Ecclefechan Tarts are a traditional Scottish bake filled with buttery pastry, dried fruits, nuts, and warm spices. Sweet, rich, and wonderfully festive, these classic tarts are perfect for holiday gatherings, teatime treats, or whenever you crave a taste of Scotland.
Dried fruits and nuts figure greatly in most of the traditional teatime bakes and treats in the U.K. I am a huge fan of that! Very humble ingredients put together in the most delicious way!
This is a great treat to start off the month of December and the Festive season with!
- 2 cups (275g) plain all-purpose flour,
- 1/2 cup + 1 TBS (125g) cold butter
- 3 TBS sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 to 2 TBS cold water
- 1/3 cup + 1 TBS (90g) butter
- 1/2 cup (100g) soft dark brown sugar
- 1 TBS finely grated fresh lemon zest
- 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1/4 tsp mixed spice (see notes)
- 1/2 cup (80g) raisins
- 1/4 cup (40g) sultanas
- 1/4 cup (25g) chopped toasted walnuts
- 1/3 cup (50g) chopped glace cherries
- To make the pastry add the flour to the bowl of a food processor. Drop in the butter and process until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Pour into a bowl and whisk in the sugar. (Alternately you can rub the flour and butter together using your fingertips and a snapping motion.)
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and drop in the egg and 1 TBS of water. Mix with a fork until the mixture begins to come together. If it is still too dry, add the remaining water as needed. (You want a soft pliable dough, but not a sticky one.)
- Knead gently a few times, shape into a ball, flatten and then wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. (Do not overhandle the dough as you run the risk of having tough pastry.)
- While the pastry is chilling make the filling. Measure the butter and the brown sugar into a medium saucepan. Place over medium low heat to melt the butter and the sugar, whisking occasionally. (Do not allow to boil.)
- Set aside to cool for about 8 minutes. (This is so that the egg doesn't cook when you add it to the hot mixture.)
- Add the remaining filling ingredients, mixing everything well together until combined.
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4.
- Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface, 1/4 inch thick. Using a fluted edged cutter, stamp out 3 inch rounds. Fit them into a tart tin. Prick the bottoms. (Pricking the bottoms helps to prevent the pastry from bubbling up.)
- Divide the filling equally amongst the tart shells.
- Bake for 20 minutes until the filling is set and the pastry is golden brown around the edges.
- Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Read through the recipe several times before you begin to help familiarize yourself with any ingredients or equipment needed as well as instructions on how to make them.
- Gather all of your ingredients before you begin. This can help to prevent you from leaving anything integral to the recipe out by mistake.
- Do not overhandle the pastry. This can toughen it and you want the pastry to be flaky.
- Use a food processor to rub the butter and flour together. Alternately you CAN do this by hand by rubbing it between your fingertips, but I find the use of a food processer helps to make a superior pastry.
- For a really crisp bottom on the tarts, place a baking sheet in the oven while it is preheating and then place the filled tart tin on top of the heated baking sheet when you go to bake them. Also bake them in the lower third of the oven.
- Make sure that the butter and the brown sugar have completely melted before adding the other ingredients for the filling. Do not allow it to boil.
- It is best to remove the tarts from the oven while they still have a tiny bit of a wobble in the middle. They will continue to cook while they are standing. This helps to ensure moist tarts.
CAN THESE BE FROZEN?
Yes. Freeze the baked tarts in a single layer until frozen solid and then place into an airtight container with baking parchment between the layers. Date and label. These will keep for up to six months frozen. Leave out at room temperature until thawed to enjoy.
HOW LONG WILL THESE KEEP?
Stored in a cake tin or other tightly covered container these will keep for 5 to 6 days at room temperature. It is suggested that you freeze them if you wish to keep them longer.
WHAT CAN I SERVE WITH ECCLEFECHAN TARTS?
While these are really delicious on their own, served with a hot drink, they are also very delicious served warm with a dollop of Brandy cream, whipped cream, pouring cream or custard sauce. A small scoop of vanilla ice cream, whilst not traditional, is also very nice.
