Eccles Cakes

large baking tray and 2 x mixing bowls

PUFF PASTRY
100g Doves Farm Organic Plain White Flour
pinch of salt
4 tbsp cold water
75g butter, chilled
flour, for dusting

CURRANT FILLING
1 tbsp candied peel
100g currants
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp orange rind
25g butter, melted

ECCLES CAKE TOPPING
1 egg white
1 tbsp granulated sugar
oil, for tray

220°C, Fan 200°C, 425°F, Gas 7          

Puff Pastry

1. Put the flour into a bowl, add the salt and stir to combine.
2. Add the water and mix well.
3. Using your hands gather everything together to form a ball of dough.
4. If this does not happen easily add another teaspoon of water.
5. Cover the dough ball and chill for 10 minutes.
6. Cut the chilled butter into very thin slices and lay these out on a plate.
7. Dust the work surface with flour, place the dough in the middle and dust it with flour.
8. Gently roll the dough into a 20 x 30cm/8 x 12″ rectangle.
9. Lay a third of the butter slices across the middle of the dough in lines which just touch.
10. Run a damp finger all around the outside of the pastry rectangle.
11. Gently lift the left side of the pastry over and onto the middle of the butter.
12. Now lift the right side of the pastry, folding it over so the butter is covered.
13. Press around the edges and pinch together any cracks.
14. Gently fold the pastry in half, pinching any cracks to make sure no butter is exposed.
15. Dust the pastry with flour, turn it over and dust the other side.
16. For the second time, roll the dough into a 20 x 30cm/8 x 12″ rectangle.
17. Arrange another third of the butter in lines covering the middle of the pastry and finishing 1cm/⅜” from the sides.
18. Run a damp finger all around the outside of the pastry rectangle.
19. Once again, carefully lift the left and right sides of the pastry over the butter to meet in the middle.
20. Press around the edges, pinching any cracks to make sure no butter is exposed.
21. Gently fold the pastry in half, dust with flour and chill for at least 10 minutes.
22. For the final time, roll the dough into a 20 x 30cm/8 x 12″ rectangle.
23. Arrange the remaining slices of butter in lines covering the middle of the pastry and finishing 1cm/⅜” from the sides.
24. Run a damp finger all around the outside of the pastry rectangle.
25. Once again, carefully lift the left and right sides of the pastry over the butter to meet in the middle.
26. Press around the edges, pinching any cracks to make sure no butter is exposed.
27. Gently fold the pastry in half, pinching together any cracks over the butter.
28. Dust the folded pastry with flour and chill for at least 10 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Currant Filling

1. Finely dice the candied peel and put it into a mixing bowl.
2. Add the currants, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. Finely grate the orange rind into the bowl.
4. Melt the butter, add it to the bowl and stir to combine.

Eccles Cakes Filling and Topping

1. Remove the pastry from the fridge and allow it to come back to room temperature.
2. Pre-heat the oven.
3. Rub some oil around the inside of a large baking tray or insert a baking liner.
4. Dust the work surface and pastry with flour.
5. Roll the pastry into a 30 x 45cm/12 x 18″ rectangle.
6. Cut the dough into six 15cm/6” squares.
7. Brush egg white around the edges of each square.
8. Divide the prepared currant mixture into equal mounds in the middle of each pastry square.
9. Pull the pastry up around each mound of currants and pinching it together to seal in the currants.
10. Turn the currant parcels over so the seam is underneath.
11. Lightly flatten the tops with the palm of your hand, keeping a round cake shape.
12. Brush egg white all over the pastry and sprinkle granulated sugar over the top.
13. Transfer the cakes to the prepared baking tray.
14. Chill the Eccles cakes for a least 10 minutes or up to 4 hours.
15. Carefully make 2 or 3 cuts in the top of each cake for steam to escape.
16. Bake for 18-22 minutes until crisp and golden.