Post by MarieAlice on Oct 30, 2002 5:24:23 GMT -6
These are absolutely delicious!!
Eccles Cakes
8 - 10 oz flaky pastry )see below)
2 Tbs. butter, softened
1/4 cup light soft brown sugar
25 g mixed candied peel
75 g currants
1 teaspoon mixed spice
a little milk or water
1 egg white, beaten
2 Tbs. caster (white granulated) sugar
Make the pastry and chill for at least 1 hour. Grease two baking trays. On a floured board, roll out the pastry to a thickness of approx. 1/4 inch and cut out circles using a 4 inch cutter. Mix together the butter and brown sugar, add the dried fruit and spice andmix well. Place a teaspoonful of the mixture on each pastry circle. Dampeen the edges of the pastry witha little milk or water, gather the edges together and seal well. Turn the cakes over so that the joins are underneath. Roll each one out so that the currants just show through the pastry and place on prepared trays. Chill for 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile heat the oven to 450*F/230*C. Make two or three slits on the top of each cake, brush with beaten egg white and dredge with the sugar. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes until crisp and golden. Remove from the oven and lift carefully on to a wire rack to cool.
Flakey Pastry
3 1/2 cups plain flour, sifted
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups butter, or half butter and half lard, softened
1 teaspoon lemon juice
10 fl oz (300 ml) cold water
Mix together the flour and salt. Divide the fat into four portions. Rub one portion into the flour with the fingetips. Mix in the lemon juice and cold water to give a soft dough, rather like the consistency of butter. Knead gently on a lightly floured board until smooth. Roll out to a rectangle three times longer than it is wide. Dot the second portion of fat over the top two-thirds of the surface. fold up the bottom third and fold down the top third and seal the edges by pressing together with a rolling pin. Wrap in cling film or a plastic bag and chillfor 15 minutes. Place the dough on the floured board with the folded edges to your right andleft, and roll out again to a rectangle. Repeat the dotting, folding and chilling process twice more until all the fat is used. Wrap again and chill for at least 45 minutes before using.
Eccles Cakes
8 - 10 oz flaky pastry )see below)
2 Tbs. butter, softened
1/4 cup light soft brown sugar
25 g mixed candied peel
75 g currants
1 teaspoon mixed spice
a little milk or water
1 egg white, beaten
2 Tbs. caster (white granulated) sugar
Make the pastry and chill for at least 1 hour. Grease two baking trays. On a floured board, roll out the pastry to a thickness of approx. 1/4 inch and cut out circles using a 4 inch cutter. Mix together the butter and brown sugar, add the dried fruit and spice andmix well. Place a teaspoonful of the mixture on each pastry circle. Dampeen the edges of the pastry witha little milk or water, gather the edges together and seal well. Turn the cakes over so that the joins are underneath. Roll each one out so that the currants just show through the pastry and place on prepared trays. Chill for 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile heat the oven to 450*F/230*C. Make two or three slits on the top of each cake, brush with beaten egg white and dredge with the sugar. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes until crisp and golden. Remove from the oven and lift carefully on to a wire rack to cool.
Flakey Pastry
3 1/2 cups plain flour, sifted
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups butter, or half butter and half lard, softened
1 teaspoon lemon juice
10 fl oz (300 ml) cold water
Mix together the flour and salt. Divide the fat into four portions. Rub one portion into the flour with the fingetips. Mix in the lemon juice and cold water to give a soft dough, rather like the consistency of butter. Knead gently on a lightly floured board until smooth. Roll out to a rectangle three times longer than it is wide. Dot the second portion of fat over the top two-thirds of the surface. fold up the bottom third and fold down the top third and seal the edges by pressing together with a rolling pin. Wrap in cling film or a plastic bag and chillfor 15 minutes. Place the dough on the floured board with the folded edges to your right andleft, and roll out again to a rectangle. Repeat the dotting, folding and chilling process twice more until all the fat is used. Wrap again and chill for at least 45 minutes before using.