Lancashire Eccles Cakes

Preheat the oven to a high temperature of 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius).

Make the surface of a baking sheet wet by sprinkling water onto it.

Heat butter in a small saucepan over a moderate heat source until melted. Add currants, granulated sugar, citrus peel, and a blend of spices to the saucepan. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely and the fruit is evenly coated, then take the saucepan off the heat.

Roll out pastry dough on a lightly dusted surface to a thickness of one-quarter inch. Use a saucer as a guide to cut out eight 5-inch round shapes. Divide the fruit mixture evenly among the rounds. Wet the edges of the pastry with water, fold over the filling towards the center, and pinch to seal. Invert the filled cakes onto the floured surface and gently shape them into wider, flatter circles while being careful not to break the dough.

Brush each cake with a raw egg white, then sprinkle it generously with white sugar. Make three parallel cuts across the top of each cake, then place them on the prepared baking sheet.

Put the cakes in the preheated oven and bake until golden brown, taking about 15 minutes.