Eccles Cakes

While trying to brush up on my skills, I attempted Eccles Cakes not too bad if I do say so myself.
First the pastry ....
Ok I must admit it takes a while, but the satisfaction that you've done it yourself from scratch is so worth it. I use Lorraine Pascale's recipe for the pastry

245g plain flour
40g butter chilled and cubed
130ml cold water
210g butter, softened slightly

Right, it is a lengthy process so start with putting the flour and 40g butter in a bowl and rub to resemble breadcrumbs, make well in the centre and pour in water. Mix with knife and bring together, squid gee into a ball , wrap in cling film and put in fridge for 25-30 mins.
Bring out of fridge, score a large cross in the middle, lift the corners out to make a large cross, large enough to put the block of softened butter into the middle.
( Tip: for the softened block of butter, take out of fridge , coat in flour and roll with a rolling pin)
Once the block of butter is in the middle of the pastry, fold the pastry into the middle of the cross to completely cover the butter, seal the edges well with the rolling pin. It's important that the butter doesn't escape once the rolling out begins.
The next process involves the turning of the pastry, begin with rolling the pastry out into a large rectangle, 3 times its original length, keeping the edges square and straight, then fold the bottom of the rectangle folding up a third, then fold the top edge down a third, giving a rectangular block, turn the pastry 90degrees and repeat the rolling and folding. The pastry has now had 2 Turns, chill for 25 mins.
Remove from fridge and give the pastry 2 more Rolls and Folds, wrap agin and put in the fridge for a further 20mins.
(Block can be frozen or kept for fridge for a day at this point)
Next just give it a couple more turns the then cut or shape to what your recipe requires , chill in the fridge as its new shape for about 30 mins - Now it can be used Yey!

For the filling:
1 large jar of mincemeat
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon Mixed Spice
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 200 and line 2 baking trays with parchment
For the Eccles cakes I made I used a 10cm cutter and made around 15 cakes just depends how thin you roll your pastry 3-4 mm should be fine.
Once finally out of the fridge put a heaped teaspoon of the mincemeat mixture in the middle of the pastry cases, using a pastry brush , brush the edges of the pastry with milk and fold over into a small parcel
Make sure the seam is on the bottom of the cake and make 2 small slits into the top of the cakes to allow steam to escape. Brush with egg wash and Sprinkle with light brown sugar.
Place on a pre prepared baking tray and it in oven for around 15 mins until golden .