8 oz Plain (all purpose) flour
1 pn Of salt
6 oz Margarine
6 tb To 8 tb cold water
1. Sieve the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. 2. Cut the margarine into
small pieces (size of a walnut). Add to the flour and toss lightly with the fingertips so that each piece of margarine is coated with flour – but not broken up. 3. Add 6 Tablespoons water and mix lightly with the blade of a knife into a soft dough, making sure that the pieces of margarine are kept whole. If some of the flour is loose in the bowl, add a little more water and mix until it is worked in and the dough fairly soft. 4. Gather together with the fingertips, turn out onto a well-floured board and again sprinkle with flour. 5. Form into a small oblong, flour the rolling pin and roll lightly and carefully to a strip approximately 10 inches by 5 inches. 6. Brush off any surplus flour. Fold into three by folding the bottom third upwards and the top third downwards and over to cover it. 7. Lightly press the three open edges with the rolling pin to seal. Second Rolling: 8. Turn the pastry round on the board so that the right hand edge faces
you. Roll out to a strip approximately 9 inches by 6 inches. 9. Brush off any surplus flour. Fold into three again and seal the edges. Place on a floured plate; sprinkle with flour; cover with a damp cloth or plastic bag and leave in a cold place for 20 minutes. Third and Fourth Rollings: 10. Repeat stages 8 and 9 for the third rolling (the resting period can be
omitted) and again for the fourth rolling. (If the dough is streaky and rough in appearance, give it a fifth rolling. 11. After the last rolling and final resting, the pastry is ready to roll to the thickness stated in the recipe used. Following is the recipe for Eccles Cakes, using this pastry. Shared by Sylvia Mease (Cookie Lady)