Ecclefechan Tarts
These are a traditional Scottish treat for the holidays, usually for Hogmanay, but delicious anytime. Almost like a cousin to the Canadian Butter Tart, they are loaded with lots of dried fruits, butter, lemon and glace cherries!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (275g) plain all-purpose flour,
- 1/2 cup + 1 TBS (125g) cold butter
- 3 TBS sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 to 2 TBS cold water
- 1/3 cup + 1 TBS (90g) butter
- 1/2 cup (100g) soft dark brown sugar
- 1 TBS finely grated fresh lemon zest
- 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1/4 tsp mixed spice (see notes)
- 1/2 cup (80g) raisins
- 1/4 cup (40g) sultanas
- 1/4 cup (25g) chopped toasted walnuts
- 1/3 cup (50g) chopped glace cherries
Instructions
- To make the pastry add the flour to the bowl of a food processor. Drop in the butter and process until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Pour into a bowl and whisk in the sugar.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and drop in the egg and 1 TBS of water. Mix with a fork until the mixture begins to come together. If it is still too dry, add the remaining water as needed.
- Knead gently a few time, shape into a ball, flatten and then wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- While the pastry is chilling make the filling. Measure the butter and the brown sugar into a medium saucepan. Place over medium low heat to melt the butter and the sugar, whisking occasionally. Do not allow to boil.
- Set aside to cool for about 8 minutes.
- Add the remaining filling ingredients, mixing everything well together until combined.
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4.
- Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface, 1/4 inch thick. Using a fluted edged cutter, stamp out 3 inch rounds. Fit them into a tart tin. Prick the bottoms.
- Divide the filling equally amongst the tart shells.
- Bake for 20 minutes until the filling is set and the pastry is golden brown around the edges.
- Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
Make Your Own Mixed Spice:
You can easily make your own mixed spice: Combine 1 TBS ground cinnamon, 1 tsp each of ground coriander and nutmeg, 1/2 tsp of ground ginger, 1/4 tsp each of ground cloves and all spice. Mix well and store in an airtight container out of the light for up to 6 months.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
Hello everyone and welcome to my weekly Meals of the Week post! On Sundays I like to share with you all of the delicious (most of the time) things that I have enjoyed for my main meals over the past seven days!
I like to cook, and I like to eat. As a Senior and as a person who lives alone and on a fixed income this can be somewhat of a challenge. I never want to be the person who eats out of tins and packets, and from frozen dinners and takeaways. They are usually loaded with fat, salt, sugar and calories.
As much as possible I like to cook and eat my own food. At the end of each week, I like to share with you all the things which I have enjoyed over the past 7 days. This round-up does not include any meals aside from my main meals.
For breakfast each morning I will usually have either some homemade granola with yogurt, fruit or date syrup or I often have a protein shake that I make from this powder that I buy. It all depends on how busy my morning is.
Generally speaking, unless I am eating with other people, I will eat my main meal of the day in early afternoon and then for supper or in the evening I will have either a salad, or some cereal, maybe toast. This week presented a bit of a challenge as with our father being in the hospital my sister and I were traveling back and forth several times a day. This meant that my meals had to be quick and easy. Thankfully I do keep a well-stocked freezer and store cupboard.
I try to keep my main meals as healthy as I can, with an assortment of veggies if possible. Sometimes that is not possible, but I do try. I also try to keep things within a reasonable budget. So, I cook small, much of the time and I freeze whatever extra I can to take out and enjoy at other times. That habit came in very handy for me this week!
I try not to waste anything. If there is something that I cannot freeze I will share it with my next-door neighbor, who is always most appreciative.
I share these meals, recipes, menu suggestions with you here each Sunday hoping that you will be likewise inspired to want to cook for yourself. I know we can get stuck in a rut sometimes and it can be very helpful to have fresh ideas on what to cook.
So, having said all that, here are my meals of the week for the past seven days. I hope that you will find something of interest here and something that will inspire you to want to cook for yourself!
SUNDAY, November 23 - Roasted Sausage & Potato Supper
Normally on Sundays I will have a family dinner at my sister's place. With our father being in the hospital this week and all the running back and forth we did not do a family dinner this week. I did myself a Roasted Sausage & Potato Supper as it is relatively easy to make and cooks in less than an hour. I also wanted to have some leftovers that I could make for a hash later in the week.
For this dish sausages, potatoes, onions and peppers roast in a baking dish along with some white wine, herbs and seasonings. It makes just the right amount for two people and is a Mary Berry recipe. Tender juicy sausages and veggies, along with some grainy mustard for serving. It's delicious!
MONDAY, November 24th - Cheesy Chili Jacket Potato
With hospital visits three times a day quick and simple was once again the order of the day. What we have here is a perfectly baked potato with a crisp skin and fluffy flesh, topped with some delicious hot chili con carne, and loads of cheddar cheese, melting over the top. I like to garnish it with some sour cream and chopped spring onions.
