made mine from scratch i dare you to do the same!
This recipe makes about 8 cakes.


What do we need:


For the flaky pastry:

225 gr. plain flour
175 gr. butter
a squeeze of lemon juice
8 tablespoons cold water


For the filling:
50 gr. softened butter
50 gr. light muscovado sugar (light brown sugar)
1/2  level teaspoon ground mixed spice
50 gr. chopped candied peel  (Home Made)
100 gr currants

To Finish:
1 Large Egg white, beaten
a little white caster sugar

1.  First make the flaky pastry. Measure the flour into a bowl. Divide the butter into 4 equal portions and rub one portion of it into the flour, using the fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the lemon juice and water to the flour and mix with a round-bladed knife to form a soft dough.

2. On a lightly floured work surface, gently knead the dough until smooth. Roll out into an oblong three times as long as it is wide. Dot a second portion of the butter in small pieces over the top two- thirds of the pastry. Fold the bottom third of the pastry up over the middle third and the top third down, then seal the edges well with the edge of your hand. Wrap the pastry in clingfilm and put into the fridge to relax for about 15 minutes.

3. Re-roll the pastry as before, always starting with the folds of the dough to the left, until the remaining portions of butter have been used up. Wrap the pastry again in clingfilm and leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before using.

4. Pre-heat the oven to 220C. To make the filling, mix together the butter, sugar, spice, candied peel and currants.
Roll out the pastry thinly and cut into eight rounds about 15 cm in diameter (you can use a saucer as a rough guide). If using ready-made puff pastry, remember to roll it out very thinly otherwise it will be too thick when cooked.

5. Place a good tablespoon of the filling ( i had  8 little rolled balls of filling ready) into the centre of each round, dampen the pastry edges with water and then draw together to enclose the filling. (Like a little pouch handbag) Turn the pastry over and flatten gently with the rolling pin so that the currants just show through. Re-shape to a round with the hands if necessary. Make 3 small cuts in the top of each cake, brush with the beaten egg white and sprinkle with caster sugar. Transfer to baking tray.

6. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 10-15 minutes until golden. Leave to cool on the baking tray for a few minutes before lifting on to a wire rack to cool completely.



                                                             'Enjoy"