Banbury cakes originated in Banbury, England, where secret recipes have been made in that town since 1586 and are still made there today. These days they are a tasty bundle of dried fruit with a wee bit of brandy, they are distinctive by their oval shape.
Easy Banbury Cakes
A tasty bundle of dried fruit with a wee bit of port, they are distinctive by their oval shape.
Servings 9 cakes
Ingredients
- 1 package puff pastry* thawed
- 1 cup currants
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup mixed candied peel
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp. port, sherry or rum
- 1 large egg white beaten
- 3 tbsp. caster sugar
Instructions
- Melt the butter and brown sugar, and add the dried fruit, spices, and port in a small saucepan. Let cool.
- Preheat your oven to 450F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking sheet. Roll out the pastry on a floured board ensuring a thickness of 1/4 inch. Cut two lines across and 2 lines down to make 9 squares.
- Place a tablespoon of the fruit filling in each square. Wet the edges of each square with water and bring the edges together to seal. Turn each bundle over, and shape it into an oval.
- Dip each cake into the beaten egg and then dredge in the caster sugar. Place on the baking sheet and make three diagonal cuts across each cake. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool before eating.
- You can store for 3 or 4 days at room temperature in a sealed container.
Notes
*caster sugar is easy to make. Just blitz granulated sugar in a food processor or coffee grinder.