Eccles Cakes
Makes 12 – 14 cakes
I don’t only cook Italian recipes! I love a traditional Eccles cake with soft cheese and even a Gorgonzola Dolce.
Flaky Pastry
75g butter, cut into small dice
110g plain flour
pinch of salt
iced water to mix
For the filling:
25g butter
50g soft brown sugar
60 g currants
25g chopped mixed candied peel
zest large orange, chopped
½ tsp each allspice and freshly ground nutmeg
For the topping:
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp caster sugar
METHOD
Make the pastry first. Rub the butter into the flour and salt with your fingertips until well combined. Using a dinner knife gradually add water until you have a firm dough. Some pieces of butter will be evident, this is fine as long as the dough rolls smoothly. Wrap in plastic and allow to rest in a cool place for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preparing the filling: melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the sugar and stir until it is dissolved. Now add the fruit and spices and set aside.
Roll out the pastry to form a rectangle approximately 48cm by 16cm. Cut it into two lengthways then cut each length into 6 x 8m squares.
Arrange a heaped teaspoonful of the filling in the centre of each square. Using a pastry brush dampen the edge of each square of pastry with water, then turn the corners inwards and seal them together, making an oval with the seal on the bottom.
Using a sharp knife make three slashes across each one and brush them with egg and a sprinkling of sugar. Bake at 200C for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool.
