What is not to love about something that is flakey and crumbly and stogged full of currents, raisins and butter. For me it was love at first bite.
I don't know why they call them cakes. They're not a cake. They're like a little hand held piece of heaven on earth.
A four bite piece of heaven on earth . . . with sugar on top . . . oozing little bits of juicy goodness and flakey pastry . . .
*Eccles Cakes*Makes about 24
Printable Recipe
300g good quality bought or homemade all butter
puff or flakey pastry
1 egg, beaten
For the Filling:
1 1/2 ounces butter, melted
1 1/2 ounces dried currents
1 1/2 ounces raisins
3 ounces soft light or dark brown sugar
1 1/2 ounces mixed peel, chopped
the finely grated zest of one orange
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
To top:
about 2 TBS milk
2 or 3 TBS demerara sugar
Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
Mix all the filling ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of 1/8 inch. Cut into 3 1/4 inch rounds with a sharp round cutter. Place 1 teaspoon of the filling into the centre of each disc. Lightly brush the edges with beaten egg and bring the edges together into the centre, wrapping up the filling and pressing them firmly together. Turn over and flatten the disc ever so slightly between the palms of your hand until it is about 2 inches in diameter.
Brush the top with the milk and then sprinkle with the demerara sugar, or dip the tops into it if you find it easier. (that's what I did) Place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Re-roll the scraps of pastry and cut until you have used it all up and all of the filling too. Cut several small slits in the top of each with a sharp knife.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. The currants and sugar will caramelize through the holes and they will be scrumptiously delicious.
Remove to a wire rack to cool and try NOT to eat them all at once!! (I know it's quite difficult!)
After this seductive post, all thst stopped me from rushing off to make some eccles cakes was the fact that I've no frozen puff pastry and bother the thought of making my own! Thank God for small mercies! Just one is not enough.
ReplyDeletelove Angie xx
Buttery puff pastry. ::happy sigh::
ReplyDeletei've never heard of or seen these before, but they look fantastic
ReplyDeleteOh, I love Eccles Cakes too! Such a fun, sweet post... and thanks so much for this good recipe, Marie! Happy weekend, dear friend :o) ((BIG HUGS))
ReplyDeleteI love this recipe Marie, today I made brownies too early in the morning and really love make !!! I love to cook early!! Thanks God for this. I hope you have a nice weekend dear, blessings, Gloria
ReplyDeleteHmmm, those look so good! I've never used puff pastry. I think I'll give them a try! We don't have any bakeries in my little town, just the ones in the grocery stores, and their things never taste as good as they look, I stick with homemade.
ReplyDeleteAaaahh Eccles Cakes! I have been meaning to make them for such a long time. Yours look gorgeously sticky sweet and may have to inspire me into the kitchen very soon :)
ReplyDeleteOk, after seeing this gorgeous recipe...I'm off to bake, I'm thinking cherry turnovers with a sugar glaze.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the recipe. I made these the other day. They were quite good but, 2 things: 1) my little bundles opened up upon baking (so I switched to a turnover style); 2) who knew "mixed peel" meant candied peel? Not me, so it is a good thing that I reduced the amount of peel! Candied peel might actually be too sweet?
ReplyDelete