little cluckers Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Been searching for these but the recipes I found looked more like bread pudding but at last I found this on Waitrose website Makes: 16 Ingredients 500g ready-made puff pastry 1 medium egg, beaten 300g cake crumbs from a sponge such as madeira cake, or trifle sponge 125g mixed dried fruit 2 tsp ground mixed spice Caster sugar for dredging Method Preheat the oven to 190°C, gas mark 5. Butter a 22cm-square baking tin, at least 3cm deep. Roll out the puff pastry to a rectangle measuring about 28cm x 50cm. Cut into two sections so you have one square of around 28cm x 28cm and a rectangle of around 28cm x 22cm. Use the square to line the base of the baking tin - the pastry should come up the sides of the tin. Trim the rectangle to a square measuring 22cm x 22cm and set aside. In a large bowl, mix the cake crumbs, dried fruit and spice. Stir in enough hot water (150ml-175ml) to create a stiff paste. Spread this evenly over the pastry in the tin, leaving a slight gap around the sides. Brush the edge of the pastry with some of the beaten egg. Cover with the reserved square of pastry, and pinch the edges together with the bottom layer of pastry, to form a complete crust so that the filling is enclosed. Brush the pastry with more beaten egg, then use a fork to prick holes in the top of the pastry. Bake for 30 minutes until golden and puffed up. Leave to cool in the tin, then turn out, dredge with caster sugar and cut into squares. The picture looks exactly as I remember them- my mouth is watering already, can't wait til tomorrow to have a go at making them! (It's the little things ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little cluckers Posted July 24, 2008 Author Share Posted July 24, 2008 Well I made them- I used shortcrust pastry instead of puff because that's how I remembered them and they were gorgeous, they've nearly been eaten by my hungry locusts The only thing that I would change next time is to roll the pastry thinner as I did it quite thick and wasn't cooked as well as it should have been but they were still a delicious trip down memory lane and very easy too. They'd be a good way of using a sponge cake that didn't rise etc, and very healthy too obviously ....ahem!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Looney Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 How fantastic, I've been on the search for a recipe for Nelson's Mess Cake which is more like a tart to be honest but couldn't find a recipe...and this sounds like just the thing! Now just need to persuade someone to make it for me........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
