This
delicious little pastry originated in the town of Eccles, England. It is a
favorite of my family, and one I wanted to share with friends. Just last
weekend, I made a batch of these cakes for a reception at the Denver Woman’s
Press Club. The event was the finale to the Unknown Writers’ Competition.
Winners came to the podium to read their winning entry, and then enjoyed afternoon
tea supplied by DWPC members. For those ladies who enjoyed the treats, please
follow my blog for the recipes.
Ingredients
8
oz. puff pastry - your own recipe, or Pepperidge Farm works well. (Safeway)
2
oz. butter
2
oz. sugar
2
oz. sultanas (Safeway)
2
oz. currants (Safeway)
2
oz. candied peel (if you like it)
Grated
rind and juice of one lemon
Pinch
of mixed spice
Method
Roll
the pastry out until it’s about the thickness of a quarter, cut into rounds. I
use the largest of my cutters, about 4” in diameter, but you can obviously make
them larger or smaller to suit your needs.
Cream
the butter and sugar in a bowl; add the rest of the ingredients. Place about
one tablespoon of the mixture in the center of the round, and gather the edges
(as though it were a drawstring purse – this holds the mixture inside. Then flip
the “cake” over, so the “gathered” part is underneath. Using a rolling
pin, roll the cake flat – don’t worry, the cake will rise during baking. Score
the top with a sharp knife, so the mixture shows through...and brush with beaten egg. Shake a little sugar on
the top and bake in a hot oven 450 degrees for about 15 minutes.
