50+ Friends Club Cookbook -- Pies and Pastries -- Eccles Cakes

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Eccles Cakes

From the Kitchen of: Ron


Pastry Dough
		Pastry dough (ready made from supermarket)

Roll out the dough to a rectangle approx. 8 inch x 12 inch.
Plasticise the butter or margarine (ie: work it a bit) and spread it over two-thirds of the dough (ie: 8inch x 8 inch square)
Fold the remaining one-third of the dough over half of the portion spread with butter or margarine. Fold over again, so that there are 3 layers of dough with two layers of the butter or margarine.
Roll out this piece to about the same size as the original and then fold into three (as above) This constitues a normal "turn".
Repeat step 4 another five times so that a total of six turns has been given. Allow the dough to rest in between each pair of turns for at least 30 minutes. (in the fridge covered with clingfilm)
Leave to rest before using.

In each case, whichever filling you choose to use, mix all ingredients together thoroughly.
Making the Cakes
Use 12 ounce pastry, leaving 5 ounces scrap
6 ounces Eccles filling.
Roll out pastry to one-sixteenths of an inch thickness (1.5m)
Cut out circles using a 4 inch cutter.
Place a tablespoonful of mixture in the center of each piece.
Fold the edges into the center, sealng in the filling and then turn over.
Either flatten with the palm of the hand or roll out to approx. 3 inches in diameter.
Wash the tops with egg white or water and dip into castor sugar.
Place the pieces onto a clean baking sheet.
Make two or three slits in the top of each piece so that the filling shows through.
Allow a 30 minuite resting period.
Bake at 420 degrees Fahrenheit (215 Centigrade) until crisp and golden brown in color.
Allow to cool before eating, the filling can be very hot!