Eccles Cake Recipe With Ready Made Pastry
Technically not a cake, Eccles cakes are closer to a pastry but have been known as such for hundreds of years. A traditional pastry from the British town of Eccles, in Greater Manchester, Eccles cakes are round and flat in shape, filled with dried currants and spices and baked to a golden brown color.Made with puff pastry, Eccles cakes are a delightful treat when eaten with Lancashire cheese, another product of the area. Flaky, sweet, buttery, and with the perfect amount of sweet, our recipe will bring to your table the Eccles cakes in a short amount of time. By using store-bought puff pastry, you don't have to think about folding and chilling the coveted, difficult-to-achieve dough.Banned for a while by Cromwell's puritans, much like mince pie and other succulent treats, the cakes really never went away and luckily the traditional recipe has been unaltered by centuries to the relief of Eccles cakes enthusiasts. Purists frown at anything but a currant filling, as the fruit has the right amount of tartness and keeps its texture even after baked in the pastry. Whoever has attempted an alternate version with raisins knows that these turn mushy and are too sweet, giving the pastry an over-the-top sugary finish that is not intended. Find good currants and give these pastries a try. You might find your new favorite afternoon treat. The cakes keep well for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container.
Ingredients
- 140 grams sugar, divided
- 40 grams butter, divided
- 225 grams currants
- 25 grams candied fruit peel
- 1 pic nutmeg, freshly ground
- 50 grams puff pastry, 2 ready to bake sheets
Instructions
- Begin by preheating your oven to a temperature of 425 F. To make the filling for your Eccles cakes, take a medium-sized saucepan and combine 110 grams of sugar with 25 grams of butter. Cook this mixture over medium heat until the butter has melted completely.
- Once melted, remove the saucepan from the heat and add in the currants, candied fruit peel, and nutmeg. Set the mixture aside to cool. Meanwhile, on a surface that has been lightly dusted with flour, roll out your pastry to a thickness of 1/4 inch.
- Using a wide glass or a large cookie cutter, cut the pastry into 10 rounds that measure 4 inches each. Lightly grease a baking sheet with the remaining butter and place the rounds on the sheet. Add a small spoonful of the filling to the center of each round.
- To seal the cakes, dampen the edges of the pastry with cold water and bring the edges together over the fruit. Pinch the edges to create a seal. Turn the cakes over and use a rolling pin to gently flatten them if necessary.
- Use cooking scissors to snip a V shape on top of each cake, or if you prefer a more traditional look, cut three slits instead. This will help steam escape during the baking process. Brush the cakes with cold water and sprinkle the remaining sugar over them.
- Place the baking sheet in the center of your preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Keep an eye on the cakes and remove them from the oven when the edges are lightly golden brown.
- Finally, place the Eccles cakes on a wire cooling rack to cool down. Enjoy your homemade treats!
Notes
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
- 435: Calories
- 23g: Fat
- 56g: Carbs
- 5g: Protein