I'm not a great one for pre-packed cakes and biscuits but I make an exception for Real Lancashire Eccles Cakes which I can miraculously buy in my local newsagent. It's a small pack - just 4 cakes for £1.59 - and a single one just hits the spot with an afternoon cuppa.Looking at the list of ingredients they contain a very respectable 40% of fruit - currants and raisins - and no hydrogenated fats - so they must be good for you, right? (Except for the 9.1% butter but fortunately they don't put the calorie count on the pack).
You need to heat them to enjoy them at their crumbly best, easily accomplished in the Aga, but otherwise I'd be inclined to do that over a low heat in a covered pan rather than faff around heating up the oven.
The website reveals that the Lancashire Eccles Cake Company is a family owned firm which has been making eccles cakes since the 1930s which is rather nice. They even export to the States.
They are good, but it is all too easy to succumb to the giant Eccles cake which may also be alongside the fab pack of four. Availability is key and these are bloody everywhere! I have thankfully weaned myself off them... (fingers crossed)
ReplyDeleteAh, fortunately it isn't! That way would lie eternal damnation . . .
ReplyDeleteEven better with some tasty lancs cheese of course.... I think Mr M Portillo visited the factory when he was doing his across Britain train program (useless fact of the day)....
ReplyDeleteHmmmm. Like Lancs cheese, like Eccles cakes but not convinced about the wisdom of putting the two together ;-)
ReplyDeleteFiona - try the Eccles cake/Lancs cheese combo -it works! I saw Michael Portillo's visit to the factory - it was fascinating. IMHO the best Eccles cakes are made by the Town Mill Bakery. I thought the ones atSt Johns were the best until I tried Town Mill's and am now in danger of developing an addiction
ReplyDelete