Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Welcome friends! On this week’s episode of The Old Cookbook Show, we’re diving into a classic English treat: Eccles Cakes — flaky puff pastry parcels filled with a spiced mixture of currants, candied peel, and warming spices. We're working from two vintage cookbooks today, including The Tea Time Recipe Book by Brown & Polson, published just after Queen Victoria's death — a rare piece of culinary history!
Join me as I explore the differences between black currants, raisins, and currants, and explain why English baking terminology can be so tricky. I also talk about the mysterious world of royal warrants and what that tells us about the age of these little cookbooks.
You’ll learn how to make Eccles cakes using a modern shortcut (store-bought puff pastry!) and why there's no single “right” way to prepare them — just the way that works in your kitchen.
📚 Featuring:
A brief history of Brown & Polson’s vintage cookbook
The Queen Victoria royal warrant explained
Eccles cakes vs Chorley cakes: what's the difference?
The role of mixed spice, candied peel, and Zante currants in British baking
Tips for forming and baking puff pastry parcels at home
🧁 Whether you're an Anglophile baker, a vintage cookbook collector, or just love old-fashioned treats, this one’s for you.
👉 Check out our homemade puff pastry tutorial here: youtu.be/bZvQIFjO2Uc
🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for more Sunday morning cooking adventures!
No. 33.-ECCLES CAKES.
3 oz. Castor Sugar.
½ tea-spoonful Mixed Spice.
6 oz. Currants.
I oz. Butter.
I ½ oz. Finely-Chopped Candied Peel.
A few drops of Water.
8 oz. Short Crust or Puff Pastry-one-half as much as Recipe No. 32.
Measure out the ingredients.
Divide the pastry into eight pieces, and roll out four or five inches across.
Mix the currants, sugar, peel, and spices together.
Put about a dessert-spoonful on to each round of pastry.
Divide the butter into eight pieces, put a piece on each round with a few drops of water.
Moisten the edges of thẻ paste, draw them together over the top, flatten a little with the hand, turn over, and roll slightly.
Make three or four cuts over the top.
Bake about 20 minutes in a hot oven.
Here is a basic recipe for Mixed Spice; there are many variations:
Ingredients
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground allspice
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoons ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon ground mace
#EcclesCakes #OldCookbookShow #VintageBaking #BritishRecipes #Currants #PuffPastry #TraditionalRecipes #EnglishBaking #SundayMorningBaking #GlenAndFriendsCooking
2025 Give Hope Wings Fundraiser Page:
https://ca-p2p.engagingnetworks.app/31190/ghw2025/180784/glens-hangar
More info about Hope Air: hopeair.ca
hopeair.ca/impact-report-2024
Our Fundraiser flight will be making stops in June 2025:
Thursday June 5: Gore Bay (CYZE) - Launch Event
Friday June 6 - Saturday June 7: Sault Ste. Marie (CYAM) - Hope Air Day
Sunday June 8 Marathon (CYSP) - Lunch
Sunday June 8 Sioux Lookout (CYXL)
Monday June 9 Red Lake (CYRL) - Reception Event
Tues June 10 - Wed June 11 Winnipeg (CYWG) - Patient and Partner Event
More dates to be announced
Here is the link to our Apron: searchandrescuedenim.com/products/s-r-x-glen-friends-chef-apron?country=IO&variant=50865649877152
searchandrescuedenim.com/GLENANDFRIENDSCOOKING
Discount code to be used at checkout: GLENANDFRIENDSCOOKING
Buy us a cup of tea: ko-fi.com/glenandfriendscooking
Help us out with a PayPal donation: paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=T4FPGUQABAUTE
Join this channel:
youtube.com/channel/UCsU15yvILBmnHPeAf4SFVaQ/join
This channel is nothing without you our viewers! Thanks for watching the Old Cookbook Show and our Historical Cooking.
