Eccles Cakes
Eccles Cakes
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 50 g butter
- 80 g light muscovado sugar
- 125 g currants
- 50 g mixed peel
- 1 lemon, zest of
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
For the Glaze
- 1 egg, beaten
- as needed demerara or white sugar, to sprinkle over
For the Pastry (choose one)
- 175 g butter, cold, fine chopped or grated (if making your own pastry)
- 225 g plain flour, (if making your own pastry)
- 1 pinch salt, (if making your own pastry)
- 125 ml cold water, (if making your own pastry)
- as needed shop-bought puff pastry, enough to cut 15cm rounds (if using shop-bought pastry)
Instructions
- 1
If making your own pastry: Add the 225g plain flour to a large mixing bowl. Ensure the 175g butter is cold; fine chop or grate it and add to the flour. Use a metal pallet knife to chop through the mix to combine the butter and flour. Add a pinch of salt. Gradually add the 125ml cold water and mix with the knife until a firm dough forms. Work quickly to prevent the butter from warming up too much. Once a firm dough is achieved, wrap it in cling film and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
⏱️ 15 min
- 2
Melt the 50g butter in a small pan. Add the 80g light muscovado sugar and stir until the sugar has melted. Add the 125g currants, 50g mixed peel, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice to the pan. Turn off the heat and thoroughly mix all the ingredients together to evenly coat them. Allow the filling to go completely cool.
⏱️ 15 min
- 3
If using homemade pastry: When the filling has cooled, roll the pastry out on a floured surface to the thickness of a pound coin. Cut 10cm rounds from the pastry. If using shop-bought pastry: Roll out the pastry (if not pre-rolled) and cut 15cm rounds from the pastry.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Pre-heat the oven to 200°C / 180°C (fan oven) / Gas Mark 6. Place 1 teaspoon of the cooled filling mix in the center of each pastry round. Egg wash the edges of the pastry rounds. Gather up the pastry to cover the filling and pinch the edges together to seal the cake. Place the assembled cakes upside down on a baking tray lined with baking paper, ensuring the joint is underneath. Cut 3 slits in the top of each cake to allow steam to escape during baking. Egg wash the tops and sides of the cakes. Generously sprinkle demerara or white sugar over the tops.
⏱️ 20 min•🌡️ 200
- 5
Place the baking tray in the pre-heated oven for about 20-25 minutes. Keep an eye on them; they should be golden and crisp when done.
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 200
- 6
Once baked, remove from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack.
Kitchen Tools
Eccles Cakes
For the Filling
- 50 g butter
- 80 g light muscovado sugar
- 125 g currants
- 50 g mixed peel
- 1 lemon, zest of
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
For the Glaze
- 1 egg, beaten
- as needed demerara or white sugar, to sprinkle over
For the Pastry (choose one)
- 175 g butter, cold, fine chopped or grated (if making your own pastry)
- 225 g plain flour, (if making your own pastry)
- 1 pinch salt, (if making your own pastry)
- 125 ml cold water, (if making your own pastry)
- as needed shop-bought puff pastry, enough to cut 15cm rounds (if using shop-bought pastry)
Instructions
- 1
If making your own pastry: Add the 225g plain flour to a large mixing bowl. Ensure the 175g butter is cold; fine chop or grate it and add to the flour. Use a metal pallet knife to chop through the mix to combine the butter and flour. Add a pinch of salt. Gradually add the 125ml cold water and mix with the knife until a firm dough forms. Work quickly to prevent the butter from warming up too much. Once a firm dough is achieved, wrap it in cling film and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
⏱️ 15 min - 2
Melt the 50g butter in a small pan. Add the 80g light muscovado sugar and stir until the sugar has melted. Add the 125g currants, 50g mixed peel, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice to the pan. Turn off the heat and thoroughly mix all the ingredients together to evenly coat them. Allow the filling to go completely cool.
⏱️ 15 min - 3
If using homemade pastry: When the filling has cooled, roll the pastry out on a floured surface to the thickness of a pound coin. Cut 10cm rounds from the pastry. If using shop-bought pastry: Roll out the pastry (if not pre-rolled) and cut 15cm rounds from the pastry.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Pre-heat the oven to 200°C / 180°C (fan oven) / Gas Mark 6. Place 1 teaspoon of the cooled filling mix in the center of each pastry round. Egg wash the edges of the pastry rounds. Gather up the pastry to cover the filling and pinch the edges together to seal the cake. Place the assembled cakes upside down on a baking tray lined with baking paper, ensuring the joint is underneath. Cut 3 slits in the top of each cake to allow steam to escape during baking. Egg wash the tops and sides of the cakes. Generously sprinkle demerara or white sugar over the tops.
⏱️ 20 min•🌡️ 200 - 5
Place the baking tray in the pre-heated oven for about 20-25 minutes. Keep an eye on them; they should be golden and crisp when done.
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 200 - 6
Once baked, remove from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack.