Sly Cake
Crisp golden pastry squares concealing a rich, spiced currant and raisin filling. A classic County Durham teatime treat dusted with caster sugar.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 340 kcal
Equipment
- •Baking tray
- •Rolling pin
- •Mixing bowl
- •Pastry brush
- •Greaseproof paper
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- fat
- 14 g
- carbs
- 52 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 4 g
- calories
- 340 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Heat the fan oven to 180°C and line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper.
- 2
Rub the cold butter into the flour and salt with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- 3
Stir in cold water gradually and bring the mixture together into a smooth pastry dough.
- 4
Wrap the dough and rest it in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- 5
Mix the currants, raisins, candied peel, brown sugar, mixed spice, and melted butter in a bowl.
- 6
Cut the rested pastry in half and roll one portion out thinly into a neat rectangle.
- 7
Place the rolled pastry sheet onto the prepared baking tray.
- 8
Spread the fruit filling evenly over the pastry, leaving a one-centimetre border around the edges.
- 9
Roll the second pastry half to the same size and lay it over the top to conceal the filling.
- 10
Press the edges firmly together with a fork to seal the pastry parcel completely.
- 11
Brush the top with milk and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until crisp and golden brown.
- 12
Dust immediately with caster sugar while hot, cool slightly, and slice into neat squares.
Chef's tips
Roll the pastry as thinly and evenly as possible so the crust bakes crisp without becoming stodgy. Press the edges securely with a fork so the sugary fruit juices do not bubble out during baking.
Ingredient substitutions
- currants → sultanas
- mixed candied peel → finely grated orange zest
Storage
Store in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to five days.
Reheating
Warm in a fan oven at 160°C for 5 to 7 minutes to restore pastry crispness.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Rolling the pastry too thickly, resulting in an underbaked, doughy base.
- •Failing to seal the edges, which lets the melting brown sugar leak and burn.
- •Slicing the cake while piping hot before the filling has settled.
Serving suggestions
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