Quick, easy and delicious. You can't ask for more than that on a night when you are lacking in both time and inspiration but want a tasty meal on the table pronto. All you need is a salad on the side or some coleslaw and you have a perfectly delicious and simple meal that pleases! You can make it even quicker by starting the baked potato in the microwave oven. That's what I did this time and then just finished it off in the oven to crisp it up.
TUESDAY, November 25th - Sausage Hash
Normally I would use fresh sausage meat, crumbled for this dish but I had leftover sausage from the other night and used that in its place. This is a simple and quick supper that is all in one pan. Make sure you cook extra potatoes one night so that you can make this. Alternately you can use a tin of new potatoes, well drained and cubed. It's delicious!
Sausage meat cubed cooked potatoes, onions, green peppers, grated carrot, Worcestershire sauce and some seasonings all fried up and browned together in one skillet.
It was the perfect way to use up the leftover sausage from the other night and the potatoes as well. I used fresh onion and peppers and heated up a tin of green beans to enjoy alongside. This was a quick, easy and delicious supper.
WEDNESDAY, November 26th - Air Fryer Cheese & Onion Toastie along with a cup of soup
Not only did we have hospital visits to make today but I also had an Echocardiogram scheduled for the afternoon. Quick and easy was the rule for the day once more.
I made myself a tasty air fryer Cheese & Onion Toastie which I enjoyed along with a cup of Broccoli/Cauliflower Soup. I get these packets of dry Cup of Soup mix from Blighty's. They come in really handy and taste really good. They are the perfect fix for when you want something quick and easy. Just add boiling water and stir. I usually keep a few different kinds in my cupboard for such occasions.
The air fryer toastie is one of my favorite hot sandwiches, with plenty of strong cheddar cheese and thinly sliced red onions. Cheese and Onion are classic British flavors when it comes to sandwiches and snacks, and this air fryer toasted sandwiches highlight those flavors beautifully! Four simple ingredients are all that you need and eight minutes of time. Toasted with ease in an air fryer. Quick, easy and delicious!
THURSDAY, November 27th - Cindy's Chicken Casserole
Dad was actually allowed to come home from the hospital on Thursday, praise God. He was doing ever so much better. They had given him a Blood Infusion on Tuesday, and it made all the difference in the world. He had all of his strength back and was feeling healthier than he had in a while.
There was no need for me to travel to the hospital at all on Thursday, so I had a bit of time to cook something. I baked up the chicken casserole that My sister had made for Sunday supper a few weeks back. It uses cooked chicken, broccoli, cauliflower and cheese in a tasty garlic mushroom sauce, and is topped with more cheese and crispy fried onions. I also had some Cranberry Streusel Sweet Potatoes left from what I had cooked a few days prior.
I had enough of the chicken casserole to send some next door to my neighbor, plus what I enjoyed and I had two servings to freeze for another time. (I froze them individually in small containers.) This is one very delicious chicken casserole. You could also use turkey, ham, etc. in it instead of chicken.
FRIDAY, November 28th - Butter Baked Cod
I fancied some fish on Friday and so I baked myself some Butter Baked Cod. This is a lovely way to prepare fish. You can cook as many or as few fillets as you like. Also called Poor Man's Lobster, this is a very simple way to cook cod fish. Simple ingredients done well.
Perfectly cooked, buttery and delicious. I enjoyed along with some mashed potatoes and green beans. It was fabulously tasty! A squeeze of lemon on top and I was a very contented camper!
SATURDAY, November 29th - Instant Pot Bolognese with Spaghetti
It was time for me to make a big batch of Bolognese Sauce again. This is such a handy sauce to have in the freezer. I make a big batch and then freeze it in smaller amounts. You can use it with pasta, make a lasagna, etc. Traditionally a Bolognese Sauce needs to be slow simmered on top of the stove for several hours in order for the flavors to deepen, and the sauce to thicken to a great consistency. This simple recipe reduces that time by more than half, without reducing any of the delicious flavors. It also freezes very well.
