You’ll Never Go Back to Store Bought’ English Eccles Cakes

May 08, 2023May 8, 20230 0
You'll Never Go Back to Store Bought' English Eccles Cakes
in Pastry

Prep

10 min

Cook

25 min

Ready In

35 min

Level

Easy

Rating

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars
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Ingredients

2 sheets of ready rolled puff pastry ( all butter if possible )
25 g butter ( softened )
1 tablespoon sugar
100 g currants or 100 g raisins
1/2 lemons , zest of , finely grated or orange
1/4 teaspoon ground mixed spice
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
caster sugar , for dusting
water , for glazing

Nutrision Information

Servings Per Recipe
8
Calories
344
Sugar
20g
Fat
18g
The Eccles cake, named after the town of Eccles in Greater Manchester, is a small, round cake filled with currants or raisins and mixed spices, wrapped in flaky pastry. These cakes were first made in the 1700s and have been enjoyed as a teatime favourite ever since. Store bought Eccles cakes can be found in bakeries and supermarkets across England, but they can never match the taste of homemade Eccles cakes. These cakes are quick and easy to make and will impress your guests with their flaky layers and sweet filling. Serve these cakes warm or cold with a cup of tea or coffee for a delicious treat.

Instructions

1.Preheat the oven to 200 C (400F) Gas 6.
2.Rub the butter into the flour in a medium bowl until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.
3.Stir in the sugar, zest, spices and currants or raisins. Mix with enough cold water (about 2 tablespoons) until the mixture comes together to make a firm, but not sticky, dough.
4.Roll the pastry out thinly (you should have enough to make a slab about 35cm/14in long). Place the dough slab on a lined baking tray.
5.Spoon the raisin mixture down one half of the dough slab lengthways, neatly piling it up.
6.Brush water along the edges of the pastry, then fold the other half of the dough over the raisin mixture to form the ‘lid’.
7.Press the open edges well together to seal everything inside. Take a fork and press along the three sealed edges of the slab to help seal and crimp. Make three light cuts in the pastry top to allow steam to escape.
8.Brush the top with water, sprinkle generously with caster sugar, then bake for 20–25 minutes or until the pastry is risen and golden. Divide into squares and serve warm or cold.

PROS

English Eccles cakes are a family favourite and make a delicious tea-time treat or a lunchbox filler.
These homemade cakes taste amazing and are sure to impress your guests.

CONS

As with all baked goods, the Eccles cake is high in sugar and carbohydrates.
They should be enjoyed as an occasional treat in moderation to maintain a balanced diet.

HEALTH & BENEFITS

Although not particularly healthy, Eccles cakes are a source of energy and are suitable for vegetarians. Raisins are high in fibre, iron and potassium, while nutmeg and mixed spice have been used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments due to their anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.

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