Eccles Cakes
4 Reviews
About the bake
We want to heckle about our Eccles. Whilst these humble cakes may not be the most glamorous looking, this super popular classic bake delivers on warm, comforting and satisfying flavour.
Crisp, buttery, flaky pastry encases a burst of spices, zests, peels and currants in tiny parcels of joy. Simple ingredients that when combined create magic in your mouth. There is a reason that Eccles Cakes have been loved since as far back as the 1790’s.
Method
Step 1
To make the pastry sift the flour into a bowl and coarsely grate the butter into the flour, holding it in the butter paper and dipping it into the flour every so often to make it easier to grate without melting. Add the salt
Step 2
Mix to coat the butter in flour, add 5-7 tablespoons of cold water, a tablespoon at a time, enough to bring the dough together using a butter knife. Wrap in cling film and chill for 15-20 minutes.
Step 3
Preheat the oven to 220°C (fan 200°C, gas mark 7).
Step 4
Mix the butter, sugar, currants, mixed peel, mixed spice and zest with clean hands until combined well.
Step 5
Roll out the pastry to about 3mm in thickness on a floured surface. Using a 10cm cutter or saucer, cut out 20 discs.
Step 6
Cut a heaped teaspoon of the filling in the centre of each disc, dampen the edges with water and then draw the edges together to make a purse, squeezing tightly to seal.
Step 7
Turn each one over and flatten with the palm of your hand until the currants are peeping through the pastry.
Step 8
Brush each with the egg white and sprinkle with caster sugar. Using a sharp knife cut 3 parallel slits in each cake and place on a lined baking sheet.
Step 9
Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes until golden and a lovely caramel appears.
Step 10
Leave to cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Ingredients
- 150gButter (salted) (placed in the freezer for 45 minutes)
- 300gAllinson's Plain White Flour
- 1pinchSalt
For the currant filling
- 50gButter (salted)
- 80gBillington's Unrefined Light Muscovado Sugar
- 150gCurrants
- 60gMixed peel (chopped)
- 1 tspMixed spice
- 1Orange (zest of)
For the topping
- 1Egg white(s) (free range) (medium, beaten)
- 1 tbspBillington's Unrefined Golden Caster Sugar