Notes from the Cape

I have just learned that Eccles, Lois’ new guide dog, is named after the Eccles cake, which is a small, round cake filled with currants. It is bigger than a biscuit but smaller than a cake (about 10cm in diameter). It is made with flaky pastry, butter, sugar and currents. It is named after the English town of Eccles, near Manchester. The reason for the dog’s name is that Eccles is “sweet like the cake”.

A very good history of the Eccles cake can be found on the Salford Council website. I have borrowed the recipe from them:

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Pre-heat your oven to 425°F/220°C

Ingredients

• 500g flaky pastry
• 25g melted butter
• Nutmeg
• 50g candied peel
• 100g sugar
• 200g currants

Method

• In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and butter and cook over a medium heat until melted
• Off the heat, add currants, candied peel, nutmeg and allspice
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry thinly and cut into rounds of about half a centimetre thickness and 10cm diameter
• Place a small spoonful of filling onto centre of each pastry circle
• Dampen the edges of the pastry and draw the edges together over the fruit and pinch to seal
• Turn over, then press gently with a rolling pin to flatten the cakes
• Flatten and snip a V in the top with scissors. Place on a baking tray
• Brush with water and sprinkle with a little extra sugar
• Bake in a hot oven for 20 minutes (425°F/220°C) or until lightly browned round the edges
• Place on a wire rack and allow to cool.
• Try not to eat them all at once!

I’ll let you know how they turn out once I have built up to courage to make some.