150g muscovado sugar
150g light brown sugar
600g currants
300g sultanas
5g ground cinnamon
5g mixed spice
300g grated Bramley apple (skin on)
2 each grated. Lemon zest
2 each grated orange zest
2 lapsang souchon tea bags (or earl grey)
100ml water
Boil the water and infuse the tea bags for 10 minutes. Remove bags and then mix everything together. Leave to infuse for a few days in a lidded container. Give it a shake each day so that liquid infuses evenly through the fruit. Can be kept in the fridge for several weeks.
Quick flaky pastry – makes about 12 Eccles
225g plain flour
175g unsalted butter
Pinch of salt
Cold water (roughly 150ml)
Place the butter in a freezer for an hour or so. Sieve the flour and the salt then grate the butter into it, covering with the flour as you go to keep the butter strands separated. Make a well in the middle and add the water, stirring with a spoon until it comes together. Finish off with your hand to form a soft dough. Add a little more water if necessary. Cover and chill for 30 mins.
To make the Eccles
Roll out dough on a floured surface to 2-3mm thick and cut out 10cm discs.