Name: Leftover Christmas cake “eccles” cakes with marzipan
Ingredients: 320g sheet frozen puff pastry sheet, defrosted; 300g leftover Christmas cake (icing removed, but keep any remaining marzipan), crumbled; 1 clementine, zested; 2 tbsp masala wine, sherry or rum (or black tea); 25g unsalted butter, melted; 100g marzipan, coarsely grated; 1 egg, beaten; 60g demerara sugar, for dipping; custard, cream or brandy butter, to serve; fine sea salt

Leftover Christmas cake “eccles” cakes with marzipan

Makes 10

Chances are you’ll have leftover Christmas cake for days to come…this is one of our favourite ways to use it up!

Ingredients

320g	sheet frozen puff pastry sheet, defrosted
300g	leftover Christmas cake (icing removed, but keep any remaining marzipan), crumbled
1	clementine, zested
2 tbsp	masala wine, sherry or rum (or black tea)
25g	unsalted butter, melted
100g	marzipan, coarsely grated
1	egg, beaten
60g	demerara sugar, for dipping
	custard, cream or brandy butter, to serve
	fine sea salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper (I re-use the paper that the puff pastry comes wrapped up in).
Place the puff pastry sheet onto a lightly floured surface and give it a couple of rolls with a rolling pin to thin it out slightly. Cut out 10cm rounds (you should get around seven) and place them on the baking tray. Gather up the scraps and re-roll to make a total of ten circles. Place the baking tray in the fridge to keep the puff pastry cool while you make the filling.
Place the next five ingredients into a medium bowl, add a pinch of salt and mix to combine. Take out the puff circles and place about 40 grams of the mixture into the middle of each circle. Take a filled circle in the palm of your hand and, using your thumb and forefinger, stretch the puff pastry up and over the filling and into the middle, using your other thumb to keep it in place, turning and overlapping as you go until all folds meet in the middle. Pinch together to seal. Place them seam side down onto the baking tray and press down gently. Brush the tops and sides with the egg and dip in the demerara sugar. Using a small sharp knife, make 3 shallow slits on the top of each eccles cake. Bake for 20-25 mins until evenly browned, turning the tray halfway.
Leave to cool for five minutes before serving with the custard, cream or brandy butter alongside.