Chorley Cakes

Chorley Cakes

I'm in the process of collecting recipes of cakes & bakes that are peculiar to a particular region either in the UK or abroad. I've had some wonderful recipes shared with me on my Facebook page and I'm always looking out for more if you'd like to share yours with me.

This is one of the cakes from my local area in the North-West on England . It's one of those recipes that I'm sure derived from having a bit of left over pastry to use up and almost always having a few currants & candied peel to throw in. When I was a child growing up in Dorset it was always Jam tarts that we made with left-over pastry, usually rolled out & played with so many times that the pastry turned grey and really tough, but hey, we still ate them.   I suppose that Chorley Cakes are a little more grown up in taste and are very similar in flavour to Welsh Cakes that are cooked on an iron griddle and not baked.

They're very simple, very delicious and a lovely tea-time treat with a nice cuppa. Hope you enjoy them   

recipe:-
For the pastry
4oz/115g unsalted butter
8oz/225g plain flour
cold water to bind.

For the filling
Zest of 1 lemon plus the juice of half a lemon
6oz/170g currants
2oz/55g mixed candied peel
1tbsp soft brown sugar
1oz/30g butter
¼ tsp of  freshly grated nutmeg
¼tsp mixed spice

Method
Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs
Add a little cold water, just enough to bind.
Bring together into a disc
Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 mins

Meanwhile melt the butter in the pan, add the currants, lemon juice & zest, sugar and spices, just heat through for a minute or two, add the candied peel and leave to cool.
   

Roll out the pastry until it's around 5mm thick. Using a saucer cut into rings.

pile the fruit up equally in the centre of each disc.

damp the edges and bring together as shown & seal

turn each cake over and gently roll over the rolling pin so that the fruit show through. Prick over with a fork.

Place on a greased baking tray and bake at around 200c for around 20/25 minutes or until lightly golden in colour and cooked through

They are delicious served warm and I have it on good authority that the folk from Chorley like to spread some butter on theirs.