#LeGourmetTV #GlenAndFriendsCooking
Check out our Aviation and Flying Channel: youtube.com/glenshangar
Welcome friends! On this week’s episode of The Old Cookbook Show, we’re diving into a classic English treat: Eccles Cakes — flaky puff pastry parcels filled with a spiced mixture of currants, candied peel, and warming spices. We're working from two vintage cookbooks today, including The Tea Time Recipe Book by Brown & Polson, published just after Queen Victoria's death — a rare piece of culinary history!
Join me as I explore the differences between black currants, raisins, and currants, and explain why English baking terminology can be so tricky. I also talk about the mysterious world of royal warrants and what that tells us about the age of these little cookbooks.
You’ll learn how to make Eccles cakes using a modern shortcut (store-bought puff pastry!) and why there's no single “right” way to prepare them — just the way that works in your kitchen.
📚 Featuring:
A brief history of Brown & Polson’s vintage cookbook
The Queen Victoria royal warrant explained
Eccles cakes vs Chorley cakes: what's the difference?
The role of mixed spice, candied peel, and Zante currants in British baking
Tips for forming and baking puff pastry parcels at home
🧁 Whether you're an Anglophile baker, a vintage cookbook collector, or just love old-fashioned treats, this one’s for you.
👉 Check out our homemade puff pastry tutorial here: youtu.be/bZvQIFjO2Uc
🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for more Sunday morning cooking adventures!
No. 33.-ECCLES CAKES.
3 oz. Castor Sugar.
½ tea-spoonful Mixed Spice.
6 oz. Currants.
I oz. Butter.
I ½ oz. Finely-Chopped Candied Peel.
A few drops of Water.
8 oz. Short Crust or Puff Pastry-one-half as much as Recipe No. 32.
Measure out the ingredients.
Divide the pastry into eight pieces, and roll out four or five inches across.
Mix the currants, sugar, peel, and spices together.
Put about a dessert-spoonful on to each round of pastry.
Divide the butter into eight pieces, put a piece on each round with a few drops of water.
Moisten the edges of thẻ paste, draw them together over the top, flatten a little with the hand, turn over, and roll slightly.
Make three or four cuts over the top.
Bake about 20 minutes in a hot oven.
Here is a basic recipe for Mixed Spice; there are many variations:
Ingredients
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground allspice
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoons ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon ground mace
#EcclesCakes #OldCookbookShow #VintageBaking #BritishRecipes #Currants #PuffPastry #TraditionalRecipes #EnglishBaking #SundayMorningBaking #GlenAndFriendsCooking
2025 Give Hope Wings Fundraiser Page:
https://ca-p2p.engagingnetworks.app/31190/ghw2025/180784/glens-hangar
More info about Hope Air: hopeair.ca
hopeair.ca/impact-report-2024
Our Fundraiser flight will be making stops in June 2025:
Thursday June 5: Gore Bay (CYZE) - Launch Event
Friday June 6 - Saturday June 7: Sault Ste. Marie (CYAM) - Hope Air Day
Sunday June 8 Marathon (CYSP) - Lunch
Sunday June 8 Sioux Lookout (CYXL)
Monday June 9 Red Lake (CYRL) - Reception Event
Tues June 10 - Wed June 11 Winnipeg (CYWG) - Patient and Partner Event
More dates to be announced
Here is the link to our Apron: searchandrescuedenim.com/products/s-r-x-glen-friends-chef-apron?country=IO&variant=50865649877152
searchandrescuedenim.com/GLENANDFRIENDSCOOKING
Discount code to be used at checkout: GLENANDFRIENDSCOOKING
Buy us a cup of tea: ko-fi.com/glenandfriendscooking
Help us out with a PayPal donation: paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=T4FPGUQABAUTE
Join this channel:
youtube.com/channel/UCsU15yvILBmnHPeAf4SFVaQ/join
This channel is nothing without you our viewers! Thanks for watching the Old Cookbook Show and our Historical Cooking.
#LeGourmetTV #GlenAndFriendsCooking
Check out our Aviation and Flying Channel: youtube.com/glenshangar
