Nici Wickes: Eccles cake

Forget the dry and overly sweet versions you may have had before, these eccles cakes are delicate, crisp and buttery. I recommend you do as the English do and enjoy them with some crumbly cheese and a cup of black tea.
 Makes 10-12
Pastry
120g high grade flour
Pinch salt
100g butter, chilled
50mls iced water
Filling
½  cup currants
½ cup other dried fruits  - I used sultanas, figs & prunes
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp mixed spice
¼ tsp ground ginger
2 tbsp brandy or rum or orange juice (optional)
20g butter, chilled 
1 egg + milk for egg wash
1-2 tbsps caster sugar
 
Aged cheddar cheese to serve
 

Preheat oven to 180 C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
For the pastry: In a bowl mix flour and salt and grate in the chilled butter. Drizzle in iced water and mix with a butter knife until it comes together as a scraggy mess then use your hands to knead very lightly into a ball. Roll out on floured surface into a rectangle three times as long as it is wide. Fold each end into the middle in thirds so you have a square-ish shape, turn 90 degrees and roll out again. Repeat one more time, leaving it folded and chill for 30 minutes.
Make the filling by mixing dried fruits with sugar, spices and liquid. Leave to sit for 30 minutes and then grate in the butter.
Heat the oven to 180 C fan bake.
Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured work surface to about 5mm thick, then cut into 9cm rounds. Put a teaspoon of filling in centre of each, brush edges with egg wash. Gather the edges together to encase filling and press to seal. Flatten slightly by gently pressing. Transfer to lined baking tray smooth side up. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Use a sharp knife and cut three slashes in the top of each and bake for about 20-25 minutes until golden and well-risen.
Allow to cool slightly before serving with aged cheddar and tea.

NB: Make these even easier and use store-bought flaky pasty.