Eccles Cake Recipe | English Recipes
How to prepare "eccles cake"
eccles cake
this cake takes its name from the town of eccles, england.
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons salt
1 1/3 cups shortening
about 12 tablespoon water
1 cup currants
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
for pie crust, mix flour and salt, cut in shortening until size of small peas*. add water gradually as needed. mold into one ball, reserving small amount for patches. flatten pie crust with hands until about the size of a pie. put currants in a pile in the center of the pie crust. top with sugar. dot with pieces of margarine.
fold sides and ends of pie crust into the middle to form a ball again. roll out carefully with rolling pin, using reserved pie crust to patch areas where ingredients poke through, until 1/4 inch thick throughout. roll dough out on top of generously floured brown paper, cut from a brown paper bag, for ease of handling. transfer to cookie sheet (brown paper and all!). bake at 375 degrees f for 25 to 30 minutes, until lightly browned and bubbling. cut immediately upon removing from oven into squares.
* baker's hint: you can mix the flour, salt and shortening in bulk and store in a tightly covered container in refrigerator. when you want to use it, scoop out 4 cups to make eccles cake. you will also be prepared to make pies.
