Eccles Cakes - cooking recipe

Ingredients

PASTRY
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup lard
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
cold water
FILLING
1 cup dried currant
2 tablespoons soft butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch allspice
1 egg, lightly beaten
granulated sugar

Preparation

PASTRY: Mix together flour and salt.
Cut in lard and butter.
In measuring cup, mix egg and lemon juice; add cold water to make 1/2 cup liquid; beat with fork.
Stirring with fork, add enough liquid to flour mixture to make soft, slightly sticky dough.
Wrap and chill for several hours.
FILLING: Cover currants with boiling water, let stand 5 minutes, then DRAIN.
Cream butter with sugar; stir in spices and currants.
Roll out pastry to about 1/8 inch thickness and cut into 3 1/2 inch rounds.
Place spoonful of filling (about 2 tsp.) in centre of each, bring up edges of pastry and pinch well to seal.
Turn over and flatten gently with a rolling pin to make round cakes.
(Currants should just show below surface.) Place on ungreased baking sheet; brush with egg, and sprinkle with sugar.
Cut 2 slashes in top of each.
Bake in 425 F.
oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Makes about 20 pastries.
Canadian Living Cookbook.