Named after the English town of Eccles, these Puffed Pastry Eccles Cakes are perfect for afternoon tea. Eccles cakes are small pies, similar to a turnover and filled with spiced currants, they are made with puff pastry sprinkled with demerara sugar.
Puff Pastry Eccles Cakes with Spiced Currants Recipe
Makes 12
Ingredients:
1 cup currants
1 large orange, finely grated rind
and 1 tbsp juice
40g butter, softened
¼ cup brown sugar
½ tsp mixed spices
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
3 sheets frozen ready-rolled puff pastry, partially thawed
1 egg, whisked
2 tbsp demerara sugar or white sugar
Method:
Preheat oven to 200˚C. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Combine currants, orange juice and rind, butter, cinnamon, sugar, mixed spices and nutmeg in a bowl.
Cut 4 x 10cm rounds from each sheet of pastry. Place 1 tbsp of currant mixture into centre. Bring edges up together and seal. Place cakes onto a lightly floured surface, right side down and flatten gently with a rolling pin until currants start to pop to surface of pastry. Turn over and make 3 slits on cakes.
Place cakes onto prepared baking tray. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden and crisp.
