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Eccles cakes are small, round, delicious pies made with flaky pastry, filled with currants and topped with sugar. They are named after the English town of Eccles.

The rough puff pastry can be a bit challenging to make but it gets easier with practice. It’s worth investing the time and effort to make it!

Step by step recipe below and list of ingredients at the end of the post.

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To make the rough puff pastry: Sift the plain flour, the high-grade flour and the salt together into a mixing bowl and rub in 70 grams of the cold butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs (you can also do this in a food processor instead of by hand).

Add the cold water and stir (or pulse if using a food processor) to form a shaggy dough.

Use your hands to push the dough into a ball, then squash this onto a lightly floured work surface and roll into a rectangle approximately 30 cm x 20 cm.

Divide the rest of the butter into eight cubes and flatten each piece between your palms. Place four pieces to cover the middle third of the dough.

Fold one of the ends over to seal.

Cover this with the remaining butter.

Stretch the last third of dough over to seal.

Roll the pastry out into a rectangle approximately 45 cm x 30 cm.

Fold the short ends over to meet in the middle.

Then fold again as if closing a book. Rotate clockwise so that short ends are at top and bottom. This is your first turn.

Repeat this rolling and folding two more times; you may need to chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes after each turn, to keep it cool and not sticky. Be gentle with your rolling out and remember to sprinkle a little flour on your work surface and rolling pin each time.

Do one final turn, but instead of folding your dough into a book shape, mentally divide it into three, and fold the top down to cover the middle third.

Fold the bottom up to cover that.

Your finished flaky pastry will have had four turns.

Pre-heat the oven to 180–190°C.

To make the filling: In a bowl, mix the together the currants, 70 grams of the sugar, the melted butter and the spices. Let them sit for 15 minutes for the flavours to combine.

Divide your pastry into eight equal pieces.

On a floured surface roll each piece into a 12 cm square. Mix the egg with the milk to make an egg wash, and brush this on the outer edges of each square.

Place a tablespoonful of the currant mixture in the centre of each square.

Gather up the edges and crimp together to form a cross-shaped seal.

Turn your Eccles cakes over and gently round the ends so they become more of an oval shape. Place them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with the remaining caster sugar. Use some scissors or a sharp knife to make three small cuts on top to let the steam out when cooking.

Chill for 15 minutes in the fridge to allow time for the pastry to relax.

Bake for 20–30 minutes or until golden and cooked. Remove to a rack to cool. Enjoy!

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Eccles Cakes

From The Great New Zealand Baking Book, copyright © Sarah & Martin Aspinwall from Canterbury Cheesemongers

Makes: 8 | Prep time: 45 minutes | Cook time: 20-30 minutes | Skill level: 2 (moderate)

Ingredients

Rough puff pastry (makes 600 g | Prep time: 2 hours | Skill level: 2-3, more challenging but easier with practice)

• 120 g plain flour
• 120 g high-grade flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• 240 g butter (cold but not straight from the fridge)
• 120 g cold water

Filling

• 250 g currants
• 100 g caster sugar
• 40 g butter, melted
• 1 level tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 level tsp ground ginger
• 1 level tsp allspice
• 1 egg
• a little milk

Method

Rough puff pastry: Sift flours and salt together into a mixing bowl and rub in 70 grams of butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add cold water and stir to form a shaggy dough. Use your hands to push the dough into a ball, then squash this onto a lightly floured work surface and roll into a rectangle approximately 20 cm x 30 cm.

Divide the rest of the butter into eight cubes and flatten each piece between your palms. Place four pieces to cover the middle third of the dough and fold one of the ends over to seal. Cover this with the remaining butter and stretch the last third of dough over to seal.

Rotate pastry so that the short sides are at the top and bottom and roll this out into a rectangle approximately 28 cm x 44 cm. Use a dough scraper or palette knife to help push the pastry into shape. Fold the short ends over to meet in the middle, then fold again as if closing a book. Rotate clockwise so that short ends are at top and bottom. This is your first turn.

Repeat this rolling and folding two more times; you may need to chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes after each turn, to keep it cool and not sticky. Be gentle with your rolling out and remember to sprinkle a little flour on your work surface and rolling pin each time.

Do one final turn, but instead of folding your dough into a book shape, mentally divide it into three, folding the top down to cover the middle third and the bottom up to cover that. Your finished flaky pastry should measure approximately 15 cm x 30 cm and will have had four turns.

[Tip: This rough puff pastry is one of those things where the more you do, the easier it gets. If you have a spare Sunday afternoon, make a whole heap and freeze it.]

Filling and assembly: Pre-heat the oven to 180–190°C. In a bowl, mix together currants, 70 grams of sugar, butter and spices. Let them sit for at least 15 minutes for the flavours to combine.

Divide your pastry into eight equal pieces, and on a floured surface roll each into a 12 cm square. Mix egg with milk to make an egg wash, and brush this on the outer edges of each square. Place a tablespoonful of currant mixture in the centre of each square. Gather up the edges and crimp together to form a cross-shaped seal.

Turn your Eccles cakes over and gently round the ends so they become more of an oval shape. Place them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with remaining caster sugar. Use some scissors or a sharp knife to make three small cuts on top to let the steam out when cooking.

Chill for a minimum of 15 minutes in the fridge or a cool place, to allow time for the pastry to relax. Bake for 20–30 minutes or until golden and cooked. Remove to a rack to cool.

Tip

Eccles cakes go really well with chunks of cheese for morning tea or dessert – the savoury and sweet make a wonderful combination.

Where to buy the book:

Bookreps New Zealand

Whitcoulls

Paper Plus