Eccles cakes
Eccles cakes are sweet pastries filled with currants, spices, citrus zest and demerara and encased in a light and buttery flaky pastry. They take their name from the Lancashire town of Eccles in the north of England and are a popular British bake.
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 220 g flour
- 150 g butter
- Water
For the filling
- 25 g butter
- 200 g currants
- 100 g demerara sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 lemon zest
- 1 orange zest
For the glaze and topping
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 tablespoon demerara sugar
Instructions
To prepare the pastry
- Place the butter in the freezer for about 45 minutes before starting to make the pastry.
- Place the flour into a large bowl.
- Grate the butter onto the flour. Mix using a knife until all the butter is coated in flour.
- Add a tablespoon of water and mix. Repeat adding only 1 tablespoon at a time until you have added sufficient water to bind the pastry. Form the pastry into a ball using your hands.
- Cover the pastry and place in the fridge to chill for a minimum of 30 minutes.
To prepare the filling
- Place the butter in a saucepan and melt over a low heat, stirring regularly. Add the demerara sugar and stir until mixed.
- Place the currants, citrus zest and spices in a bowl. Mix well.
- Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of other ingredients. Mix well.
To assemble
- Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to a thickness of about 2mm to 3mm.
- Cut out two 15cm diameter circles of pastry and place on baking parchment on a baking tray.
- Divide the filling mixture into eight and place one eighth of the mixture in the centre of each of the two pastry circles. Fold the edges of the pastry circles to enclose the filling, sealing the edges of the pastry with dabs of water. Turn the Eccles cakes over and gently press the top to flatten the surface.
- Roll out the rest of the pastry, including any offcuts, and cut out a further 6 circles. Form the remaining Eccles cakes as above.
- Glaze the top of each unbaked pastry with a little milk, sprinkle over some demerara and make a few slits in the pastry with a sharp knife.
To bake the Eccles cakes
- Preheat the oven to 170oC, 350oF, gas mark 4.
- Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly golden. Turn the tray around part way through the baking time to help them bake evenly.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Nutrition
Calories: 390kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 4gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 153mgPotassium: 244mgFiber: 2gSugar: 30gVitamin A: 576IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 2mg
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