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Chorley / Eccles Cakes

Recipe

The key difference between a Chorley cake and an Eccles cake lies in their pastry and sweetness. Chorley cakes are made with shortcrust pastry, are flatter, and typically less sweet, often enjoyed with butter and Lancashire cheese. Eccles cakes use flaky puff pastry, are thicker, and are sweeter, typically eaten on their own.  Whilst it is difficult to trace the history of the Chorley Cake,  Eccles cakes have a detailed record dating back to at least the 17th century, although they were wildly controversial at that time. They were viewed by Puritans as an act of evil (Satanic, even) and overly indulgent, and along with mince pies were banned!!  Apparently even Oliver Cromwell labelled the delicious delights as pure evil and warranted imprisonment if anyone should dare eat an Eccles cake.

Chorley Cakes recipe

Ingredients serves 8

For the pastry

  • 300g (10oz) plain flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 25g (1oz) caster sugar, plus extra to decorate
  • 180g (6oz) butter
  • 80ml (3fl oz) milk

For the filling

  • 200g (7oz) currants
  • 50g soft light brown sugar
  • 50g butter, melted
  • 1 egg white, lightly beaten

Method

  • To make the pastry, put the flour, baking powder and sugar in a bowl. Add the butter and rub in. Stir in the milk and mix until the dough is soft but no sticky, adding a little more milk to achieve the right consistency. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.
  • To make the filling, mix together the currants, sugar and butter and set aside.
  • Heat the oven to gas 5, 190°C, fan 170°C. Roll out half the pastry, and using a 14cm round cutter, stamp out 4 rounds. Place a spoonful of filling in the centre of each circle. Dampen the edges with a little water and fold the pastry over to enclose the filling. Turn over and roll lightly to flatten to about 7cm. Put the cakes on a baking tray. Using the remaining ingredients, repeat the process to make 4 more cakes.
  • Brush the tops with the beaten egg white. Then, with a knife, make two or three cuts in each. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with caster sugar while still warm.

Eccles Cake Recipe

Ingredients serves 10

For the pastry or you could just buy a pack of ready made flaky pastry.

  • 250g block cold butter
  • 350g plain flour
  • juice ½ lemon

For the filling

  • 25g butter
  • 200g currants
  • 50g mixed chopped peel
  • 100g light muscovado sugar
  • 1 tsp each of cinnamon ginger and ground allspice
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • and 1 orange, plus a few tbsp of orange juice
  • To glaze
  • 1 egg white
  • lightly beaten
  • 3 tbsp preserving sugar

Method

  • To make the pastry, dice the butter and put it in the freezer to go really hard.
  • Tip flour into the bowl of a food processor with half the butter and pulse to the texture of breadcrumbs.
  • Pour in the lemon juice and 100ml iced water, and pulse to a dough.
  • Tip in the rest of the butter and pulse a few times until the dough is heavily flecked with butter.
  • It is important that you don’t overdo this as the flecks of butter are what makes the pastry flaky. 
  • On a floured surface roll the pastry out to a neat rectangle about 20 x 30cm. Fold the two ends of the pastry into the middle, then fold in half. 
  • Roll the pastry out again and refold in the same way 3 more times, resting the pastry for at least 15 mins each time between roll and fold. 
  • Leave to rest in the fridge for at least 30 mins before using.
  • To make the cakes, roll the pastry out until it’s just a little thicker than a £1 coin and cut out 8 rounds about 12cm across. Re-roll the trimming if needed.
  • Place a good heaped tablespoon of mixture in the middle of each round, brush the edges of the rounds with water, then gather the pastry around the filling and squeeze it together.
  • Flip them over so the smooth top is upwards and pat them into a smooth round.
  • Flatten each round with a rolling pin to an oval until the fruit just starts to poke through, then place on a baking tray
  • Cut 2 little slits in each cake, brush generously with egg white and sprinkle with sugar.
  • Heath the oven to 220c.
  • Bake the Eccles cakes for 15-20 mins until just past golden brown and sticky.
  • Leave to cool on a rack and enjoy while still warm or cold with a cup of tea.
  • If you prefer, Eccles cakes also go really well with a wedge of hard, tangy British cheese such as Lancashire or Cheddar