Gluten Free Eccles Cakes Recipe
A surprisingly simple free from Eccles Cake recipe using a gluten free rough puff pastry. These taste just like the authentic traditional Eccles Cakes from Lancashire but this version is both gluten free and dairy free.
Servings: 6 cakes
Calories: 295kcal
Equipment
- small bowl
- rotary grater or handheld grater
Ingredients
For the rough puff pastry
- 150 g gluten free plain flour
- 100 g dairy free butter frozen in a block
- 6 tbsp iced water
- ½ tsp xanthan gum
- pinch salt
For the fruit filling
- 125 g currants
- 40 ml boiled water
- 20 g dairy free butter, melted
- 1 tbsp cornflour (corn starch)
- ½ tbsp dark brown sugar
- pinch salt
For the glaze
- 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp dairy free milk I use soya milk
Instructions
To make the rough puff
- Measure out the flour, salt and xanthan gum in a large mixing bowl and use a whisk to combine.
- Remove the pat of butter from the freezer.
- To add the butter to the flour simply grate it directly into the bowl using either method below;Method one - Using an oven glove, hold the butter with its wrapper peeled back and grate the butter into the bowl. The oven glove is a barrier between your warm hands and the butter, meaning the butter stays frozen.Method two - Use a rotary grater to grate the butter into the bowl.
- Now add the iced water one tablespoon at a time and cut through the crumbly mixture with a silicone spatula.
- Once you've combined the gluten free flour, grated butter, xanthan gum and water, simply work the dough into a ball in the bowl using the spatula first then your hands (sparingly).
- Wrap in cling film and leave in the fridge until ready to use it.
To make the fruit filling
- In a small bowl, weight the currants and brown sugar and add the boiled water. Give the fruit a stir and leave for a while to allow the dried fruit to plump.
- Next add the melted butter and the cornflour and mix well to combine. Either use immediately to make your Eccles Cakes or pop in the fridge for later.
Rolling out the rough puff
- Start rolling the rough puff in a folded sheet of cling film (plastic wrap).
- Using the clingfilm itself, fold the sides of the pastry over and reroll, repeating this process until the edges are no longer crumbly and you have a large enough rectangle to cut into 6 rough square shapes.
To make the Eccles Cakes
- Place a generous sized spoonful of currant filling in the centre of each rough puff square and fold each corner into the centre. then repeat with the new four corners. Pinch the pastry to seal and turn over with seal facing down. Repeat 5 more times.
- Place the clingfilm over the tops of the Eccles Cakes and gently roll flatter (not too flat!) Prick with a fork and glaze with the combined sugar and milk wash.
- Place the Eccles Cakes on a lined baking tray and bake in the oven at 220°C | 200°C fan | 425°F | Gas 7 for 18-20 minutes
- Remove from the oven and leave on the baking tray for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Enjoy still slightly warm with a cup of tea.
Nutrition
Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 2g | Sodium: 160mg | Potassium: 178mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 144IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 1mg