ECCLES CAKES

These small golden, round pastries that I first tasted when I lived in the UK are simple, rustic and scrumptious, and fit very well with our style at Bourke Street Bakery. In London’s food and growers’ markets, bakers sell them piled up on top of one another — bountiful and appealing. They are not really a ‘cake’ — more of a flaky, buttery, puff pastry bursting with spicy raisins and sticky fruit mince.

Makes 12

¾ quantity Classic puff pastry or Rough puff pastry

1 quantity Egg wash

caster (superfine) sugar, for sprinkling

FILLING

150 g (5½ oz) currants

15 g (½ oz) mixed peel (mixed candied citrus peel)

20 g (¾ oz) flaked almonds, chopped

5 g (¹/₈ oz) ground cinnamon

5 g (¹/₈ oz) ground nutmeg

zest of ½ lemon

zest of ½ orange

30 g (1 oz) unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F). Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Put all the filling ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine, then set aside.

Roll out the puff pastry to 4–5 mm (¼ inch) thick, then use a 9 cm (3½ inch) round cutter to cut out 12 circles.

Place 1 tablespoon of the filling mixture in the middle of each disc. Lightly brush the pastry edges with water and, lifting from the ends, gather them up into a parcel, pinching them together to seal.

Turn the cakes upside down, so the smooth bases are on the top. Place on the lined baking tray and lightly pat down to flatten slightly. Cut two shallow lines across the top of each, then brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden, turning the tray around halfway through.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Your eccles cakes will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.