These tasty pastry delights have been on our minds of late. It’s a cake from a small Lancashire town on the outskirts of Manchester.
What Are Chorley Cakes?
They’re like biscuits—a rather delicious flattened, fruit-filled pastry thing. Sometimes they go by the name of Eccles cakes.
Being small and moreish, it’s easy to consume more than one at the same time. That’s our theory for why it’s “Chorley cakes” rather than “Chorley cake”.
Whatever, they’re a common staple around Lancashire, Manchester, and wherever else “oop norf” you dare to mention.
Chorley/Eccles cakes are available in many stores across the North West of England. They’re available in the likes of the above packaging.
As with fish & chips and mushy peas, these things are ubiquitous with life here.
If you’re not from this part of the world… tough! You’ll have to go without them.
Or you can just bake the bloody things and have done with it. Whilst you’re at it, go and get some Marmite to flush them down with.
How To Bake Chorley Cakes
As you can see from that video, they’re also easy to make. So even if you’re from Egypt, why not go ahead and bake some up?
Pastry Ingredients
300g (10oz) plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
25g (1oz) caster sugar
180g (6oz) butter
80ml (3fl oz) milk or milk alternative
Filling Ingredients
200g (7oz) currants
50g soft light brown sugar
50g butter—melt the stuff!
1 egg white, whipped up and beaten
For preparation tips, look at the above video. Or just search around online.
What? What do you expect? This isn’t a cooking blog, FFS, we just write about stupid stuff and culture. Don’t be lazy!
Notes on Chorley
Chorley is a funny little place. At once full of very nice and down to Earth folk, there’s also a major chav presence with hoodlums running riot.
That’s particularly notable in Adlington, which is down the road from Chorley. A little village, driving through it you’d be amazed at its aesthetic delights.
Yet a lot of the folks who live there can be quite weirdly belligerent and combative. It’s the Northern way, we guess.
English comedian Peter Kay (from Bolton) plays loving homage to Chorley in much of his work. Particularly in Phoenix Nights.
It’s a rather quaint place, we guess. Quiet. Inoffensive. And there’s a market, library, one pub of interest, plus a bizarrely fancy Booths supermarket.
Well, it’s where we grew up! So it has a lot of value to us, even if we haven’t been there for ages. And, yes, you can purchase Chorley Cakes in Chorley.
😀 it smells good – & the video is understandable – & not too difficult. I”ll try this week.
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I demand a picture if you succeed/fail. 🍪
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Ok – 1 euro ?
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0.5 euro!!!
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Well – 1 euro 3 pictures ?
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1 Euro and 2.8 pictures!!!!
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Done deal.
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Euro (you’re on)!!!!!!
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…. sorry….
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Je suis desole.
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so do i
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Ha ha great blog! As a non-belligerent booking loving nerdy neighbour from Aggy I can’t quite bring myself to agree with your take on the place. Never eaten a Chorley cake either. Think I will after reading your blog 👍 A great read, highly chucklesome 🤣
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Thank you very much! And yes, well there are plenty of non-belligerent folks in Aggy as well. Although I do recommend Chorley cakes. You should bake some!
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You’re welcome. Looking forward to more of your posts 🤓 I will try and make the legendary Chorley Cakes soon. Promise.
PS I might have been a tiny bit belligerent on a night out once at The Ridgeyway Arms (top of Railway Road — it’s a Tesco’s now obvs)
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There’s still plenty of opportunity to get rowdy. The Bay Horse or Yew Tree are good locations. Down a few pints and yell at random strangers, “You startin’, mate!?”
But thanks! I’m a fellow writer person. Oxford commas, active voice (just not on this blog), and mindless profanity. They all make for brilliant copy!
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Yes the writing is very good! Clean and crisp and FUNNY 🤣
Nice to meet you fellow foolish writer type 👋
The Bay Horse is my local. I go there about once a year and drink half a shandy. I’m a Mancunian refugee. I’m surprised they let me in.
Che ciao for now, have a great week!
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Merci, much obliged! T’ Bay ‘orse is a good old barn.
These days I’m in Manchester city centre, aye.
Have thyself a proper good week!
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