Eccles Cake
Flaky rough-puff pastry wrapped around currants, candied peel, and warm spice, first sold commercially in Eccles in 1793 — a genuinely different dish from mince pies, despite the similar dried-fruit-in-pastry idea.
Vegetarian
⚠ Contains: Gluten, Dairy, Egg. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 1 lb rough-puff pastry
- 1 1/2 cups currants
- 2 tbsp candied lemon and orange peel
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 egg, beaten, for egg wash
- Demerara sugar, for topping
Steps
- Mix the currants, candied peel, brown sugar, melted butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg together for the filling.
- Roll the pastry out and cut into circles.
- Place a spoonful of filling in the center of each circle, gather the edges up over the filling, and pinch to seal into a round.
- Flip the sealed side down and gently flatten each cake with a rolling pin, allowing a few currants to show through the top.
- Slash the top a few times, brush with egg wash, and sprinkle with demerara sugar.
- Bake at 400F for 20-25 minutes, until deep golden and caramelized.
- Serve warm or at room temperature, traditionally with a wedge of Lancashire cheese.