Youll Never Go Back To Store Bought English Eccles Cakes Recipes

YOU'LL NEVER GO BACK TO STORE BOUGHT' ENGLISH ECCLES CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/425°F.
• Cut the pastry into rounds approx 4 inches in diameter.
• Cream the butter and sugar together, add the currants, lemon zest and spices.
• Add spoonfuls of the mixture to the centre of each pastry round.
• Gather the edges of each round to form a sealed ball, and with the smooth side uppermost, flatten onto a greased baking sheet.
• Cut 2 slits in the top of each cake with a sharp knife, brush with water (not milk or egg) and dust with caster sugar.
• Bake until golden brown for approx 20 minutes.
• Allow to cool for around 20 minutes before serving whilst still warm-ish or wait until completely cooled.
• To die for!

THE GREAT BRITISH ECCLES CAKE

Steps:

• Sift the flour and salt together in a large bowl.
• Dice 1/2 of the chilled butter; rub it into the flour using your hands.
• Add just enough cold water (4-5 tablespoons) to bring it together into a soft dough.
• Cover with cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into an oblong approx 20cm x 10cm.
• Cut the remaining chilled butter into thin slices; cover the middle third of the dough with 1/3 of the slices; fold the unbuttered thirds of dough over the buttered third; first one, then the other, making a square.
• Cover and chill for 15 minutes.
• Repeat two more times, turning the block of dough 90 degrees each time and chilling between each rolling.
• Repeat two more times without the butter; chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 240°C /465°F/ gas mark 8.
• Line a sheet with parchment paper.
• Cream together 1 oz soft butter and caster sugar; add currants, candied peel and nutmeg.
• Roll out the pastry until 1/4" thick.
• Cut out 12 x 7cm discs.
• Spoon the filling into the centre of each disc.
• Brush the edges with water, then pull the edges into the centre and pinch them together to seal.
• Turn cakes over; place on the baking tray.
• Push cakes down lightly to slightly flatten them.
• With a sharp knife make three short incisions in the top of each cake.
• Brush tops with a little milk; sprinkle liberally with granulated sugar.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges turn golden brown.

ECCLES CAKES - THE CLASSIC BRITISH TEA CAKE!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• To make the filling, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Mix into this the other filling ingredients. Set aside.
• Roll the pastry out to about 1/8 inch thick onto a floured surface. Use a 4" pastry cutter to cut discs of pastry.
• Put a teaspoon of the filling into the middle of one disc.
• Brush half of the edge of this disc with water. Bring up all the sides of the disc to the middle (above the filling), and press tightly to seal.
• Turn the cake over on the work surface, and gently roll it to about 1/4" to 1/2" thick. Pat into a rough round shape.
• Repeat for the remaining pastry discs.
• Place disks on a non-stick baking sheet (a greased sheet, or one with parchment paper). Using a sharp knife, make 3 diagonal cuts through the top of each cake. Brush the top of each cake with the egg, and sprinkle a little white sugar over.
• Bake for 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the cake has risen. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
• Serve with your afternoon tea!

ENGLISH ECCLES CAKES

Steps:

• Roll out puff pastry on lightly floured board.
• Cut dough into 24, 3-inch rounds.
• In a mixing bowl, cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
• Mix in currants and spices.
• Place 2 tsp of mixture on each circle.
• Brush edges of each circle with milk to "glue" the top to the bottom.
• Place another round of dough on top pressing the edges firmly all around.
• Brush tops of each cake with milk and sprinkle on a bit of sugar.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees and bake until brown and crispy (12- 15 minutes).
• Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.
• Makes 12 Eccles cakes.
• Enjoy!

ECCLES CAKES

Steps:

• Pate Brisee:Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. With machine running, add 1/4 cup ice water in a slow, steady stream, just until dough holds together. To test, squeeze a small amount together; if it is crumbly, add up to 1/4 cup more ice water, a little at a time. Do not process more than 30 seconds. Divide dough in half; flatten into disks. Wrap each in plastic; refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
• Filling:In a large heatproof bowl, combine both raisins, figs, and dates. Add boiling water and let stand until softened, about 15 minutes. Strain and discard liquid. In a separate bowl, mix together granulated sugar, flour, salt, and orange zest and juice until combined. Fold in softened fruit. Cover and refrigerate until completely cool.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to a 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 4-inch round cutter, cut out rounds (you should have about 7); transfer to prepared sheets. Repeat with remaining disk. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and 1 teaspoon water for egg wash; set aside.
• Spread each round with 1 tablespoon filling, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Brush edges with egg wash, then fold to make a half-moon shape and press to seal edges. Repeat process with remaining dough and filling. Refrigerate until chilled, about 20 minutes.
• Using a paring knife, make three diagonal slits across each cake. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake, rotating sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks and let cool completely before serving.

ENGLISH ECCLES CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Thoroughly grease a large baking sheet.
• 2. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in currants, fruit peel, white sugar, brown sugar, allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Mix thoroughly until sugar is dissolved and fruit is coated. Remove from heat.
• 3. Roll out thawed pastry on a clean, lightly-floured surface until it is 1/4-inch thick. Cut out eight circles, each roughly 5 inches in diameter; set aside remaining pastry dough for use in other recipes. Divide currant mixture evenly between circles, then moisten edges of pastries with a little bit of milk, fold together, and pinch to seal.
• 4. Turn pastries upside down onto floured surface and carefully roll out to make a wider and flatter pastry. Be careful not to break the dough.
• 5. Brush cakes with beaten egg, then sprinkle with white sugar. Make three parallel cuts across the top of each cake, then place on greased baking sheet.
• 6. Bake pastries in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and sprinkle with a little more sugar, then serve.