eccles cakes

One of Britain's most famous and beloved pastries, these traditional and authentic Eccles cakes are delightfully flaky and packed with a mixture of sweet currants, candied citrus peel and spices.&nbsp; Get ready to experience one of the most delicious pastries you've ever tasted!

Traditional Eccles Cakes

For the Pastry:

(350 grams) all-purpose flour

(2 3/4 sticks, 312 grams) very cold butter, diced into cubes

salt

ml ice cold water ((add more if needed))

How To Render Lard (click link for recipe)

For the Filling:

butter, unsalted

currants ((also known as zante currants))

orange peel (, very finely diced)

lemon

Homemade Candied Citrus Peel (click link

brown sugar (, loosely packed)

nutmeg

cinnamon

allspice

dark rum ((not extract))

For Topping:

To make the pastry dough:&nbsp; Place the flour, salt and cubed butter in a food processor (alternatively this can be done by hand) and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.&nbsp; Gradually add the ice cold water and pulse just until the dough comes together (only add as much water as needed).&nbsp; Do not overdo this as maintaining the flecks of butter is critical to achieving a flaky pastry.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and roll it out into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick.  Fold each end of the dough into the middle with one end overlapping the other.  Rotate the dough 90 degrees.  Repeat all the steps.  Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes.  Repeat the steps again, wrap the dough and chill for at least one hour before using.  The pastry dough can be made a few days in advance or frozen.

To make the filling:&nbsp; Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and add all remaining ingredients except for the egg white and demerara sugar.&nbsp; Turn off the heat and stir in the rum.&nbsp; Let the filling sit for at least 3-4 hours before using or overnight.&nbsp; The filling can be made a few days in advance.&nbsp; If refrigerated, let the filling sit at room temp for at least 30 minutes before filling the Eccles cakes.

To assemble the Eccles cakes:&nbsp;Flour a work surface and roll the pastry out to between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thickness.&nbsp; Per your preference, either cut out rounds or squares.&nbsp; Typical size is about 3.5 inches in diameter.&nbsp;*SEE BLOG POST PICTURES for instructions on making the square version of the cutouts (they're more customizable and don't waste any dough).&nbsp;Place the dough cutouts on a lined baking sheet.&nbsp; Place as much filling on the cutouts as you can while leaving an adequate edge all around them to properly seal the pastries.Lightly brush the edges with water.Gather up the edges towards the center, pressing them gently together to seal.&nbsp; Turn the cakes over with the sealed edges on the bottom.With the sealed edges on the bottom and the smooth surface on the top, gently press the cakes to slightly flatten them.&nbsp; Don't press so hard that the currants break through the dough.&nbsp; Use a sharp knife to cut three parallel slits in the dough.Brush with egg white and sprinkle with demerara sugar (can substitute cane sugar)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.&nbsp; Bake the Eccles cakes for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool until just warm.Eccles cakes are best eaten a little warm.  You can reheat them in the microwave.Traditionally enjoyed with a cup of tea and accompanied by an aged, crumbly cheese (e.g., Lancashire, English cheddar) for a sweet-savory combination.

Eccles cakes are a sweet, spiced currant-filled pastry - such a crisp and delicious treat.

Eccles cakes

g all purpose flour (1 cup (plain flour))

unsalted butter (8 ounces(1 stick))

80 ml cold water (1/3 cup (may need slightly more))

g unsalted butter (2 tbsp)

120 g currants (3/4 cup + 2 tbsp)

brown sugar

lemon zest ((ie from 1 lemon))

tsp allspice

tsp nutmeg

sugar

Put the butter for the pastry in the freezer overnight before baking.

Night before baking

Put the flour and salt in a bowl and mix together. Grate the butter directly into the flour, dipping the end of the butter in the flour if you need to avoid clumping. Use a blunt knife and cut the butter in to the flour to mix, breaking up clumps but you still want the little pieces of butter in there.&nbsp;

Mix in the water so that the dough comes together - press together with your hands. Use a little more water if needed but the dough should be a little dry. Wrap the dough in plastic/cling wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Meanwhile, melt the butter for the filling in a small pan. Remove from heat and add the currants, sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and diced dried papaya or mixed peel. Set aside until ready to use.

Once pastry has chilled, preheat oven to 400F/200C and line a large baking sheet/tray. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to approx 4-5mm/ 1/5in thick. Cut out circles 10cm/4in diameter and place around one tbsp of the filling in each.&nbsp;

Pinch together the sides of the circle of pastry to join it together, using a little water if needed to help it stick. They should feel pretty well filled, so not too much extra pastry but not about to burst open. Turn the pastry over so the join is on the bottom, put on the lined baking sheet and gently press down to flatten slightly. Repeat with the rest of the circles and roll out the trimmings of the pastry again to make more.&nbsp;

Once all of the Eccles cakes have been formed, make sure you seal up any breaks in the pastry and cut 2-3 small slits in the top of each.&nbsp;

Beat the egg and brush over the top of each then sprinkle on a little sugar. Bake for approximately 25 minutes until golden. Allow to cool before eating as the filling will be very hot.

When ready to bake

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/t_original/v1549207450/ffzjssovqy7jktsn0oi0.mp4

Eccles cakes may look a bit unassuming on the outside, but that pastry is wonderfully rich and crisp with a sticky, gently spiced fruity filling. These are a British sweet treat you need to try!

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Traditional Eccles Cakes

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Top 2 eccles cakes recipes from across the web

The most viewed eccles cakes recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

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Traditional Eccles Cakes

Eccles cakes

The most viewed eccles cakes recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine