Eccles Cakes

This Eccles Cake recipe is one recipe i will never be able to forget to make as it was one of the first baking goods my Grandad (sadly no longer with me) asked me to make him as he loved them so much! After making them him for the first time ever it turned out my uncle also liked them too and demanded i made him them too but could i make him bigger ones as they didn't seem to last that long.

Here is the Eccles Cake Recipe:

Ingredients

• 500g puff pastry
• 80g butter (chopped)

Glaze

• 3tbsp milk
• 3tbsp caster sugar

Filling

• 50g unsalted butter
• 150g soft brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
• 250g currants
• 50g mixed peel

Method

1. On a floured surface, roll the puff pastry (see below for homemade recipe) to 1cm thick, and then place half the butter over half of the pastry. Fold over the pastry and roll it to the original size.
2. Repeat with the remaining butter, fold over and roll once more. Cut out circles 15cm in diameter.
3. Preheat the oven to gas mark 7.
4. For the filling, melt the butter and sugar together in a saucepan on the stove, then add in the currants, mixed peel and grated nutmeg. Mix well and leave to cool.
5. Spoon a spoonful of the filling mixture in the centre of each circle. Brush the edges with milk, then gather together over the filling and press together to seal.
6. Turn the cakes over, so the sealed ends are underneath, and using a rolling pin, flatten to rounds approximately 1 1/2cm in height.
7. Place on a baking tray, slash the top three times, then brush with milk and sprinkle over the sugar.
8. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Here is the Puff Pastry Recipe:

Ingredients

• 450g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• large pinch of salt
• 375g cold butter, cut into 2cm pieces
• 250ml cold water
• 1tbsp lemon juice

Method

1. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl and add the butter. Mix the butter around with a large metal spoon to coat it in the flour.
2. Mix the water and lemon juice together in a jug and pour it into the flour and butter mixture.
3. Using a round tipped knife, cut across the contents of the bowl several times, turning the bowl continuously as you chop the butter into the flour, until the dough comes together.
4. When the dough has come together as a loose lump, tip it onto a lightly floured work surface and quickly shape it into a thick slab, roughly the dimensions of a house brick.
5. Flour the work surface well and roll the dough out to a rectangle approximately 38cm x 20cm.
6. Fold one-third of the dough to the centre, then fold the other third over that. Roll the pastry out again to the same 38cm x 20cm proportions. Fold in exactly the same way again.
7. Rotate the pastry a quarter turn and repeat step 6. Continue rolling, folding, pressing and turning a quarter turn 3-4 more times. Don't worry too much if the butter oozes through the dough occasionally in the early stages, just keep the board and rolling pin well floured.
8. After the last folding stage, wrap the pastry in cling film and place into the fridge and chill for several hours, preferably overnight.
9. When ready to use, if the pastry is very firm, allow it to warm in the room for a few minutes before using. (NB: Wrapped puff pastry will store well in the freezer for up to 6 weeks).