Scottish Currant Slab

Submitted by Noo8820

"I saw this recipe on 'The People's Cookbook’. It was sent in by a Scottish lady and I believe that the recipe was her late mother’s. It won its dessert heat, and quite deservedly so. It’s a delicious mix of buttery pastry and currants, with a secret ingredient to keep it wonderfully moist. It’s a winner in my house!"

 

• Ready In: 1hr 20mins
• Ingredients: 10
• Yields: 1 pie

ingredients

• Pastry

• 750 g plain flour
• 1 pinch salt
• 225 g butter or 225 g margarine
• 250 g butter (at room temp)
• 250 g caster sugar
• 1 egg (beaten)

• Filling

• 550 g currants
• 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice
• 4 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons custard powder, mixed with a little water to form a paste

directions

1. For the pastry:

2. Sift the flour and salt together. Rub in the butters. Stir in the sugar, then add the egg, mixing to a soft dough.
3. Knead dough until smooth. Cover with cling film and chill for 20-30 minutes.

4. For the filling:

5. Put the currants, spice and sugar into a large pan and add enough cold water to JUST cover the fruit.
6. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat, and simmer gently for no more than 5 minutes.
7. Remove pan from heat. Gradually add the custard paste, stirring until the fruit mixture thickens slightly (it will thicken more when cool).
8. Preheat the oven to Gas 3. Grease and line a 30x18cm Swiss roll tin.
9. Divide the pastry into half.
10. Roll out the pastry and use to line the tin, pressing pastry over the base and the sides. Lightly brush the top edges with water.
11. Spoon the fruit mixture into pastry case, spread evenly and pack well.
12. Roll out the remaining pastry, slightly larger than the tin. Lay over the filling and pat down.
13. Trim away the excess pastry and crimp the edges. Cut 2 slits into the middle of the pie.
14. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Sprinkle the top with caster sugar while pastry is still warm.
15. Serve hot or cold.