Although we know that Eccles cakes are traditionally made in Lancashire, our Head Chef Mauricio makes a strong contender here in London. In fact, they are so popular at the Charterhouse that they were the star of a recent in-house celebration!
The history of the cake is of course tied to the town of Eccles in Greater Manchester, but perhaps what is less well known is that they are also connected to the rushbearing festivals held in Britain from the medieval period until the 19th Century. This tradition saw rushes being collected to be laid on the earthen floors of churches, after the old rushes were cleared out, ready for the winter. The tradition started to die out when flagstone flooring was brought in, although the custom was later revived and continues in some areas of the north of England today. In Eccles, Eccles Wakes combined the rushbearing festival with celebrations for the feast day of St Mary in late August, and it is thought the cakes were made to be enjoyed as part of the celebrations.
It appears they went on to become an official part of British culinary landscape thanks to two key figures. It is thought that Elizabeth Raffald was the first person to write down the recipe for her book The Experienced English Housekeeper which was published in 1769, and James Birch was the first person to sell the cakes commercially from his shop opposite St Mary’s Church in Eccles from 1793.
However, whether you are a traditionalist and think that you can’t call it an Eccles cake if it wasn’t made in Eccles or not, this recipe is definitely worth a try!
Ingredients:
Serves 8 – 10
75g/3oz unsalted butter
150g/5oz soft brown sugar
150g/5oz currants or sultanas
50g chopped walnut
500g puff pastry (shop-bought)
1 egg (beaten to be used as a wash)
Caster sugar (for sprinkling on top of the cakes)
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F, gas mark 7) a hot oven will ensure the pastry puffs up beautifully, and line a baking tray with parchment or buttered greaseproof paper;
- Combine all the filling ingredients in a mixing bowl, beat together the dark brown sugar and soft butter and mix in the currants or sultanas and chopped walnuts;
- Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 3mm, then use a round cutter (about 10cm in diameter) to cut out circles of pastry;
- Place a heaped tablespoon of the filling in the centre of each pastry circle, but take care not to overfill to prevent leaking during baking;
- Dampen the edges of the pastry with a little water, then bring the edges together and seal them tightly.
- Gently roll the sealed pastry with a rolling pin to flatten slightly, ensuring the filling is evenly distributed and flip the cake so the seam is on the bottom;
- Brush each cake with the beaten egg and sprinkle with caster sugar, this will give a beautiful golden finish and a sweet crunch;
- Place the cakes on a baking sheet lined with parchment or greaseproof paper, spaced slightly apart, and make two small cuts on the top of each cake to allow steam to escape;
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed;
- Transfer the baked Eccles cakes to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving. They are delicious both warm and at room temperature.