I enjoyed this with some whole wheat spaghetti noodles and a salad on the side. I actually got out shopping today. I was able to drive to my sister's place, and she drove us to the shops, etc. My arm is still not 100%. It is my shoulder basically. It will be two weeks tomorrow that I fell and injured it. I have a follow-up Doctor's appointment tomorrow and I suspect I will need to go get some Physiotherapy for it. This is the same shoulder that I injured in a car accident in 2020. I suspect that when I fell, I aggravated it. I had to get cortisone shots in it back then. I am not sure but what I won't need some this time as well. I hope not as they hurt almost as much as falling!
And there you have it, my meals of the week for the past seven days. Despite really being on the go I think I managed to eat pretty well. Now things have calmed down some, I am looking forward to trying a few new recipes in the days to come. Watch this space!
I just had to bake it and I am not sorry that I did. It was quite simply a lovely cake. It has a beautiful dense and moist texture, as do most British influenced cakes. Their cakes are meant to be enjoyed with hot drinks and are much sturdier than North American Cakes. Lighter cakes over there are known as gateaux. Typically, their cakes are a bit heavier than that.
This cake smelled lovely when it was baking and the chef's kiss of brown sugar sprinkled on top at the end added a bit of something alright. The cake itself is not all that sweet, so this addition was just perfect. I do think that this cake would be lovely cut into thin slices and lightly buttered, maybe spread with a bit of jam. but that is the glutton in me speaking. This cake was really nice just as is!
- 2 English Breakfast Tea Bags
- 1/2 cup (120ml) boiling water
- 1/2 cup (120ml) milk
- 1/2 cup (125g) butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) finely granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups (195g) self-rising flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup (50g) soft light brown sugar
- Preheat the oven to 350* F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9-inch round cake tin and line the bottom with baking parchment. (If you have a 9-inch spring form pan that will help for ease of removal.)
- Put the tea bags into a cup and pour the boiling water over them. Set aside to steep for five minutes. Remove and discard teabags, pressing them to remove as much liquid as possible. Whisk in the milk. (I used whole milk for extra richness. Make sure you let the tea steep for the full time for optimum tea flavor.)
- Cream the butter and granulated sugar together until pale colored and light and fluffy. (I used an electric hand mixer.)
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat well between each addition. Beat in the salt and vanilla. (If your mixture curdles you can add a TBS of the flour mixture.)
- Whisk the flour, baking powder and cinnamon together. (Alternately you can sift them together through a sieve.)
- Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture along with the steeped tea/milk mixture. (Just dump it all in.)
- Beat together just until combined. Spoon into the prepared cake tin, smoothing the top over. (DO NOT OVERBEAT.)
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Time is only a guideline, it may take a few minutes longer. Use your judgement. The original recipe said 20 to 25 minutes. My cake was nowhere near done at that time.)
- Leave to cool for five minutes, then remove from the cake tin. Sit upright on a wire rack. Sprinkle brown sugar over top while still slightly warm. (Doing this while the cake is still warm helps the sugar to stick.)
- Cool completely. Cut into wedges to serve.
- Read through the recipe several times to familiarize yourself with the ingredients and equipment needed to make the cake.
- Assemble everything you need before you begin. This helps to prevent you from leaving anything out.
- Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature for a better finish.
- Do not overbeat this cake as it may toughen the batter.
- Top the cake with the brown sugar by rubbing the brown sugar between your fingertips as you sprinkle.
"Cup of Tea" Teacake
Moist, dense and subtly flavored with English Breakfast tea and cinnamon, this is the perfect cake to enjoy with a hot cuppa.
Ingredients
- 2 English Breakfast Tea Bags
- 1/2 cup (120ml) boiling water
- 1/2 cup (120ml) milk
- 1/2 cup (125g) butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) finely granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups (195g) self-rising flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup (50g) soft light brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350* F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9-inch round cake tin and line the bottom with baking parchment.
- Put the tea bags into a cup and pour the boiling water over them. Set aside to steep for five minutes. Remove and discard teabags, pressing them to remove as much liquid as possible. Whisk in the milk.
- Cream the butter and granulated sugar together until pale colored and light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat well between each addition. Beat in the salt and vanilla.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder and cinnamon together.
- Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture along with the steeped tea/milk mixture.
- Beat together just until combined. Spoon into the prepared cake tin, smoothing the top over.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Leave to cool for five minutes, then remove from the cake tin. Sit upright on a wire rack. Sprinkle brown sugar over top while still slightly warm.
- Cool completely. Cut into wedges to serve.
Notes
You can easily make your own self-rising flour.
For every cup of flour needed, whisk together 1 cup (120g) of plain all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp of salt.
This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
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