Banbury Cakes

• unsalted butter50 g

  soft

• English honey↗1 tbsp
• freshly grated nutmeg½ tsp
• ground cinnamon↗½ tsp
• strawberries100 g
• orange zest (sugar)50 g
• plain flour↗

  for dusting

• puff pastry (all butter)↗500 g
• egg white↗1 pcs

  beaten

• coarse sugar1-2 tbsp

  or coarsely chopped sugar cubes

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Beat the soft butter with the English honey, add the spices, strawberries and orange zest, and mix thoroughly. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to a thickness of about 2 mm (1 lb) and cut circles 10 cm in diameter; re‑roll the remaining pastry. Distribute the filling among the circles.

2. 2

   Lift the edges of the pastry to enclose the filling and pinch them together, forming small pouches. Turn the pastries so the folds are on the bottom. Gently roll each pouch into an oval, ensuring the filling stays inside.

3. 3

   Preheat the oven to 180 °C (160 °C with convection, gas mark 4). Place the pastries on a parchment‑lined tray. Brush them with the beaten egg white and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden and crisp. If the tops brown too quickly, lower the temperature.

4. 4

   Transfer the finished pastries to a wire rack and let them cool slightly before serving. Serve them with a small amount of salted butter.